Welcome to my website. I hope my training principles will be of interest to you. I have been training, teaching and working with horses for many years and never stop learning.

I have been very fortunate to meet and train with many brilliant teachers and trainers. I was inspired to learn more about body awareness and the Alexander Technique by Mary Wanless over 20 years ago. I have found this knowledge has given me an ability to really understand what riders need to learn, but is often not taught.

In '89 I began training with Andrew Day and have ridden my own and clients horses with him for many years.

Living very near the ‘Training the teachers of tomorrow trust’, has meant I have been able to train with and watch Stephen Clarke - FEI International Dressage Judge, Arthur Kottas - Former Chief Rider of Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Charles de Kunffy - FEI Dressage Judge C, and more recently Herwig Radnetter - Senior Rider of the Spanish Riding School very regularly over the past 20 years !

Classical dressage training is the progressive development of the riding horse, using a proven system that has been passed on through generations. The combination of this training and also the knowledge I have gained from having a horse that needed much remedial help to recover from a serious injury, has given me a very holistic approach to my work.

Dressage is often referred to as an 'art' because, when well done, the horse is transformed by the rider. It looks more beautiful and moves more gracefully and is a pleasure to watch. Most people will be riding as a hobby, sport, recreation, but, however you look at it, we should all try and learn to ride in a way that enables the horse to move comfortably and without detriment to its body.

It is important to me to train the horse to use its muscles in a way that enables it to carry a rider and develop gymnastically without force or gadgets.

When a horse is comfortable in its body, you can see and feel a softer and more supple movement in its back and limbs, it appears 'oiled'. A horse moving with a stiff back and joints is not just uncomfortable to ride, but is 'breaking down'.

Discomfort, soreness and pain in a horse is often misinterpreted as 'bad behaviour'. People have described their horses as naughty, stubborn, fresh etc when I have found it is just saying ouch!

Riders with position problems or badly fitting tack will have great difficulty in getting their horse to work well, or, sometimes the horse is suffering from an unsoundness that has not yet been detected.

I hope I can teach riders how to 'listen' to their horse and understand how to train them in a way that they can both enjoy being together.

I teach people who do dressage to compete, but, also many more who event, SJ, just hack out and even hunt ! They all want the same thing - a horse that wants to do the 'job' and do it in a way that gives it a better chance of staying sound and healthy.


Debbie