Southern Lights Dressage is owned by Amber and Brian Kimball of Citrus Springs, Florida. The company aims to provide quality dressage training and instruction to horses and riders in the Citrus, Marion and Levy county areas of Florida.
USDF Silver medalist, Amber Kimball has the experience to help a variety of horses and riders reach their full potential. Following her horse filled high school years, Amber opted to pursue a full time equine education. She began the journey in 1997 at Franklands Farm in Brockville, Ontario, Canada. For the next three and a half years, Amber held a working student position at the farm riding under the watchful eye of Canadian Olympic bronze medalist, Gina Smith. Gina emphasized the importance of developing a strong basic foundation when training the horse and rider and maintaining strict standards of stable management. Amber rode all types and levels of horses while employed at Frankland's. Also, she had the opportunity to teach adults and children under Gina's supervision. One of the highlights of Amber's years at Franklands was grooming Gina's KWPN gelding, Fledermaus, at the World Cup in Holland in the spring of 2000.
The trip to the World Cup sparked Amber's interest in European dressage. In 2001 she traveled to Belgium for a working student opportunity at the stable of Johan and Penny Rockx. Amber rode Dutch Warmblood mares, geldings and stallions while under the instruction of Penny and Johan. The importance of the horses' acceptance of the aids was stressed daily. Amber was able to compare the differences in North American and European dressage with trips to horse shows and to Anky Van Grunsven's stable.
Amber's return to North America found her at INSPO, the farm of American Olympian, Belinda Nairn-Wertman. For the next eight years Amber trained and showed imported Dutch Warmbloods and Friesians for INSPO in Pennsylvania and Florida. Riding for INSPO was a tremendous addition to Amber's education. Belinda's tutalege refined her skills on horseback in the schooling arena and in the show ring. The instruction Amber recieved stressed the importance of the horse's straightness, lightness and responsiveness to the aids. During her years working for Belinda, Amber successfully trained and competed horses of all ages from Training Level to Intermediare 2. This experience gave Amber the ability to carefully and confidently develop a horse's education from the basics of walk-trot-canter through all of the advanced movements including one tempis, piaffe and passage. Working for Belinda also gave her experience in the sales aspect of the horse industry. INSPO's business centered mostly around importing horses from Holland for resale to riders all over the US. This enabled her to develop an eye for choosing a quality dressage horse and how to match that horse with the correct type of rider.
Amber's interest in self improvement continues today. She still looks to Belinda for instruction and insight into
the training of the dressage horse and participates in clinics with other top dressage trainers.
With the development of Southern Lights Dressage LLC, Amber is now available for horse training, lessons and clinics in the Ocala, Florida area year-round.
Anna Toomey - Moonraker Stables
Anna Toomey began riding at the age of seven with Gail Thompson, who instilled a foundation built on all around horsemanship. Every lesson included all care of the horse, and Anna enjoyed every second of it. While in college Anna was a working student for Courtney Cooper, a successful three day event rider. It was at Courtney's C Square Farm that Anna had the opportunity to sit on many sale horses. Courtney competed a full string up and down the east coast, grooming for her taught Anna about FEI competitions. Accompanying Courtney on purchasing trips abroad, eventually importing a sale horse herself, Anna gained experience in marketing horses. It was through eventing, and working the flat work for all the young sale horses that Anna realized she loved the dressage. Luckily a close friend needed her Freisan leased and Anna happily obliged. Honing her dressage knowledge while running a large boarding facility Anna began teaching and found another passion! What could be better than being with horses and sharing them with others. Many happy years were spent running local horse shows and teaching for the pony club in Nottingham PA.Following the sunshine south Anna settled in Ocala Fl. While completing an A.A in Equine Business from Central Florida Anna managed an International Arabian Halter Horse breeding farm. Not having much breeding experience, and none with Arabians, this was a huge learning experience. Managing all aspects of the farm Anna learned hands on about insemination, gestation, foaling, and young horse handling. It was during this time Anna found Sandy Wagner and her amazing stallion Asterix 694. Asterix was an aged Swedish stallion that had been trained by Kyra Kirkland, stood at Flyinge, and competed in the Pan Am Games. This horse was a blessing to learn on, Anna hopes to sit on another horse like him one day.
In her pursuit for dressage knowledge Anna spent over a year working for Pierre and Samantha St. Jacques. Both compete at an International level, training their own horses while funding themselves. The time spent riding with both was invaluable. Plus it lead to the purchase of Otopia, a stunning Selle Francais schoolmaster.
Recently Anna has her opened her own business MoonRaker Farm where she is building a dressage lesson program, coaching Central Florida College's IDA team, and breeding Swedish warmbloods.
