Mackenzie Davison jumped into the news recently for riding Risque GWF to the lowest dressage score – a 22.9 in the Beginner Novice division – at Galway Downs’ February Horse Trials. Mackenzie and the young mare then finished 2nd in Open Novice at the International Horse Trials.
Her bigger contribution to the sport, however, is the ongoing accomplishment of helping new people get into it. Mackenzie’s Sky Ridge Equestrian Academy, based at Galway Downs, is one of only a few places where newcomers can get introduced to riding and the equestrian community without having to buy their own horse.
Programs with lesson horses used to be plentiful, but the rising cost of horse keeping has made them harder to maintain and thus harder to find.
Mackenzie is grateful to have the support and guidance of her longtime trainer and aunt Erin Kellerhouse. She started her own competitive equestrian journey with Erin at 11 and became a working student at Erin’s Galway Downs-based Swift Ridge Eventing at 16. Throughout that time, Mackenzie absorbed horsemanship knowledge and put it to great use that’s reflected in progress and competitive accomplishments with several horses – her own and those owned by others.
An Awesome Aunt
“I don’t even know how to describe what I’ve learned from Erin,” Mackenzie says. “She taught me everything I know. She’s an incredible rider, and she does such a great job with everything. All her clients love her. She’s an inspiration to me because she knows how to keep her horses and her people happy.”
Mackenzie earned an agriculture business degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. While in college, she worked for Andrea Baxter and Bec Braitling, top eventing professionals based at Twin Rivers in Paso Robles. Throughout high school, she worked for Liz Bolton Stables in San Diego County’s San Marcos and for Rancho El Camino Riding School in Del Mar.
A career with horses was Mackenzie’s goal early on. “I was obsessed with the idea since I was 14 or 15,” she shares. She welcomed any riding opportunity and challenging horse and took full advantage of the expertise surrounding her. All of that became great preparation for launching Skye Ridge Equestrian Academy in January of 2024.
Skye Ridge is named after her approximately 20-year-old Haflinger pony, Skye. They started together when Mackenzie was 8 and Skye was 6 and “a somewhat feral pony.” Mackenzie’s mom, Julie Davison, is an experienced horsewoman, so mother, daughter and pony progressed along together.
“She’s always been super good, but she didn’t know much when we got her,” Mackenzie says of Skye. Julie shared solid horsemanship basics with her daughter in the beginning. And Mackenzie and Skye learned a lot together by “playing around” before starting more formal instruction with Erin. She went from teaching the mare to canter under saddle, to conquering Beginner Novice competitions throughout the West Coast.
Today, Skye is introducing newcomers to the wonderful world of horses and Three Day Eventing as a lesson pony, while enjoying trail time with Mackenzie when time allows.
“I always want more people to join the sport, and I gained experience working with kids and beginning riders over the years,” Mackenzie explains. Skye Ridge’s emphasis is safety, fun, continuous learning and finding a place in the sport. The young professional sees Skye Ridge as filling a niche for “middle ground” programs that enable students to start from scratch and move onto competition if they choose to.
An Ideal Base
Galway Downs is an ideal base. Excellent facilities enable safe and constructive learning in an environment that’s appealing for the rider’s support crew – often a parent. Exposure to all levels of horsemanship exists 24/7 — in the daily work of top horsemen based there and during the frequent competitions that range from regional events to Olympic qualifiers. It’s easy for beginners to envision their own life with horses and the various paths to attaining it.
One of Mackenzie’s students started on Skye and has moved onto her own pony. Another is starting to compete on PJ, a former Training level contender leased from Mackenzie. Her own passion for horses and the sport is as intense as ever and working with new riders re-fuels it every day. “I’m working with people who initially don’t know anything about the sport and are super excited to learn about it.
“It’s so fun having these kids come out who haven’t dealt with horses before,” she continues. “They say the cutest things and are so in awe of how beautiful horses are.”
In addition to giving lessons, Mackenzie also rides young horses for others, including Off The Track Thoroughbreds. She’s excited about the future with them all and enjoying a period filled with “a lot of shenanigans.” As an increasingly seasoned horsewoman, she knows that’s the starting point for many future stars.
Mackenzie’s current string of competition horses includes Tashi, a youngster she started under saddle two years ago and is prepping for a Beginner Novice debut. And her own horse, Choc Ice, who’s getting ready to move from Novice to Training.
Two years into the adventure of operating her own business, Mackenzie is happy to be getting some traction. “More people are starting to get to know me and we all know how important it is to get more people into the sport.”
Having a good place to refer interested new riders to is half the battle in growing horse sport participation, and Skye Ridge Equestrian Academy is just such a place.
