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.
Melanie South is an instructor of equine studies on campus. 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. Melanie taught the skills classes at Western for four years before transitioning to the classroom and teaching some of our equine classes on campus this year. Melanie and her husband welcomed a new daughter to their family last year and have been thouroughly enjoying parenthood. Melanie is involved with our local 4H project, enjoys showing cutting horses (when she has time), and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Agriculture Education from MSU.
Megan Kelly is a 2010 graduate of Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2010, she joined a primarily equine veterinary practice in Corvallis, MT and worked as an Associate Veterinarian in the practice for 5 years. Megan moved to the Dillon area in the fall of 2015 to be a Professor of Equine Studies at the University of Montana Western. She is honored for the opportunity to be part of Montana Western’s equine education program and bring practical experience to the students.
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.
Maggie Blandford is a horsemanship instructor for the Montana Center for Horsemanship. She is a 2019 graduate of Montana Western with bachelor’s degrees in business administration and Natural Horsemanship. Prior to her graduation, Maggie spent time teaching horsemanship in France and Germany. Upon graduation, she spent 4 years working closely with an NCHA Hall of Fame rider and is excited to apply her performance horse background to the Natural Horsemanship principles taught at MCH. Maggie focuses on fundamental horsemanship principles and techniques that can be applied to any discipline to prepare her students for continuing education and careers in the equine industry.
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.
