AS Equine Studies BS Psychology Certified EAL Facilitator Community First Aid/CPR/AED

Teach therapeutic horsemanship to individuals ranging in age from 5 to 73 who have physical and/or cognitive challenges in a safe and welcoming environment. Evaluate horses for fitness for the program and fit for tack as appropriate.

I began as a working student in a private dressage barn with Case Van Der Hayden at the age of 10. When a new, 3 day event based riding school moved to our town that my early mentor deemed able to provide an appropriate education, The Riding Center, he sent me down to that barn to continue as a working student. I attended a public vocational agriculture high school to major in Horse Management and Veterinary Science while continuing my academics at a nearby private school. After high school I earned an Associates Degree in Equine Studies. During high school and college I continued to ride anything that came my way, continued as a working student and worked in a sales barn on the weekends. Throughout the past 30 years I have taught horsemanship, worked as a veterinary technician, managed stables, worked in rescue and rehab, and taken the time to learn from the horses and the experts to continue to build my skills.

Equine Assisted Learning Combined Training Instruction Rescue/Rehab - Problem Behaviors Therapeutic Riding Instruction Hunt Seat Instruction

Over the years I have ridden sales horses fresh off the truck to sort out what they know and what type of person they may be a good match for, schooled horses for therapeutic riding, started babies, hacked out hunt horses, legged up event prospects and learned from school masters retired from Prix St. Georges.

Mostly local shows as a junior. I mostly rode school horses or catch rode if the sale barn wanted to pop one into a low entry class at the barn. I was the kid that wasn't necessarily dressed for the show ring but somebody said, "Hey, we need someone up on this horse right now and in the ring. Will you do it?" I never said no and was always in the top 5 despite my lack of breeches.