Justamere Riders Taught Control, Confidence on Horseback

When the million-dollar question of little girls everywhere has been asked and answered, Twila Slavic is very often the result.

The owner and operator of Justamere Equestrian Center, Slavic, 60, has given riding lessons to girls and boys of every age for more than 30 years.

A Macomb resident and lifelong rider, Slavic opened the 40-acre center located just south of 26 Mile Road on Card in 1985 and has been giving lessons, boarding horses and hosting shows every since.

“It’s like a progression,” she said. “I gave lessons at other places and people wanted me to train their horses, and I wanted to host shows and you can’t do that at someone else’s farm.”

Although Justamere hosts numerous Hunter/Jumper/Dressage Association shows throughout the year, the center is primarily a training ground for inexperienced riders as well as those wishing to “get back in the saddle.”

While there is no age requirement to begin lessons, Slavic said “focus” is a must for all would-be riders.

“I’ve started some children at age 5, but that depends on the kid,” she said. “You don’t just stick them on a horse and send them away. You have to know that once you turn them loose, they will be OK.”

To that end, Slavic’s lessons are not just an exercise in control and communication, but also in confidence.

“Riding a horse gives confidence–especially to kids,” she said. “Once you can ride a horse, a test is a piece of cake. It gives people who are insecure for whatever reason a sense of confidence.”

Slavic works to grow this confidence through her shows as well. Pupils are not required to participate in the center’s shows, but those who do can choose to show in the style or styles in which they feel most comfortable.

Generally, there are two different show types, English hunt seat and dressage, and participants must show in one or the other. But Slavic allows her students to show in both if they choose in order to “have a taste of both things without having to have two horses.”

This combined show allows pupils to save money while testing their different skills.

However, these efforts should not be confused with a laid-back approach to riding on the part of Slavic.

“It’s not enough to ride a horse once a week,” she said. “It’s more challenging than people realize. Horse riding is not a recreational sport. If you really want to learn how to jump or do dressage, it’s hard to progress rapidly if you don’t have the time.”

Nine-year-old Emilee Ericson is one of Slavic’s pupils who plans to make the time.

Ericson fell in love with riding at age 4 and while she uses one of the center’s horses to take her lessons now, she said she is looking forward to the day when she will be able to buy a horse of her own.

Only 27 horses currently call Justamere home, 10 of which belong to Slavic, but at full capacity, the center can board 44 horses.