What do I do?

I share the equestrian knowledge I've collected over the years.

Currently I am training to upgrade from list 5 (judging up to BD & BE Novice dressage), to list 4 (judging Elementary). Much as I enjoy judging the expenses we get are never going to keep the wolf from the door, so I teach/coach as well.

I am a BHS Level 3 Complete Coach (used to be known as BHSAI) and I hold the level 4 (Intermediate) stable managers certificate.

I am proud to be a BHS Accredited Professional Coach, which means I am CRB checked, 1st aid trained and fully insured.

Recently I was asked when & how I got in to teaching, it couldn't happen now, but this is the story.

I learnt to ride in the beautiful parkland around the national trust property Dyrham House. The horses were stabled in the stables of the house. We used to mount up in the square stable yard & ride out under the arch & into the park. It was wonderful for a pony mad 8 year old.

When I was 12 an indoor arena and stable yard was built at Ford Farm in Hinton & Dyrham stables moved base, though we still hacked out in the park.

Every Saturday as I grew up my lovely Dad got up to drive me to the stables for 9, returning to pick me at the end of the day. I loved it, and spent a lot of time running around the indoor arena leading beginner riders, introducing them to trot & canter, those were the days when I could run!

When I was 14 I was often doing the teaching, with a 16 year old in the indoor for insurance purposes! I never looked back. From teaching the basics, I went to college, trained for BHS exams and worked for & with people who shared knowledge & shaped me as a horsewoman, and I am grateful to everyone of them.

Although dressage is my focus now, I can, & do, help people with jumping, after all if you can't ride a balanced turn or circle you are going to struggle to get round a course.

I love using ground poles to help develop balance & confidence in both horse and rider, and run regular clinics, in indoor arenas if possible, particularly in the winter.

I am available for Riding club training clinincs, and organise clinincs myself, keep an eye out for simulator sessions in the New Year.

My training with Centre 10 has given me confidence to offer help with goal setting & planning, to help riders make the most of their time (& money!).

The BHS has created Challenge Awards to help horse owners & riders to expand their knowledge of both horse care and riding, and I am very happy to be able to offer these to my clients. For the younger riders I am also offering BHS Ponystars training.