Biography

Bonnie Marlewski-Probert

Bonnie Marlewski-Probert is an internationally respected teacher, trainer, writer and speaker.  In addition to her work in the horse industry, Bonnie has also written for some of the top magazines in the world.  She taught college courses on the art of writing and getting published and penned a teaching guide called, "If I Can Do It, So Can You!".

Bonnie got hooked on horses at the age of eight when she accepted horseback rides as payment for babysitting a neighbor's child. The neighbor was a newlywed who owned horses but needed a babysitter that she could afford. In exchange for watching her son while she rode, the neighbor would pony a horse over to Bonnie's backyard so she could ride too.   The only person who didn't win in this deal was Bonnie's mother who not only kept an eye on Bonnie while she was babysitting, but also kept an eye on things while they rode in the family's backyard!

That summer, Bonnie begged her parents to get her started in a riding lesson program.   She paid for her own lessons by mucking stalls.  Later on, she paid for her time with trainers by catch-riding sale horses and babysitting other people's mounts while they were on holiday.

Bonnie worked with a wide variety of trainers in the Chicago market over the next ten years.  She successfully showed horses in Western, English and over fences before apprenticing as a riding instructor for one year.  At the age of 18, she began teaching riding lessons on a limited basis, while attending college part-time and working full-time for a major corporation. 

Bonnie bought her first horse when she was thirteen.  After much negotiating, Bonnie's parents agreed to let her buy her own horse, only if she could pay all the bills herself!  It seemed like a fair deal at the time and so, with the help of her trainer, she found a middle-aged paint gelding that was named Bernie!  He wasn't much to look at, but Bernie would do anything she asked and that made him the most valuable horse in the barn!  Bonnie kept Bernie for one year and during that time, she rode him in local parades, horse shows, trail rides, Western, English, over fences, bareback, swam him, and did just about anything else a kid could dream of doing with that first horse.

In her mid-twenties, Bonnie left the safety of her corporate job and decided to strike out on her own and follow her dream of owning her own training/boarding facility.   "It was a dream of mine that I had always wanted to pursue.  I knew that if I didn't pursue that dream when I was still pretty young, I would never do it.   Not only is it a very physically demanding career, but I knew that the longer I spent in the safety of my corporate job, the harder it was going to be to take the plunge!" Said Bonnie.

"I named the facility Whitehall after its namesake in England.  Whitehall is a meeting place where people from all sorts of backgrounds come together and that is exactly what I wanted to create at my own Whitehall.  I wanted to create a facility where Western and English riders respected and learned from each other.  I wanted to create a facility where all styles of riding and all breeds of horse were embraced and enjoyed. Whitehall was a smashing success on those two counts.  For several years, I introduced countless new riders to the sport in a safe, responsible and cost effective manner.   Whitehall was an unpretentious facility where Doctors and factory workers were equals because they both shared a common thread.... the love of the horse.  It was a facility in which English riders were eager to try out the new reining horse and Western riders were eager to try out another boarder's dressage horse.

I always knew that the horse was a powerful teacher of important life lessons and by establishing a teaching method that blended the fun of the horse experience with the value of the life lessons, magic happened at Whitehall on a daily basis!"

Bonnie eventually left Whitehall to pursue her writing career.  "I discovered over time that there are only 24 hours in the day and you can only teach a limited number of riders during that time.  Leaving was the hardest thing I have ever done, but, by writing articles, books and producing how-to videos, you could reach hundreds of thousands of riders with the stroke of the pen.  The fact that the winters in the Midwest are brutal and it is all but impossible to make a living on a small farm in a small town, also had something to do with my decision to move forward!"

Since leaving Whitehall, Bonnie has published more than 1000 magazine articles, nine books, two how-to videos and two syndicated columns. 

Sample Press Release for Your Convenience

Press Release

Contact Information: (your organization name, phone, fax, website, e-mail address)

Release Date: (the earliest date that you would like this to be published - if sent to monthly magazines, allow two months.  If sent to local newspapers, allow 2 - 3 weeks)

(title for your press release) here are some samples:

Help Us Help The Horses / Fund Raiser On June 15, 2006 / XYZ Hosts Its First Annual Fund Raiser / Join Us For Fun and To Help Out the Community on June 15, 2006

sample press release below:

XYZ organization is a non-profit that is dedicated to helping horses/dogs/animals.  We have been at 235 Washington Street since 1989 and are proud to say that we have helped 100 horses/dogs/animals during that time. 

While this work is fulfilling and necessary, it is also expensive.  On June 15, 2006, we are hosting our annual fund raising event and we need your help to make it a success.

Please join us at XYZ Farm, 235 Washington Street, on June 15, 2006 for a chance to tour our facility, see the type of work we do and to enter our drawing for a chance to win some great prizes.  Tours begin at 10:00 a.m. and run approximately 30 minutes.  The cost is only 5.00 per person. We will have pony rides for the kids, books and other horse-related items for sale, a chance to pet and visit with some of the sweetest horses in the world and all proceeds from the event will go directly toward feeding and caring for these wonderful animals.  If you would like to make additional donations, visit our website for the list of items that we are in need of.

For additional information, call xxx-xxx-xxxx or visit us on the web at www.XYZfarm.com.  Hope to see you there.

Artwork

You are invited to use any or all of the images below for promotional purposes.

300 dpi image files are available via e-mail upon request. Simply send a note to inquiry@thecompletepet.comand let us know which covers you would like.  We are happy to provide them to you in jpeg format at 300 dpi.