Equine Training Services at Flamingo Equine

Kristina graduated from North Central Texas College in 2007 with an Associate Degree in Equine Science, where she competed on the college equestrian team under a full-ride scholarship. Her passion for horses began at the age of eight, competing in Western Pleasure before transitioning to the competitive West Coast hunter-jumper circuit. Following a significant knee injury, she redirected her focus to high school rodeo, competing in barrel racing and breakaway roping.

Throughout her collegiate and professional career, Kristina had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most respected names in the equine industry, including Jim Babcock, Teddy Johnson, Carol Rose, Joe Hayes, Tom McCutcheon, and Todd Crawford. During this time, she refined her skills in cutting, reining, and reined cow horse disciplines while gaining invaluable experience in colt starting, performance horse development, and horsemanship.

Kristina later served as Breeding Manager and Young Horse Development Specialist at the historic Haverty Ranch, where she developed extensive expertise in mare and foal care, embryo transfer, stallion collection, young horse development, sales preparation, and equine photography. She also worked under Wendy Gardiner, contributing to the development of high-quality performance and endurance horses.

Her background further expanded through her time at the Equine Performance Innovation Center (EPIC) in Ocala, where she specialized in equine rehabilitation and recovery. There, Kristina worked with elite racehorses and Warmblood show horses, utilizing advanced therapies and conditioning modalities including swimming, cold saltwater spa therapy, vibration plate therapy, Aquapacer underwater treadmill conditioning, PEMF therapy, hyperbaric chamber treatments, massage therapy, and customized conditioning programs designed to safely return horses to peak performance.

Kristina’s training philosophy is a thoughtful fusion of traditional and natural horsemanship principles. Influenced heavily by legendary horsemen such as Ray Hunt, Tom Dorrance, Don Murphy, Bob Avila, and Tom Curtin, her program emphasizes softness, willingness, confidence, and partnership in every horse, regardless of breed or discipline.

At the core of Kristina’s program is the belief that horses are extraordinary athletes deserving of exceptional care. Her approach combines precision training, consistent conditioning, proper nutrition, recovery protocols, and meticulous grooming standards to maximize both performance and well-being. She intentionally limits the number of horses in training at any given time to ensure individualized attention and uncompromising quality of care.

Kristina believes horses have an incredible ability to impact and enrich human lives, and she is passionate about cultivating meaningful partnerships between horse and rider. Her philosophy centers on the idea that true beauty and success are never forced, but developed through trust, patience, and thoughtful horsemanship. To her, every horse in the program represents the standard of the business — and each one should look, feel, and perform at its absolute best.