Oakland University's equestrian team poses for a photo. Photo Courtesy of Fox Pointe Equestrian Center
Aimee Latsch, coach and co-founder of Fox Pointe Equestrian Center. Photo Courtesy of Aimee Latsch
Wayne State University's equestrian team poses for a photo. Photo Courtesy of Fox Pointe Equestrian Center
![]()
Aimee Latsch, coach and co-founder of Fox Pointe Equestrian Center.Aimee Latsch says she has been crazy about horses since the first time she laid eyes on one. Following in the footsteps of her grandmother and mother, she’s been riding horses since she was 3 years old, taking lessons, riding every horse, and working with every trainer she could. Deciding on a career path after high school was a no-brainer, she says.
Latsch attended college in Virginia for equine studies and participated on the college equestrian team. She then brought both her skills and love of college riding back to Michigan where she and her business partner Tammy Shivers established Fox Pointe Equestrian Center in Ira Township.
What sets Fox Pointe Equestrian Center apart from other barns is the expanse and quality of what it offers. The barn itself is a climate-controlled facility with 53 heated stalls and the center offers nine paddocks, an outdoor arena, and state-of-the-art European synthetic footing. There is automatic water, indoor bathing facilities, and a 100-by-200-foot indoor riding arena, as well as a lunging ring, and a 60-by-60-foot area where riders can work uninterrupted with their horses one-on-one.
![]()
Wayne State University's equestrian team poses for a photo.
The center offers summer camps for all experience levels and Latsch says she particularly enjoys coaching college teams. Students at Oakland and Wayne State Universities train with Latsch on school horses - unique because of their ability to handle both beginner and advanced riders.
“Without them, there would be no riders,” she says. “They are kind, patient, and the most special horse you can own.”
Latsch says these riders can usually ride every type of horse, making them an ideal candidate for college riding because when competitions are held at universities, the hosting college provides the horses whose names are pulled from a hat. Latsch must then observe and study each horse closely while coaching her team on how to ride each one.
“The playing field is level here,” Latsh says. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a doctor or a photography major. If you want to try out for the team, you can. It’s all about riding.”
To learn more about the center and its programs, college teams, and other offerings, visit foxpointeequestriancenter.com.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.
Rita MacDonald is a U.S. Army veteran and a full-time registered nurse who claims that her Irish and Scottish heritage is the reason for her love of storytelling. She is the mother of two adult sons, “Gummy” to her three grandchildren, loves talking with anyone who will engage in a conversation, and “eats life with a shovel!” In addition to her work with The Keel, Rita is a contributor for the Thumbprint News, an author of three books, and writes a blog at
kitchentabledevotions.com.