JOAN RONALDER

Animal Trainer Extraordinaire

A multi-species trainer, top billed rodeo, horse show and theme park performer, this multi-talented woman is also an importer and breeder of working German Shepherd Dogs.

See the medical miracle below but first you have to know the trainer. Joan Ronalder was born with a love for horses that became a psychic communication that also extends to dogs. Training animals comes as naturally to Joan as does her gift for totally engrossing and entertaining an audience. In fact, "showing off" and performing to thunderous applause seems to be what her animals like best.

Ronalder's trick riding performances include the famous Roman style riding but on three horses instead of two.With top billing, Joan thrilled audiences from Canada to Mexico.

A vivid imagination and determination helped Joan develop some of the most amazing animal acts ever presented. A featured performer with Rodeos, Wild West Shows, Theme Parks and Circuses, this talented performer amazed audiences from coast to coast and even in Bermuda - which was a real challenge in transporting and caring for her animals.

Her most famous acts include the Native American Freedom Horse and the Dancing Appaloosa in “Taming the Wild One” and the Desert Scene Drama with her spectacular Paint Horse. Shoeing horses is an art in itself and as a sideline this multi-talented woman also shoed horses for Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus/ and the Royal Lipizzaner Stallion Show.

Dog trainer? Joan Ronalder's superbly trained hybrid wolf-huskies tgive children a wheeled-sled ride they will remember for a life time! Her dogs jump rope; go through complicated dramas; line up to take turns leaping astride Joan's palomino pony, and then, with both pony and “wolf dog” instincts under Joan’s compete control, the remarkable performance ends with four big wolf-huskies balancing astride the galloping pony!

Joan Ronalder's uniquely original acts were featured in prestigious rodeos such as North American Rodeo Commission Finals, the IPRA (Texas) All Region Finals (FL) The American Professional Rodeo Association Finals (PA) The IPRA Southeast Region Finals (FL), The IPRA Northeast Region Finals (MA), The IPRA Southern Finals (TX), The IPRA Rodeo at Austin International Livestock Expo, and the Annual Gilbert Days Celebration (AZ) Golden Anniversary Rodeo (MI) IPRA All Region Finals (TN) and the IFR 24 and 29 in Oklahoma City, OK.

But as her animals aged, she retired from travel and became a nationally known multi-species private animal trainer. Stubborn as a mule? Not to Joan who has successfully trained mules for pleasure driving, riding and competition. 

Joan has worked with buffalo and trained a Watusi-cross steer to saddle but she is famous as the supreme “bull rider” for training a Brahma bull to perform under saddle!

After training a Dromedary camel "Randy" to perform, Joan Ronalder tackled the impossible. She turned a fierce baboon (a species said to be un-trainable) into "Josh", the well behaved “kid” who made vet trips and guest appearances dressed in his western duds.

Among her many specialized accomplishments, Joan Ronalder trained a horse for an owner who was confined to a wheelchair. Upon command, "Pawnee" lies down and waits patiently for his owner to transfer from her wheelchair to the saddle.

Just getting a horse to step up to such a big strange object takes a huge amount of patience and an uncanny ability to instill confidence in an animal so naturally programmed to spook and flee from anything out of the ordinary.

To get the horse to lay down next to the wheelchair and remain so steady that the owner can pull herself onto his back without so much as a quiver from the horse is an unprecedented training achievement!

Notably, Ronalder had to train the owner how to approach the horse and the best way to move in order to get in the saddle.

We show these photos in sequence because seeing is believing. We followed Joan Ronalder's weeks of progress with this horse, from skittish and understandably frightened of the strange mechanical thing she asked him to approach, to his calm acceptance of the wheelchair.

To see the big horse lay motionless and patiently allow his owner to awkwardly mount is so touching it brings tears to the eyes.

Our staff was mesmerized as the horse slowly sat up, then carefully stood.

Even the photographer was moved to tears as the rider bubbled "Oh My God, I just went from no legs to four legs!"

For more information on Joan Ronalder, see Training dogs from Agility to Schutzhund

Copyright © 1998 TheDogPlace.org Apr. 2001-18092212 https://www.thedogplace.org/ProFiles/Ronalder-Joan-014.asp

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