about us

margaret beeman

Margaret Beeman is a third generation horsewoman with over 45 years of experience in the horse industry both in the United States and abroad. Margaret was raised in a family owned horse business where from the age of 5 she was helping to train young, green ponies to drive single and double, ride, and compete in gymkhana. In her 20's Margaret worked at a ranch as a trail guide and free lanced training horses and giving riding lessons. Then Margaret built her own boarding and training business, Broken Wheel Ranch LLC.
After seriously injuring her back in a horse accident Margaret began to look for safer methods of working with horses and began her path to developing her own unique approach to natural horsemanship and horse/human communication. Inspired by the work of Bill and Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt, and Buck Brannaman, Margaret developed the “The Better Deal Horsemanship Training Program”  and conducted workshops throughout the United States and Canada. Margaret has published a training video and two books, The Better Deal: Practical Horsemanship Training for You and Your Horse and Training for Safety. Her work has been featured in Practical Horseman, Equus, The Whip, Trails Less Traveled, and Rural Heritage. 
​Margaret has worked with horses and people from all disciples, from trail riders to members of the U.S. Equestrian Team. Margaret coached singles combined driving competitor Scott Monroe to two National Championships, qualifying them for the U.S. Equestrian Team where they competed in the World Combined Driving Championships in 2004 and 2006. Margaret also coached the U.S. Equestrian team in the marathon phase of competition in 2002.
In 2018 Margaret renamed her business Sovereign Hilltop.  Currently Margaret leases her facility to horse owners, clubs, and trainers for small events and lessons. She continues to give clinics, workshops, lessons, evaluations, and consultations for horse owners part-time at Sovereign Hilltop and other facilities. As she eases her way into retirement Margaret enjoys gardening and working with her daughter Shanna on developing sustainable, small-scale agricultural practices at Sovereign Hilltop. 
 

Shanna barney

​Shanna manages the small animal husbandry aspect of Sovereign Hilltop. Shanna takes care of our laying hens, heritage meat chickens, and Champagne d'Argent rabbits. Her focus os on humane, grass fed,  and free range methods, and developing closed loop, sustainable food systems. 

Mark gomez

      For over forty years Mark Gomez of Hilltop Polo and Positive Results Training has been training horses of all breeds and disciplines using natural horsemanship methods. Mark grew up on a dairy farm in Northwest CT but always wanted to be a cowboy. When their father bought them a pony, Mark and his siblings rode mostly bareback, practicing roping and cow chasing. His herd eventually expanded to a string of fifty and he went to Oregon to work at a ranch. 
      Upon his return to Connecticut Mark began a lifelong working partnership with Leslie Desmond. They were both bitten by the polo bug and through his work with her Mark expanded and refined his training techniques. Incorporating the influences of John Lyons, Ray Hunt, Bill and Tom Dorrance, and more recently Warwick Schiller and Tristan Tucker, Mark’s techniques aim to foster relaxation, balance, and impulsion – the core foundation of training.
      Mark believes “every horse, pony, donkey, and mule” can be in charge of their own feelings and his training provides strategic ways for them to practice handling their natural flight, fight, or freeze instincts. 
In recent years, the dressage community has embraced natural horsemanship as a pathway to greater suppleness and stability. Mark works with horses on the ground, under saddle, or at liberty, offering them and their human partners the opportunity to gain clarity and completely synchronize with one another.
      In addition to training and offering clinics at Sovereign Hilltop, Mark is a farrier, a polo umpire, and an Associate Professor at Post University in Waterbury, CT, teaching Equine Communication.
Sovereign Hilltop Farm
41 Barney Drive
Millerton, NY 12546
(845) 518-9376