I have been in love with and riding horses since I was two years old. In my younger years I was the "barn rat". I hung around and absorbed any and every piece of knowledge (right OR wrong) that I could. I rode everyday striving to excel in my discipline, which assisted in my becoming part of an equestrian show team. Although, I absolutely enjoyed my time in the show ring, I found my truest passion was in the relationship with the horse more than the sport of riding.
I discovered my passion in "playing" with the youngest of horses (foals) while still a teenager. I started working with a few babies when I was in my late teens at a thoroughbred breeding farm. I loved being around their mischievous antics and found their curiosity inspiring. As I observed dominance games between the stable mates and these youngsters, I began to take a real interest in the ways in which they communicated. I specialize, so to speak, in developing solid communication skills with babies as young as hours old. I work with, and strongly encourage, starting babies while still with their mothers and as weanlings. The solid foundation that can be laid then, is life lasting for the horse it will someday become.
My passions goes into every horse I spend time with, I am most interested to the horse owner who is looking to improve a possibly troubled relationship or who wants to start off on the right foot with a new friend. I hope to enlighten people on the highest level of partnership that can be achieved with horses. Where the days of going to the paddock with a bucket of grain to "maybe" catch him/her, will be over. I hope to show people just how exciting it is to have your horse so interested in you and what you are doing, that they never leave your side.
Do you know how many people don't even know that horses are PREY animals? That horses rarely do things to be bad, but act on instinct to survive? Safety is all they want yet harsh hands, growling voices and flat out abuse is how we handle them and then we wonder why they take off from us at the gate and rarely come when they see us there with a lead-rope in our hands. My horses gallop to the gate to see if they might get to come out and play. I dream of seeing people make that same connection with their horses.
I work with horses and people alike. I instill the groundwork necessary to develop a solid communication. I will ONLY work in the saddle when I know this communication is concrete. There is no reason to be on a horse's back barking commands that they don't even understand while you are standing on the ground beside to them. Once the communication is fluid, then I teach the transfer into the saddle.
I do not teach the sport of riding, I teach a connection. See, when we learn to post in perfect position, the horse under us is basically a tool, a vehicle, there is no connection. What I teach, is combining riding skills while stimulating your horse/human connection. I expect riders to be there for their horses to help make the job of just trotting around more engaging and interesting to them. We all hated when the gym teacher told us to run around the track, right? Imagine doing that with a bouncing, fumbling, mouth-slapping creature on your back. Torture!
