In Joel Conner’s life, horses are his work and his play. Professionally, Joel starts colts and teaches horsemanship using the techniques of the masters: Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt, and Buck Brannaman. He started riding horses for SAFE back in 2015, and had been involved with SAFE’s horsemanship program ever since. Joel is deeply committed to developing a horsemanship program at SAFE to help staff and volunteers learn solid and consistent skills for working with the horses. He began coming to SAFE multiple times each year, putting on clinics to teach groundwork and riding. In 2018, he began starting young horses under saddle for SAFE as well as teaching colt starting skills to staff members and volunteers. He also began donating his time to teach basic horse handling skills to SAFE volunteers, allowing those with little to no horse experience get safe, hands-on practice. As a member of SAFE’s Advisory Council, Joel wants to use his ability to build relationships with depth and breadth for the benefit of the SAFE horses.
