Ashley Templeton – Owner/Barn Manager

Ashley and ZoomerAshley grew up in the North Atlanta suburbs, spending her childhood riding, training, and caring for horses on her parents’ farm in Milton (then Alpharetta), GA.

After obtaining her degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University, she spent several years working in the commercial construction industry designing mechanical systems for sustainable buildings and is a LEED-accredited professional. Horses have always been her dream, so she built Pony Tail Acres in hopes of building a life around her passion. Starting in 2020, Ashley has taken on teaching the Horse Management Lessons of the Riding Academy. She brings over 30 years of experience and horse care knowledge to the educational team and finds that the students she teaches not only enjoy their lessons, but she enjoys teaching them.

“Never did I think I could excitingly teach about feed labels, but every student left smiling.”

To contact Ashley about horse management lessons or boarding please email her at ashley@ponytailacres.org or call 770-235-9996.

Dawn Kemph – Head Trainer

Pony Tail Acres is happy to have Dawn as head of our Trainers/Instructors. Dawn comes to us locally from Powder Springs, GA. She started riding at the tender age of 7 and brings over 30 years of experience to the farm. Dawn is also the USPC Riding Center Administrator for the PTA USPC Riding Center.

Dawn spent much of her young rider years in the Atlanta Pony Club. Through Pony Club she rode with wonderful clinicians such as Richard Lamb, Leslie Olsen, Werner Givens, Ann Haller, and many more. Pony Club gave her a wonderful foundation in horsemanship and leadership. Dawn graduated from The University of Georgia with a degree in Animal Science with a concentration in Equine Management. She has a “knack” for creating individualized feeding programs for all the horses in our care based on their workload and nutritional needs.

After taking a break for a few years to finish school and get a job in the horse industry, Dawn back to training with several horses in her string. Her current favorite to compete is Always Curious. Together they have competed in several horse trials. Since then they have completed several Novice level USEA Horse Trials in Area III, including the 2021 USEA Eventing Championships in Lexington, KY,  and are looking to move to Training soon.

Dawn believes in correct biomechanical training methods which teach the horse to relax and to use their bodies to do their jobs. Her methods show significant results in just a few rides as the horse learns to settle and listen to his rider, as well as how to best use the body he currently has for the job being asked of him. Her program includes in-hand, arena, and field/hacking work to create a well-rounded, un-soured horse. She has had experience in starting horses under saddle, furthering a horse’s training, dealing with problem horses, and giving “tune-ups” to more experienced horses.

“I’ve seen a huge difference in my OTTB since Dawn has taken over his training. His under saddle progress is incredible, and I also have the bonus of seeing better manners in the cross-ties and tacking up. I feel like I’m getting so much more than I pay for with his training” says one of Dawn’s training clients.

Dawn also has similar ideas on correct biomechanics in her lesson program. She has been teaching professionally for over 25 years with students showing in a range of disciplines from eventing, dressage, and hunter/jumpers and has been used as a Championships Coach for the South Region, as well as coached at the American Eventing Championships. Her program is based on teaching students correct basics, then getting them to understand the “why”. Our lesson program, which was created out of Dawn’s Pony Club experience, brings about students who not only understand horses, but understand the methodology behind teaching as well. Students from Dawn’s program are primed to use the knowledge in equestrian careers themselves, or have innate discipline skills for study in any other careers.

“Dawn has a great understanding of me and my horse. I understand my horse better, so I am riding her better,” says one of Dawn’s advanced students.

To schedule riding lessons, training rides, or horse evaluations with Dawn, please email dawn@ponytailacres.org call 404-317-1052.