The Vita Family

The Vita Family
has been professionally training riders
in the horses for almost 50 yrs!

Joseph Vita is a  third gerneration horseman.  While one grandfather was the horse trainer for Fire Departments in Iowa, his other grandfather and  his family built a large 70 horse hunter/jumper, polo facility that is still running today.  Jospeh's  riding and training progressed rapidly at his family farm including Jumping, Fox hunting, and Polo, and into in-depth everyday horse care , floating, and shoeing. As a whipper-in for the Connecticut Valley Hounds Hunt Club he extended his services as a farrier. He soon  headed out into the world to learn more from other horse professionals in the country. In Boston Joseph trained Thoroughbreds and Warm Bloods in disciplines of Stadium Jumping, Polo, and Three-Day Eventing. He trained on The Clarks Estate, at that time the new home of the Olympic Three Day Eventing team. Here he trained and sold a horse to the designer of that course (Mr. Neil Ayer the president of the U.S. Combined Training Association). While in Boston,MA he also studied 5-time Olympic Dressage gold medalist Miss Springer on her retired horse Memoir. Here Jospeh also started the Myopia’s Ladies Polo Club, and Centennial Farm’s  Special Needs riders program, and saddle broke horses for the racetrack. He became licensed by the State of Massachusetts as an Andvanced Riding Instructor simply by their offering the license to him due to his extensive knowledge, skills, and professionalism. He was one of the first licensed instructors in the state of Massachusettes.

From Boston Joseph headed to Vermont where he continued in training horses for previous said disciplines. He trained horses here for clients such as the Tishmen’s (previous owners of the Empire State Building).

From Vermont Joseph headed west and stopped in Kentucky. Here he was manager of 1500 brood mares at Lasma Arabians Breeding Farm. He handled and trained the mares and babies they were having. He worked side by side with Veterinarians learning about artificial breeding and genetic technology. He also was a three day trainer for  Southington Farm, a major breeding farm for Trekainer horses. While in Kentucky he trained and sold horses to individuals such as Kenny Rogers, and Luciano Pavarotti.

Next stop: Ohio (thus our romance begins). Here Joseph leased a 200-acre farm where he raised and trained all his own stock. He trained, sold, and shod horses for the Cincinnati Polo Club, Columbus Polo Club, and local riding schools. He became the manager of the County Park District horse stable, where he took a dilapidated old livery stable and made it a profitable riding center. After a few years he developed the facility to levels of: a 35 horses, 400 students/ week, and 15-25 employees. At the riding center he offered Western, English, Polo, Jumping, and Cross Country. He started another Special Needs riders program that quickly became the tri-states largest. He did horse shoeing for the Cincinnati Mounted Patrol, and Park Rangers, as well as “crowd control” training for them.
But Joseph’s life was boring until he met his wife Laura, now he can say he has accomplished something meaningful  :).

Joseph gives glory to God and says he’d have made it nowhere with out the love of Christ!

Laura Vita originally came from Cincinnati, Ohio . She always knew she wanted to be around horses but living in the city she knew that would be a stretch to achieve this. Yet at the age of 9 her parents started her down that path. Her riding began at the Hamilton County Park District. Taking one day a week lessons turned into 2 days a week. Simple lessons turned into the Jumper teams that included studies in the hunter and jumper arenas with some dressage. As she was doing all this she also began working and teaching at the Stable. Her work consisted of teaching beginner jumping students and special needs adults and children (you’ll have to ask her about the blind adult barrel racing classes that Joseph started up). At the same time she was learning Cross Country Jumping, which grew to be her love in the horse world. Laura also had begun her one on one training to be an instructor, trainer, and shoer with her now husband Joseph Vita. During her riding time at the Park, Joseph became manager of the facility and had begun looking for an assistant manager, as well as someone to teach all he had learned in the horses to. Along with others, Laura tried out and she received the job. And as you all know they didn’t stop at the horses but decided to continue thru life together.

During their training time (which her husband never lets her be done being his apprentice:) ) Joseph taught Laura(who is also a licensed instructor by the State of Massachusetts) about training horses to be quiet for anyone to ride them, handling problem horses such as buckers; saddle breaking horses, and carriage driving. He also taught her of round penning (this is the lessons on communicating with horses thru body language). 

Once Joseph and Laura got married the training didn’t stop. They perfected their teamwork, and developed their system of team round penning, put their shoeing team on the road for hire, and developed Angel on Horseback which is an all around horse care facility that has been open to the public for the last 13 years. Through this program they also offer programs and clinics to inner-city programs, boy/girl-scouts, 4-H, and schools; to teach them of God's creation: the Horse.  

Adding to Angel on Horseback's program and Joseph and Laura Vita's life they have been blessed with 3 beautiful children.  Angelina 10 yrs, Johanna 9 yrs, and Asa 5 yrs. These three were pretty much born in the saddle.  You will see them helping with all Angel on Horseback functions, as they are quite professional and love helping people.

We are glad you stopped in to meet us, and we can't wait to meet you. God bless you and your family.