Allison Majerik Black started teaching horse riding lessons before she could drive — a passion she shared with her mother, who founded Fox Lake Farm in the Inverness area of Shelby County. As the owner and head trainer at Fox Lake Farm, Allison has trained riders to achieve the highest honors in the hunter, jumper, and equitation rings for over three decades. The farm boasts amenities to support top-tier competitors, and their accolades speak for themselves. (More on that later.) Get to know Allison and the training she oversees at Fox Lake Farm!
First, tell us about yourself and how you got into riding.
I am from Birmingham, born and raised. I’m a third-generation Czechoslovakian. I went to Homewood High School and did not go to college. I had already started my business when I was 15, so I devoted all my time to going to the barn and building my business.
I got into horses because of my mom. It was always a passion of hers. She and my granddad built the barn we have now in 1970. They did it more as an investment to lease to people, and as I got older, I got into riding and later on into teaching.
What led to making competition your career?
I started competing on a state level when I was around nine or 10 years old. Once I went to my first nationally-rated show, I was hooked. I wanted a barn and a business with matching tack trunks and drapes, fancy horses, and a training and show program, which we didn’t have in Birmingham. So, I made it my mission to produce that.
When I was 15, I advertised riding lessons at the Food World grocery stores on either end of Valleydale Road. I had one horse and an older pony, which is how I began my career. By the time I was 16, my mom co-signed on a loan for a truck, bought a used six-horse trailer from some friends, and started taking people to horse shows. I did summer camps, taught a lot of lessons, and started building my business into a training program.
Tell us about some of your Fox Lake Farm rider’s achievements.
After 34 years of doing this, I can’t even count how many generations of young girls and riders I’ve taught. I have trained a national champion and many Zone 4 (Southeast) champions. I’ve qualified horses and riders to compete at all of the major horse shows in the U.S., which you could equate to the Super Bowl, including the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, the Washington International Horse Show, Devon, The National Horse Show, and other large events. I’ve trained horses to Grand Prix wins or ribbons. We’ve also had top placings at International Hunter Derbies and Pony Finals.
Tell us about your training philosophy.
I keep it very simple. I call my training method the “Karate Kid” method. Once you learn to wax on and off, you go on to sanding the deck, painting the fence or house, or standing on the pylon. And you put all of that together to make a winning round. I believe the hard way is the right way. I over-practice and under-show, so all my riders are always very well prepared.
I believe less is more. I don’t drill. I feel like horses only have so many jumps in their life. I want them to be happy, enjoy their job, and be confident. The same goes for the rider. I tell my staff, “Safety first, have fun, then be competitive.” It’s always got to be in that order.
Good horsemanship instills in people that horses are living beings like us. You’ve got to be compassionate. You have to be patient. They read you like an open book, and compassion goes a long way. I try to teach my riders to understand what that horse is thinking because it’s a partnership, and the better the partnership, the better the reward.
Tell us about Fox Lake Farm! Is it open to riders of all skill levels?
Fox Lake Farm is a slice of heaven right in the thick of everything. It’s two miles from Starbucks and Fresh Market and five miles from Saks Fifth Avenue. That’s pretty special!
We are a very organized, structured, all-inclusive, and wholesome environment. Our horses get incredible care. I have a wonderful staff that’s been with me for years — I’m so blessed in that department! We try to instill values in our clients and young riders on being responsible and building camaraderie with everyone. We have annual goal meetings with many clients to formulate a plan for where they are within the sports and competitions. That sets us apart from many other programs in our area. We are the only ones that operate at that level.
We host our horse show every year and several local horse shows, including some featuring over 100 horses. We also host summer camps for all skill levels and train riders — from those who’ve never sat on a horse to riders jumping at the Grand Prix level.
Is there a rider at Fox Lake that you are particularly proud of?
I’m proud of our barn manager, Guerry Force. She’s been with me for over 12 years. I taught her from fifth grade until she went to college.
She was a wonderful rider and an excellent student, and she contacted me when she was in college, saying she didn’t care what it was; she just wanted to do something with horses. I needed someone to come in and help manage everything, so I hired her. I finally grew one of my own employees, which has been so rewarding.
What is your best piece of advice?
“Everything happens for a reason.” Even when you don’t know what it is or why, you figure it out later on. That leads me to “Time heals everything,” which helps uncover why everything happens for a reason.
Aside from faith, family, and friends, name three things you can’t live without.
Cats, good music, and something to look forward to.
Lightening Round!
Last delicious local meal? Beef Wellington at The Anvil.
Favorite place to vacation? I love to travel, but my go-to once a year is Sedona, Arizona. I love the American Southwest; I love to hike, and the hiking there is endless. I would love to retire there.
Your go-to gift to give? Picture frames, stationery, or candles. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy is my go-to graduation present.
Favorite recent TV show binge? Little House on the Prairie. I started watching it with my nephew to introduce him to it, and I got sucked back in.
Book(s) on your bedside table? Circe by Madeline Miller and Race, Gender, & Identity in American Equine Art, which was written by one of my clients, Jessica Dallow. She’s an art history professor at UAB, and she acknowledged me in the front of the book.
All images courtesy of Fox Lake Farm unless otherwise noted.
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