Hi, I'm Dana Hokana. I want to tell you a little bit about myself. I grew up as an only child in Southern California and was in love with horses. I would think about horses non stop! The highlight of my life was when summer came and my mom would send me to Montana for the summer to stay with my grandparents and they would take me to rent horses. My mom would also take me when she could to rent a horse in Pasadena, California. When I was 11 or 12 we moved to Newport Beach, California, I saved up about $400 mowing lawns, pet sitting, and baby sitting and bought my first horse. When I was 15 I got my first job working at a rent string in Laguna Canyon. When I was 19 I went to work for 3 years for a show horse trainer named Morey Leavitt, that job started my love for showing and training show horses. After working for Morey I worked for Larry Gimple. I then started on a mission to learn from many of the people that I had admired. I would go to ride with some of these great trainers and I am so grateful for all I learned. The trainers that I learned from were so open and giving with their knowledge.   I have taken some of their methods and joined them with my own and have developed my own program, which I feel I am able to explain and share with other people through my DVDs and articles.  I love horses and I am a strong supporter in kind and humane training techniques and building a solid foundation.   When you take the time to do it right, you have a horse that lasts a lifetime!

 My goal is to have a natural moving, fluid mover with a lot of lift and flow. I also want my horse to be my willing partner. I feel it is so important to impart to people that “you can do it too”! In 2000, when I was Reserve World Champion on my stallion Invested Dimension, so many people told me that I needed a “Big guy” on him in order to win. Many top trainers greatly encouraged me that  Dimensions was better than any other horse and that he and I could do it. It’s a great feeling to overcome the so called “politics” and do it anyway. I want to impart that hope and confidence to you! No matter where you are or what level you are at, you can improve yourself. You have to believe in yourself, but you also need to have skills and techniques to be the best you can be. I love helping people. These DVDs and my clinics are tools to help you to be the best you can be! Many of the DVDs are geared to improving your horse others will show you how to develop a better seat and hands. They go into great detail. My husband Boyd and I have been married for 20 years. He is not a horse person but greatly helps me keep everything going. He is a huge supporter. My daughters Brook and Bree ride with me everyday. We show all over the country together. Brook has won the All-Around at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress and has been Top Ten at the AQHYA World Show in both Western Pleasure and Reining. She also has many Circuit Championships and NSBA Maturity wins. In 2005 she also won the AQHA Year-End award in Reining.  My daughter Bree has also been top ten at the Congress and has multiple Circuit Championships. She has won year end awards in our state association PCQHA for both Western Pleasure and Reining. In 2010, Bree and SCF The Night Train won the AQHA Year-End award for Reining. Both of my girls are horse crazy like me! I am extremely grateful to God and attribute my success to him every day!   

I look forward to hearing from you about your success and hope to see you at a clinic in the future.

 

 

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

 

About Dana Hokana…

Dana Hokana is one of the top female trainers in the Quarter Horse industry. Raised in Southern California, she has had a lifelong love for horses. She currently operates Dana Hokana Quarter Horses in Temecula, California. She has trained multiple Western Pleasure circuit champions as well as winners at major futurities. She has trained horses to top ten placings in Western Pleasure at both the All American Quarter Horse Congress and the AQHA World Championship Show. Riding her stallion, Invested Dimension, she captured an AQHA Reserve World Championship title in Senior Western Pleasure.
   
    Dana Hokana’s youth and amateur riders, including her own two daughters, have placed in high level competition in a variety of events. Her daughter Brook has won at the All American Quarter Horse Congress three times. Including, All Around winner one year, and Reserve All Around winner the next. Brook has captured All Around wins at some of the largest circuits in the nation.
   
    Dana has also released her own video series entitled, The Winning Strides Series, which is designed to educate horse owners and riders from the basics of horse handling and horsemanship, to competing at high levels in the show arena. Skilled at teaching in an encouraging, relaxed, non-intimidating way, she carries these traits into the instruction in her video series. Hitting the market in June 2004, they have taken the equine industry by storm, selling over 5000 copies to date.

    Due to the overwhelming success of Winning Strides, Dana Hokana is in high demand and has booked many clinics and expos throughout the year. She is a clinician at the upcoming Mane Event in Red Deer, Alberta. She has spoken at the Equine Affaire in Pomona, CA, as well as being a clinician at the Equine Affaire in Massachusetts and the Equine Affaire in Columbus, Ohio. She gave clinics ranging from grooming to western pleasure at both Equine Affaires. She also spoken at the Western States Horse Expo in Sacramento, California , giving demonstrations each day. She has given clinics at the Montana State University, as well as several times each year at the 320 Ranch in Big Sky, Montana. She has also booked many private clinics for ranches and trainers.

    Dana is a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, the National Snaffle Bit Association, the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association, as well as a member of her local AQHA affiliate.