The winter season in Wellington is here, and we are excited to share a full calendar of incredible HorseGrooms MeetUps. This year, the line-up is stronger than ever, with exceptional clinicians and generous hosts. Our MeetUps bring grooms and other equestrians together to learn, connect, and grow through practical education and shared horsemanship.
Free And Open To Every Equestrian
All MeetUps are free and open to everyone, grooms and other equestrians alike. If you are not a groom and are in a position to contribute, a small voluntary donation is appreciated so we can continue offering these educational events for the grooming community.
Sponsors and Venues
We are very grateful to our sponsors Stübben and Lucky Braids Hair & Skin Care for supporting these sessions, to Eye Candy, Corro, Wellington International, Palm Beach Equine, Bluman Equestrian, and Diamante Farms for generously opening their barns and venues, and to every clinician who is donating their time and expertise. Their support makes it possible to offer high-quality learning opportunities during the Wellington season.
Tuesdays from 6 to 7:30 PM
Most MeetUps take place on Tuesdays from 6 to 7:30 PM. Only the lunging MeetUp on December 30 will be in the afternoon, when it’s light out, and the Bit Fitting MeetUp on March 17 will start earlier, also because we need daylight to see the difference a bit makes in the way a horse goes.
Most dates and locations are confirmed, while others are still being finalized. Below you find the (almost) full calendar with both confirmed and in-progress sessions. We will update the calendar as more details become available, so bookmark this page for your benefit.
We kindly ask you to RSVP inside the HorseGrooms Community if you’d like to join the MeetUps. We strongly encourage you to join the community, since this is where all updates, resources, and event information are posted first. For those who prefer not to join, we will add a Google Form closer to each event date so you can RSVP there as well.
A Season of Learning and Community
Our goal with the HorseGrooms MeetUps is to strengthen knowledge, community, and horsemanship within the equestrian world. Every session is designed to help grooms gain practical skills, deepen their understanding of horses, and feel supported during the busy Wellington season.
We look forward to welcoming you at the MeetUps and learning together throughout the winter.
MeetUp Calendar Wellington Winter 2025/2026
Confirmed MeetUps
Tuesday, December 16
Topic: Saddle Fit Fundamentals, What Every Groom Should Know
Clinician: Brett Ehrmann, Saddle Fit Specialist and COO of Stübben North America
Location: Diamante Farms, 11223 Acme Rd, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Sponsor: Stübben North America
Refreshments: Food and drinks generously provided by Stübben NA
Tuesday, December 23
Topic: U.S. Visas explained
Speaker: Susan Papagikos, Attorney at Law
Location: Equine Elixir’s Taco Tuesday, 4333 120th Ave South, Wellington, FL
Time: 5:30 to 7 PM (5:30 – 6 PM: Tacos & Quesadillas, 6 – 7 PM: U.S. Visas Explained)
Refreshments: Tacos, quesadillas, and drinks generously provided by Equine Elixirs
Tuesday, December 30
Topic: FEI Arrival Exam
Clinician: Dr. Chris Elliott
Location: Palm Beach Equine, 13125 Southfields Rd, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Refreshments: Drinks generously provided by Palm Beach Equine and HorseGrooms
Tuesday, January 6
Topic: Proper Lunging with Horse Welfare in Mind
Clinicians: Hunter/Jumper trainers Jack Towell & Louise Serio, and top groom David Nuñez
Location: New rings at Wellington International, 3780 Gene Mische Way, Wellington, FL
Time: TBD
Tuesday, January 13
Topic: Skin, Mane, and Tail Care with Lucky Braids
Clinician: Ruthann Smith, founder of Lucky Braids
Location: Corro Store, 13501 Pierson Rd, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Sponsor: Lucky Braids Hair & Skin Care
Refreshments: Drinks and snacks generously provided by Corro
Tuesday, January 20
Topic: First Aid for Horses
Clinicians: Vet technician Laura Elser and farrier Jacqueline Karlsen
Location: Eye Candy, 14730 Equestrian Way, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Refreshments: Food and drinks generously provided by Eye Candy
Tuesday, January 27
Topic: Bitting
Clinician: Xander Boere
Location: Bluman Equestrian, 15393 Ocean Breeze Ln #7130, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Sponsor: Stübben North America
Refreshments: Food and drinks generously provided by Stübben NA
Tuesday, February 3
Topic: Media Training for Grooms
Clinician: Sarah Eakin, Paper Horse Media
Location: Corro Store, 13501 Pierson Rd, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Tuesday, February 17
Topic: The Connection Between Saddle Fit, Anatomy, and Biomechanics
Clinician: Amanda Anderson, Saddle Fit U.S.
Location: To Be Determined
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Sponsor: Stübben North America
Refreshments: Food and drinks generously provided by Stübben NA
Tuesday, February 24
Topic: Plaidcast In Person at Wellington International, with a segment about grooms
Clinician: Piper Klemm, Editor of The Plaid Horse Magazine
Location: Wellington International, 13500 South Shore Blvd, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Tuesday, March 10
Topic: How to Deal with Mental Pressure
Clinician: Neuropsychologist Myrelis Aponte
Location: Eye Candy, 14730 Equestrian Way, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Refreshments: Food and drinks generously provided by Eye Candy
Tuesday, March 17
Topic: Bit Fitting and Biomechanics, with live demos
Clinician: Kailyn Pupa, Bullseye Equine
Location: Eye Candy, 14730 Equestrian Way, Wellington, FL
Time: 5:30 to 7 PM
Refreshments: Food and drinks generously provided by Eye Candy
Tuesday, March 24
Topic: Stable Management Discussion
Clinician: Nanci Snyder
Location: Corro Store, 13501 Pierson Rd, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Refreshments: Food and drinks generously provided by Corro
MeetUps in Progress
Tuesday, February 10
Topic: CPR and First Aid for People
Clinician: Equestrian Safety Foundation
Location: Eye Candy, 14730 Equestrian Way, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Tuesday, March 3
Topic: Business and Networking Event for Grooms and Other Equestrians
Collaboration: EqBW, Eye Candy, HorseGrooms
Location: Eye Candy, 14730 Equestrian Way, Wellington, FL
Time: 6 to 7:30 PM
Additional Topics That May Be Added This Season
The following sessions are under consideration and may be added depending on scheduling and availability.
• Wellness and Nutrition for Grooms
• Introduction to Using SureFoot Pads for Rehab and to Improve Horse Welfare, with Wendy Murdoch. Wendy Murdoch is an internationally recognized clinician and author known for her clear, practical teaching and for developing the SURE FOOT Equine Stability Program.
HorseGrooms is a platform of resources, education, and support for grooms by grooms. This is an online community, hub of resources, and spotlight of industry highlights born out of love for the horse and love for the sport. But our mission goes beyond simply providing resources and creating content.
Our goal is to create a space to keep horsemanship alive; for grooms to support and educate each other; and to help advance the craft of grooming. HorseGrooms is dedicated to ambitious grooms everywhere.
