Steve Lantvit took an unconventional route to reach his dream of professional horseman. Growing up in urban Cicero, Illinois, he knew from age four that he wanted to be a cowboy. Steve achieved his vision through pure desire, drive and hard work; he purchased his first horse (Khan – who he still has) when he entered college and his first farm at the age of 21. From that time, he developed his horsemanship skills, worked with experienced trainers, managed a day job and a horse farm simultaneously, and started his foray into teaching riders and training horses.
In 2001, he met his wife Jenn, and they built their new home where they launched Steve Lantvit Horsemanship and Highgrove Farm. At their farm in northern Indiana, he leads numerous clinics on horsemanship, show preparation and skills, and all aspects of working with cattle. Steve competes successfully in ranch and cow horse events and enjoys coaching riders and judging ranch and stock horse shows. A past honoree as “Instructor of the Year” of CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association), he offers effective, meaningful instruction for riders of all levels in his coaching, clinics and presentations.
Steve also hosts the popular TV show, Sure in the Saddle (as seen on RFD-TV and the Cowboy Channel), providing excellent tips and techniques for riders and horse training. The show provides millions of viewers access to his perspective and methods and reaches a wide audience across multiple disciplines. His humor and common-sense approach to teaching have made him a favorite at horse fairs and other exhibitions across the country including Equine Affaire, Southern States Horse Fair, and more.
Steve trains versatile performance horses. Using his broad experience and personal philosophy, Steve created a training program based on trust, gentle hands, and a true partnership with the horse regardless of the rider’s discipline or experience. He focuses on creating a light horse by establishing a strong foundation and providing correct timing and consistency with his methods. His guiding mission is to help riders achieve their dreams in horsemanship and produce handy, steady, and well-rounded horses.
Steve and wife Jenn
