Since 2003, Melissa has been starting, training and exercising horses, including problem horses. She has worked with ponies and driving horses as well as English and western horses and mules. She has been giving riding instruction since 2005. She worked for Larry Bylo Cutting Horses for a year and a half exercising horses and preparing them for shows. She grew up riding gymkhana and learned the importance of riding the pattern correctly and putting the horse in the correct position before introducing speed. She also rode western pleasure and trail in 4-H which taught her the importance of basic horsemanship. Melissa graduated from Canyonview Equestrian College in Oregon in May of 2009.

Her riding awards include