Trust, Teamwork, and Integrity Define Karen Moore’s Dressage and Boarding Program
By Kim Roe with Karen Moore and Meghan Valenti
Twenty years ago, Karen Moore found horse heaven just outside of Arlington, Washington. She named it Pacific Moon.
Tucked into the Cascade foothills, the 52-acre property offers a peaceful place where horses thrive and riders practice the art of dressage. The mountains rise up behind the property, creating a spectacular setting for the daily work and care that goes into providing only the best for people and horses.
Karen Moore is a lifelong horsewoman. She rode hunters and jumpers in the 1970s, Arabs and Quarter horses for 20 years, and fell in love with dressage in 1988. Moore, a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist, has trained with well-known dressage trainers from around the world. Leslie Reid, Jeremy Steinberg, Debbie McDonald, Jan Ebling, Rochelle Kilberg, Sue Blinks, and Barbara Koot are just some of the coaches who have influenced her teaching and riding.
Moore is devoted to her students and loves teaching. Over the years she’s taught sports psychology, sales and management training, empowerment coaching, skiing, and gymnastics. Her goal is for her students to become independent and confident.
Moore emphasizes correct dressage basics. They are the building blocks for the highest levels of the sport. “Dressage looks effortless when your horse is round, through, and tuned into the rider as the leader of a partnership. Dressage is hard, and life with horses can be heartbreaking, so it should be fun.
“Pacific Moon is a safe and supportive environment, full of hugs and appreciation for the journey. Every rider has different goals and aspirations. But everyone loves their horses like family and time in the saddle should feel like home.
“Pacific Moon is a place of growth and camaraderie. We share in the successes and are compassionate in the challenges.”
A Blossoming Partnership
Moore has recently included trainer Meghan Valenti as another trainer at Pacific Moon. Valenti has a strong background in both natural horsemanship and dressage. She brings a great deal of talent for starting young horses. Adding Valenti to the training and instruction program at Pacific Moon allows them to offer a complete approach to both good horsemanship and dressage from young horses to finished upper-level horses.
Moore and Valenti manage their own training and instruction businesses but there is power in their blended talents and teamwork. “We both know our strengths and share clients with each other depending on the client’s needs,” says Valenti. For example, one of Valenti’s students, having mastered good basics on her young horse, is now taking more advanced dressage lessons with Moore.
Moore admits she is teaching more and training less. Valenti works with Moore’s training horses under some supervision. Valenti always includes solid dressage basics in her training. Her strong background in natural horsemanship and Moore’s knowledge in dressage gives the team the ability to produce mentally balanced athletes who are both happy and successful in their jobs.
A Full-Feature Facility
The facility is unique. It offers not only quality indoor and outdoor arenas, but obstacles and a lovely trail system around the property. The horses can be boarded either in a traditional, full care stall board with all-day grass turnout or outside with a pasture mate. The pastures include full care daily feeding and lovely 36′ x 14’ sheds for shelter.
Moore has a clear vision for her goals at Pacific Moon. “Trust is an important part of the support of our customers, the horses, our family and friends. Thinking of our actions as being part of a circle of truthful and honest communication between ourselves and others makes the service we give all the more beneficial.
“We are reliable. That’s why we work with customers up and down the West coast, from Alaska to California. Reliability also means saying no if we cannot do something. Trust is the core principle to the success of Pacific Moon.”
Learn more about Pacific Moon, Karen Moore, and Meghan Valenti at pacificmoondressage.com.
Kim Roe grew up riding on the family ranch and competed in Western rail classes, trail horse, reining, working cow, and hunter/jumper. She trained her first horse for money at 12 years old, starting a pony for a neighbor.
Kim has been a professional dressage instructor in Washington state for over 30 years, training hundreds of horses and students through the levels. In recent years Kim has become involved in Working Equitation and is a small ‘r’ Working Equitation judge with WE United.
Kim is the editor of the Northwest Horse Source Magazine, and also a writer, photographer, and poet. She owns and manages Blue Gate Farm in Deming, Washington where she continues to be passionate about helping horses and riders in many disciplines.
