"There are millions of zebras running free on the plains of Africa, so why are so many people there  walking?" asked professional trainer David Skipworth. Zebras are wild animals but wasn't the horse at one time? Thousands of years ago some crazy person decided to catch and ride a wild horse. Sure they probably got the same response from people then as Skipworth gets today. Such as, "They are wild animals and not meant to be ridden." or "They can't be trained." or "That crazy animal is going to kill you." or "they  are so inbred that they could never be trained."  These are the very things that people were saying about the wild mustangs in America. Skipworth has been trying for years to change the mind of these narrowed minded people.  Over the last thirty years people have come to realize that the wild mustangs can be a useful animal. Therefore, the wild horse has become very much a part of many peoples life and therefore has a secure future in our world today. This is not so with the zebra.

Zebras are still looked at today very much like they were a thousand years ago. A big game animal that was shot with a rifle to be mounted on a wall or its hide  for a rug. Skipworth believes that it's time for the zebras to come out of the Fred Flintstone era so that their life and future can be safe and secure as the wild mustang.  If the zebra could become as useful to humans as the horses are then their future could be a bright one. It simply takes that crazy person to take a bold stance in training the wild zebra. Skipworth is just that person.

A magazine article came out in the Lone Star Horse Report in Fort Worth, TX. on July 1994. "David Skipworth Earning His Stripes With Zebras" Click on the web page to view and read this article: http://www.foresthillfarms.com/articles/zebras.htm

Months before the new movie "Racing Strips" came out Skipworth was being contacted by people in Hollywood to help train these zebras. These conversations went on for several months. Skipworth was asked if he could come up with zebras that could ride or if he could train some for the movie. One group in Hollywood wanted to purchase four zebras and have Skipworth train them to ride, break from starting gates, ride with a jockey on their back and run with race horses. Then they wanted to fly the zebras and Skipworth to Australia where the movie was going to be filmed. 

David Skipworth is one of few people in the world today that has a proven record in training zebras. Many people that have owned zebras in the past has tried to have their animals trained by horse trainers, only later to find out that they made a big mistake. Through his research, Skipworth has discovered a vast difference between zebras and horses. Zebras will not and can not take the rough treatment that most horse trainers are a custom to using. The bottom line is; a zebra cannot be trained like a horse.  Even though they both are a member of the equine family, their instinctual behavior are far different.

A Message from a Texas zebra owner,

In October 2004, I took my zebra, Zipper, to Forest Hill Farms for private training instruction with David Skipworth. The education I received from David goes far beyond anything I have been taught or seen in the past. He helped me to understand the zebra's mind, and how to use the zebra's instinctual behaviors, to communicate and get desired results. David explained to me that in order to train a zebra, I must first "think like a zebra and act like a zebra". As I grasped the foundations of this concept, I began to see a new relationship develop between Zipper and I. A mutual partnership was being formed, built on trust, honesty, respect and understanding. I saw dramatic results in Zipper's behavior, in the short time I was there, and have nothing but confidence about our future together. David's commitment and genuine interest in both mine and Zipper's success was heartfelt and sincere. I appreciate the knowledge and experience I gained from working with David, and can not thank him enough for the encouragement and inspiration I received.

Sincerely 

Jason Mayfield

Forest Hill Farms Equestrian Center
2116 Forest Lane
Muscatine, Iowa 52761
563-263-5840
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