Lori's horse experience started when she was a child.  That's when she knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life working with horses.  She attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in  Equine Science.  While attending SIU-C, Lori was President of the Equestrian Team and Riding Club for three years.  She successfully competed on the Huntseat and Stockseat teams. Lori's summers during college and several years after college were spent working in different parts of the horse industry.  Some examples of her wide range of experience include  breeding management, reining, cutting, and western pleasure.

Lori currently owns and operates Lori Nelson Training which offers lessons, clinics, and many training options from beginner to advanced levels in many disciplines.  LNT students of all ages enjoy competing in many local/regional saddle club, NRHA, Pony Club and 4H shows under her direction.   

 

Lori trains and instructs in several disciplines although her true passion is reining. Over the years she has ridden with many top National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) professionals in order to build the knowledge she shares with her students.  She has competed, as well as coached her students, to both regional and national levels. Lori and her clients have earned numerous year end awards from several associations including the Midwest Reining Horse Association, Illinois Reining Horse Association, and Indiana Reining Horse Association.   Lori finished the 2012 show season in the Top Ten for her NRHA division.  

 

Lori especially enjoys working with horses and owners, helping them  to work through problems and is excellent at teaching both horse and rider to work as a team and acheive their goals.  

 

She believes that when a horse is started properly, and taught to use their mind and body, they can go on to do anything.  Her adaptable teaching and training methods produce a soft and responsive horse resulting in success across a wide range of disciplines from reining to pleasure to hunter/jumpers.