Eric Hoffmann, M.S. – UMW Sales Prep
Eric Hoffmann is the head instructor at La Cense Montana. He has taught the natural horsemanship classes at Montana Western since 2008. In the classes Hoffmann teaches you can learn the importance of getting your horses to work more willingly in order to accomplish a task or job. As a student of Hoffmann’s you will gain the confidence and knowledge that will give you readiness for a future career in the equine industry. Hoffmann holds an A.A.S. in Equine Management and Training from Laramie County Community College. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Education from the University of Wyoming and also received a Master’s degree in Agriculture Education from Montana State University.
Robert Chesterfield – UMW Sales Prep
Robert Chesterfield has been an instructor at La Cense Montana and taught natural horsemanship classes at Montana Western since 2016. A graduate of the program, Robert is able to understand the student’s perspective, giving him the ability to explain concepts in a way students can truly comprehend. Before teaching at Montana Western, Robert worked on ranches and started colts in Montana, and followed the show circuit with a cutting horse trainer all over the Southwest. The experience he gained has shown him the importance of putting the horse first and learning to change your technique to help your horse. Robert’s goal in the classes is to help build a strong working relationship between students and their horses, allowing them to succeed in their future equine careers.
Melanie South – UMW Sales Prep
Melanie South is our newest horsemanship instructor. She graduated from UMW with a Bachelor’s Degree in Natural Horsemanship with a Business minor and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with an Equine Management minor. She originally joined us from Menifee, CA and has been part of the Dillon community since 2010 (other than some brief time spent in Wyoming, Oregon, and California). Melanie grew up riding horses and has always enjoyed giving horsemanship lessons and working with the public. She strives to teach her student’s through leading by example and encourages her students to learn from failures with perseverance. She tinkers with showing cutting horses in her free time and enjoys spending time on the river with her husband. It is rare to see her without a smile on her face and she is excited to be a part of the University of Montana Western’s Horsemanship tea
Iola Else, M.S. – Equine Events Management
Iola Else, Montana Western‘s accomplished and recently retired rodeo coach, also brings her lifelong knowledge of and experience with horses to Montana Western‘s equine studies program. In addition to supervising natural horsemanship courses, Else teaches facilities management and young-horse starting and development. She is the campus’ liaison to La Cense Montana and the Montana Center for Horsemanship where the courses in natural horsemanship are conducted.