Jeanne wanted a pony for her 11th birthday (didn’t we all?). Her father presented her with Ms. Bonnie Bell – a 16 hand Appendix Quarter Horse. The saddle she was given weighed 60 pounds. Jeanne couldn’t reach high enough to put it on the mare’s back. Determined, she learned how to throw herself up on the mare and ride her bareback. She became so agile she broke the girl's high jump record at school.

While she gave riding lessons while in high school and college she decided she wanted to major in merchandising. She didn’t want to make money off horses. “They are so special and sacred to me, “Jeanne explained. Instead she ended up buying a tack store for 10 cents on the dollar. She made the store a success and rode both English and Western, later showing Morgan horses. Soon dressage became her thing and really still is. She has earned her USDF (US Dressage Federation) silver medal and served two terms as USDF Regional Director. In May she and her horse Paxton joined the USDF Century Club by competing in a dressage show at the combined age of 100.

Foxhunting intrigues her but “Not everybody can foxhunt,” she was told and it took awhile to wrangle an invitation to hunt.  She had shown Morgan horses in a ring, done advanced dressage, and evented but knew she would have to give up some of the technical control. She succeeded,  joining the Lakeland Hounds in the Twin Cities Metro of Minnesota. Because of their small territory in the suburbs they were a drag hunt. She eventually became a joint MFHA for the Lakeland Hounds. One of her favorite memories was viewing a live fox during the drag hunt. She and Ned, her horse, followed the fox over two tricky creek crossings and saw the fox go to ground. She and the Huntsman were the only two riders still with the hounds.

She was introduced to Dr. David Ahrenholz  by a riding friend and they eventually married.  After retirement they decided to leave the snow and mosquitoes behind and purchased a beautiful farm in Landrum, SC. They both began hunting with the Green Creek Hounds and would cap on occasion with the Tryon Hounds. They soon reversed course hunting full time with Tryon.

When Beth Blackwell became Huntsman for Tryon and brought some of her hounds to Tryon, Jeanne swears they have never had a dry day since. She and her husband Dave enjoy the interesting members from various states and countries from all over the world that have a variety of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. They feel that is what makes the Tryon Hounds so inclusive and unique. And of course the winters are are wonderful!