One of the newest equestrian facilities in the Arlington, TN area is A-n-D Equestrian Center, located at 11371 Millington-Arlington Road. Trainers David Berrie and Amanda Capps specialize in preparing horses for AQHA competitions and barrel racing. With a spacious 150 X 100 ft. indoor arena attached to the stabling facility, riding and training horses goes on year-round with no disruptions due to weather. With two apartments in the barn, this is also home to David and Amanda, so boarders can feel secure that someone is always on the premises.
David hails from Oklahoma, raised on a ranch and participating in 4-H as a kid. “My dad and granddad were horse trainers,” David said, his horse breaking and training skills are a family tradition. “I got good at starting colts. After I worked them for 30 days, they would go like they had been worked 90 days,” he explained. “I also worked a lot of problem horses. But I really like to start pleasure horse babies. It’s very rewarding to finally get that jog down, or that lope.”
David trains horses for all AQHA events, except jumping, including Western Pleasure, Trail, Horsemanship, and Showmanship. He qualified his first student for the AQHA Youth world at age 13. He won a scholarship to Oklahoma State University, where he competed on the school’s NCAA equestrian team.
Amanda is originally from Kentucky and she is keen on barrel racing and poles – the speed events. She rode in high school rodeo, going to the HS Rodeo Nationals. Then she was off to college, where in addition to school, she worked Marne Loosenort, from whom she learned a lot of training techniques. She worked for Marne for six years, learned how to successfully compete in the barrel racing super shows with big jackpots.
Amanda is working with about 8 barrel horses at the barn; she starts barrel racing prospects and futurity colts, and fixes problem horses. Amanda has a couple of students that she hauls with her everywhere. One of her top barrel racing students is Katlin Dahl. She’s placing in 2D with Rivers Two, a 12-year-old gren horse, son of Dash Ta Fame. Her 1D horse has set arena records. Kaitlin’s other horse, Boleos Run Away, her 1D horse, is a daughter of JA Runaway. Kaitlin is planning for the Hosey Jr. World next year, as well as the All-American Youth.
A-n-D offers lessons from beginner to advanced, and the offer lesson packages for a reduced cost. Training is ongoing with a variety of horses and “We always have horses for sale here,” Amanda said.
David plans to start a regular 4-H group at the barn, meeting weekly on Wednesday evenings. For more information, call Amanda or David at (901) 317-4192 at the barn.
