Beanie Cone Now Training At “Horse Lovers Only” Instruction is his forté by Nancy Brannon You never know where circumstances will take you, and circumstances recently led Beanie Cone to move some of his horses and students to Lori Brown’s “Horse Lovers Only” stable at 755 Dent Road. His “Hunter’s Edge Stables” operation now extends across four barns, where he teaches about 25 students, plus others who trailer in for instruction, and trains nearly 40 horses. Talk about being spread out! He moved to Brown’s facility just after the Germantown Charity Horse Show for the amenities it offers. “It’s got trails, large paddocks, and good management,” Cone said. Growing up as a hunter rider in Germantown, hunter/jumper instruction is his forté. “I took 17 students to the Germantown Charity Horse Show to compete at levels ranging from short stirrup to jumper. We do the Oak View/ Shady Creek shows as well as the “A” hunter/ jumper shows,” he said. “I also teach kids who are not interested in showing. Some students have their own horses; others don’t. My younger son just likes to go to the show, ride, and then get off. He doesn’t care much for schooling and practice. But it’s hard to teach your own kids,” he said, even for a professional Cone also works with students competing in AQHA shows and is actively involved with local 4-H riders. “One of my students, Ashley Owen, qualified two horses for the [2008 AQHA] World this year, but will be taking just one of them to the show,” he said. His 4-H students compete in a variety of show classes. “They compete in dressage, trail, equitation, hunter and hack classes.” He took several of his students to the District 4-H show where “I had the time of my life!” he said. He took nine students to the State 4-H show, “where all nine qualified for Regionals, which will be held in Lexington, Virginia.” He’ll be taking three of them to Regionals later this year: Mary Summers, age 11; Emily Bresse, age 12; and his son Bowers Cone, age 11. Monthly 4-H meetings are held on the first Tuesdays, October through April, at the Agricenter. Sometimes one’s full-time job is not what one has a passion for doing. “I worked full time as the store manager at Wild Oats, but I hated mostly sitting behind a desk. I’d rather be outside having fun riding with the kids,” Cone revealed. So he left that job in February to follow his passion for teaching, riding, and training horses full time. He does admit, though, that the air conditioned office was something to be desired. Cone also has experience designing courses and in barn management. Beanie is excited his older brother Mac will be competing in the 2008 Olympics on the Canadian show jumping team. “He’ll be taking one horse, OLE, whom he has been competing on the Grand Prix circuit. He operates Southern Ways Farms in King City, Toronto, Canada. For more information: e-mail huntersedgestables@yahoo.com or call (901) 831-3890.