Megan G. Thomas is a USDF Bronze Medalist, an Arabian Horse Association Rider of Excellence, and the 2018 Georgia Arabian Horse Association President's Award recipient for her volunteer work. In 2017 she was Nationally Ranked 8th place Arabian Horse Association Adult Amateur, 1* Rated Rider on Centerlinescores.com, and Georgia Arabian Horse Association (GAHA) High Point Awards Reserve Champion Equitation/Showmanship Recipient. Megan grew up in the 1990s - 2000s training lower level eventing with the Atlanta Pony Club, competing in open hunter & dressage shows, Welsh Pony shows, and Arabian shows, trail riding for fun for many miles and hours, riding bareback, and spending lots of quality time her horses - not just riding. She enjoyed the opportunity of learning from and riding 8 - 15 different horses a day owned by her mother, Kathy. She helped raise and train several of her mother's homebred horses from the ground up for the trails and show arena as well as had the skills and patience to help rehab or retrain several purchased projects. While in college 2006 - 2009, Megan competed on the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) Berry College Equestrian Team for 3.5 years until she graduated early. Megan competed in Open Hunt Seat Equitation and then all the way up to the National level in Advanced (Western) Horsemanship. Megan received her USDF Bronze Medal in 2018 earning all her needed scores on her beloved Arabian Horses: J.A.G. Cafe Au Lait+/, Conkar+/ and JAG Kalico Kid+//.
     Megan credits the forgiving nature of the Arabian horse and her mother's mentorship in helping her learn the skills and patience to work with all types of horses and train them correctly from the ground up. The one aspect of working with horses that Megan loves is seeing horses - no matter their age - become happier and more confident with better care and being trained and treated with understanding and compassion as unique individuals. Kathy raised Megan with a "DIY" mindset so being hands on with every aspect of a horse's care and management is vital to Megan and her relationship and understanding of every horse as an individual. With a strong desire to always learn more, Megan has also trained with over 25 different professionals during her lifetime.

     While Megan's years of starting babies, rehab projects, showing consistently, and riding/working 8+ horses a day during the summer as a youth well behind her, her current passion as an amateur owner is caring for her beloved horses, especially those she grew up riding and showing as they have given so much, volunteering in the equestrian community as she has time. promoting the incredible Arabian Horse, and always continuing to learn more to do better by her equine partners. She loves sharing her love and passion for the Arabian Horse. She recognizes the importance of continuing to improve her horsemanship and continues to evolve as an equestrian. With the help of Kathy and Jessica, Megan has helped host several low cost or free clinics, educational events, and fundraiser events with local professionals as well as volunteer hosted free "Meet an Arabian Horse" educational days and social events for the local equestrian community and public, including two fundraiser events that had over 60 attendees.
     Even as a young child, Megan always had a passion for ground work as it was emphasized as a basic and vital training step to her while growing up by both her mother, Kathy, and Pony Club training. In spite of this, Megan is still continually honing her lunging, long lining, target training/positive reinforcement, etc. skills, as is the case with almost any aspect of horse training. Not only does she feel ground work is a vital training step for a young, green or out of shape horse, but also essential for cross training, relationship building and evaluating her finished/trained equine athletes. Also, it's good fitness work for the equestrian! It is a lifelong journey of learning! In the last few years, she has become interested in positive reinforcement and classical dressage, especially French Classical Dressage, as she has always loved history. Megan is very passionate about the Arabian Horse, education and the ups and downs of a busy amateur life with horses. She understands the journey and stages that one goes with horses at different points in life wants to share her experiences (and mistakes) with others so they don't have to repeat them! She enjoys auditing clinics, listening to equestrian related podcasts and webinars, reading books, and continuing her education as much as her busy schedule allows her to. Her top priority nowadays is to the care of her horses and trying to find that work/life/horse balance every amateur owner is aiming to reach. Lastly, she credits the support of Kathy, Jessica, Jimmy, Bradley and all her friends and family for the support of her equestrian endeavors. Being an equestrian is certainly a lot easier with supportive family and friends and she understands that not every is as fortunate to have that support. 

     Ode To My Arabian Horses written by Megan:

“I am so appreciative of my incredible Arabian Horses. They have taught me to be empathetic and compassionate. They have been a constant comfort and loving companion since before I can remember. They remind me of what it truly means to forgive as they forgive all my mistakes I’ve made over the years without holding a grudge. They create a passion in me to continue to improve myself as an equestrian by striving to learn more about good horsemanship. They give me a greater purpose in life. My Arabians have taught me selflessness and responsibility in putting their needs first. I have learned to honor their needs above my own personal wishes and wants because that is fair and right as their only true advocate and voice in this world. They are always communicating in their own way. We only need to pause and listen to create better understanding and a better partnership.

 

They remind me that riding IS a sport and that we are athletes working together as a team. It’s always awe inspiring to me that these incredible animals allow us to ride them - that despite their size they have such gentle natures. They have helped me reach my dreams and goals, which I am forever thankful for, including receiving National titles in hunters and dressage and earning my USDF Bronze Medal. I am so grateful for their athleticism as well as their hard working and affectionate natures, which make them a pleasure to work with even with starting them under saddle.
 

I could not ask for better partners, family members and companions in my wonderful Arabians and Half Arabians. Furthermore, I am thankful that my Arabian Horses bring closer together my sister, mother, and all the other wonderful equestrians I know because of one love - the Arabian Horse.” 

     2020 Arabian Horse Association Member Spotlight: "My mother, Kathy Gilker, started my passion with Arabian Horses as she was an amateur owner and small breeder of Arabian Horses since 1978. I was raised with Arabians and had an incredible time as a youth enjoying my Arabians by bareback riding, schooling cross country, trail riding, attending fox hunts, participating in AHA shows, Pony Club events, and open hunter and dressage/combined training shows. I attended 2006 Youth Nationals and 2017 Sport Horse Nationals garnering three National Championships and 11 National Top Tens, majority of those wins on horses my mother bred. I am so proud that our horses, JAG Royal Knight and JAG Lady Pegasus+/ were awarded Open Competition Award winner and Ambassador Award winner. We greatly appreciate the recognition for their lifetime of achievements by AHA. My passion is promoting the incredible Arabian Horse as I fully believe there is an Arabian Horse for everyone - no matter their age, experience level, and discipline of choice. I look forward to helping host our first Meet an Arabian Horse Educational Day in May at our Arabian farm with Jessica and Kathy to coincide with Arabian Horse Month and AHA's Meet an Arabian Day. AHA is essentially a representation of ALL of us who love and ride the Arabian Horse. I am happy with the direction that AHA has gone offering such a wide variety of disciplines and supporting each one that the Arabian Horse participates in as this will continue the breed's success and growth. Through AHA clubs, we can all come together as a team to create a strong local community of Arabian enthusiasts, no matter where we are, and promote and educate the public about the Arabian Horse on a local level. Whenever there is a need for materials for an upcoming promotional opportunity or responding to my questions, concerns and ideas, AHA is there to help." - Megan
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     2018 GAHA Bio/Member Feature: "Megan thanks her mother, Kathy Gilker, who was a small boutique breeder for years of mostly Crabbet/Polish bred Arabians and Half Arabians, for allowing her to grow up with the breed. At 30 years old and lots of life changes, Megan plans to "continue to enjoy my horses in any way I can depending on the time I have – whether that’s simply going to do barn chores or groom horses, going for relaxing trail rides, earning my USDF Silver Medal, competing on the open circuit in hunters and maybe one day making it to a USEA rated event or making a foray into driving, Ranch Riding and Trail at AHA shows."
 

Megan's family owns 11 Arabians and Half Arabians – "Most of whom we've bred and many we've had their entire lives and spent their final days with us. 90% of our horses are 13 years old or older and most are still being ridden and/or are competing."
 

Megan enjoys spending time with her Arabians grooming and doing ground work to make sure they have a good foundation. Riding wise she truly loves going on hunter paces, schooling cross country and trail riding and competing in dressage, hunters, combined training and sport horse under saddle and in hand. She says: "I wish I had more time to do it all!"
 

Megan has competed on the local open hunter/jumper circuit for years with her Arabians and Half Arabians as well as the open USDF rated shows. Megan received her USDF Bronze Medal this year with the help of her purebred Arabian, Conkar+/, and Half Arabian, JAG Kalico Kid+//. Those that receive this award are presented at the annual USDF Convention, which was this past weekend, but Megan unfortunately could not attend. Also thanks to her two Half Arabians’, JAG Kalico Kid+// and CBS Good to Go+, approximately 10 National titles combined at the 2017 Sport Horse Nationals, in 2017 she was Nationally Ranked 8th place Arabian Horse Association Adult Amateur andreceived her AHA Rider of Excellence award.
 

Megan grew up showing in hunter pleasure, Country English pleasure, halter, combined training, sidesaddle, show hack, dressage and hunters. She also trained with a few eventing/Pony Club trainers on her Arabians and Half Arabians. Megan also qualified and competed at the IHSA Nationals while in college in Western Horsemanship.
 

Megan's thoughts on why the Arabian breed is so special:

"I do not know what discipline an Arabian CANNOT do. The breed as a whole is so versatile, there is an Arabian horse for every person. I cherish every day that I get to be around this friendly, sweet, inquisitive, intelligent, willing, athletic and talented breed. Their ability to learn so quickly and try their hardest is so impressive. Another aspect of the Arabian breed that I admire is the longevity and the history behind the breed. Its influence on other breeds and types of horses is fascinating. As an Arabian horse enthusiast, I am always reading more about the history of the breed and the variety of bloodlines."
 

Megan is excited about what GAHA has to offer:

"GAHA is a wonderful community of Arabian horse enthusiasts from all areas of the breed – from the owner who enjoys having the breed as a family member or active competitors, trainers or breeders. Through GAHA I hope that we bring awareness to the incredible Arabian breed – especially in Georgia and throughout the southeast through the public eye as well as other equestrians. I believe GAHA will continue to be a resource for connecting Arabian owners to one another by creating a tight network for their benefit as well as the benefit of the Arabian horse. I think education is SO important when it comes to horses and GAHA does a tremendous job with this. It really does focus on the grassroots and fun while also providing great programs for the dedicated competitor or professional. GAHA does such an excellent job ‘catering’ to a wide variety of members!"
 

Megan is a 2018 GAHA Board member and an avid volunteer having organized the GAHA Dressage/Sport Horse Clinic in April as well as being behind the scenes on communications for GAHA's events, programs, sponsors and members.

Thank you Megan for being a part of GAHA!"

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Enjoy A Fun Review Of Megan's Equestrian Life Below