“Riding the winds of change since 1975.”
The Four Winds has been family owned and operated since the beginning. Founded by John and Carole Throckmorton, it has been nurtured over three generations into the facility it is now.
The Family
John (“Jack”) and his wife, Carole, always wanted horses. When their son, Charles, became an aspiring professional, they purchased the land and built all of the structures currently on the facility, with Carole operating as barn manager. Charles ran a bustling training program and his sister, Kathy, taught our school lesson program, before Charles’ daughters were able to lead the forefront of the business.
If you had been around when Carole was still with us, to say that love and community was our priority would be an understatement. While it has always been about the love of horses, Carole made sure it was about the love of people, too. She always existed with an “open door” policy and wished to live in a world where families were put first. When Carole passed in 2010, the family reflected on her legacy and we knew we wanted to carry that forward and honor it, with horses as our means of expressing and sharing her love.
The training and lesson program was originally created by Charles Throckmorton who was a successful Grand Prix rider in the 80's through early 2000’s. He is now a sought after licensed USEF official, managing and course designing "A" rated horseshows nation wide for 30 plus weeks per year. On the rare occasions that he is home, Charles continues to work to improve the facility he and his father created.
As we look towards the future…
One of Charles’ daughters, Linnea Throckmorton, took the reins as head trainer in 2010. She was able to have opportunities to train in Germany for several months and with several nationally recognized instructors. All her coaches, her father included, have instilled in her a dynamic and classical approach to her training, and taught her the importance of a sense of humor. Linnea loves the horses, teaching, and raising her two kids, Kit and Charlie with her husband.
Charles’ second daughter, Jasmine, has been our barn and show manager since 2018. She graduated top of her class from University of Chicago, and was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue her Master’s in Ireland. Since graduating and getting married in 2020, she knows she’s at the barn now for good. She enjoys early morning “walkarounds” when she checks on the horses, gardening, and writing.
We’re certain you will see Kit and Charlie running around, our fourth generation coming through the ranks. Kit is our barn welcoming committee and is seriously pursuing her lead line career.
We thank everyone for the 45+ years that we’ve been in business, and for the many people who have come through our stable doors throughout the years. We look forward to many more with you and these incredible animals!
