Jenny Liedberg said her first word was “horse,” so it’s no surprise she ended up as a trainer at Agape Farm. Her family describes her role there as more of a calling than a job.
“Ministry is creating an environment for kids to learn God’s word and spirit and message through other means,” her husband, Scott, said. “And her means is horses.”
Jenny graduated from Auburn University in 1991 with a bachelor’s in animal science and a minor in equine studies. She built her house and founded Agape Farm, which stands for ‘Almighty God always provides everything,’ with her family in Colbert in October 2001.
Scott assists her on the farm while also working in the construction industry.
“I think it’s a true passion. It’s never been about money,” he said. “Every connection she has with kids is truly God-given.”
Jenny teaches both English and Western riding styles, whether participants want to learn how to ride for competition or leisure.
“I’m not a show barn, so there’s no pressure to compete,” she said. “We do participate in local jumper shows and local junior rodeos to do some barrels and poles.”
Jenny said the “ebb and flow of students” is one of the biggest challenges she faces, but that “God always provides the right number and the right people to come out.”
Ashlin (Liedberg) Meyer, Jenny’s daughter, learned from her mother how to care for and ride horses throughout her childhood. She was on the equestrian team at the University of Georgia from 2014-2015 and 2017.
“She kind of instilled in me from a young age that riding horses isn’t just about riding horses,” she said. “They're something God’s given us to be good stewards of.”
Outside of her work at Agape Farm, Jenny teaches archery and animal science at Compass Community, a Christian-based homeschool in Athens.
“How I teach riders has helped shape how I teach at Compass,” she said. “So being able to figure out the different needs and different learning styles has actually helped me more there.”
Jenny still keeps in touch with the many riders she’s taught at the farm over the years.
“We’ve seen several girls that she’s taught when they were young now are coming back with their own children,” Scott said. “It’s that imprint on them and their lives and making it a nurturing, caring environment.”
Jenny’s training has left a lifelong impact on those who have learned how to ride at Agape Farm.
“She was teaching them how to ride a horse, but they were learning such deeper lessons than that,” Ashlin said. “Things that they can take with them for the rest of their life.”