Let’s say ‘yes, and…’ (rather than ‘no, but…’) to ourselves and our horses more often!
Supporting Horses & People
Dressage And Groundwork
As a trainer/instructor for Dressage and groundwork, it is my pleasure to support you in being a kind, clear-minded listener and confident leader for your horse so you can both enjoy your shared journey to the fullest degree.
As a rider and a handler, when you love your horse, you will become more and more present with yourself and your equine partner.
You will embrace the continuous process of learning and practice, and you will find tremendous joy in the many meaningful ways you and your horse will experience progress together.
In this spirit, I offer the following services:
• Mobile Onsite Training & Lessons •
• Virtual Lessons •
• Trailer-Loading/Groundwork Training •
• Clinics & Retreats •
It will be my pleasure and my honor to support you and your horse if you are looking for help in the following areas:
Finding qualified, kind guidance, training and lessons for yourself and your horse along the principles of classical Dressage and the horse’s natural response system
Taking time to follow the slow, steady approach of a riding methodology that allows you and your horse to grow at the speed that is just right for both of you
Increasing your confidence in your clear communications, handling and riding abilities with a potentially challenging horse
Being able to ask me all the questions in the world to become a kind, confident listener and leader for yourself and your horse on the ground and under saddle
Learning about the nature of the horse as you are discovering the deeper layers of communication and moving in harmony with one another
Building mutual trust by allowing you and your horse to grow more fully into who you are in your essence so you can move as One
Nurturing and developing your inner and outer ‘Jubilant Horse’
Mobile Onsite Training & Lessons
What It Is
I am a mobile trainer specializing in Dressage and groundwork who teaches riders and trains their horses at their private facility or where they board their horses if offsite trainers are allowed.
Combining classical Dressage with groundwork and an understanding of the horse’s natural response system, I enjoy offering my expertise to riders and horses of all ages and backgrounds. From 3-day-eventers wanting to improve their Dressage skills to seasoned riders who would like to know more about the ‘art and anatomy’ of Dressage, adult riders getting back into the saddle and those who aren’t very familiar with dressage at all yet, young horses, older horses, horses/riders with ‘issues’ — everyone is welcome.
If you are a rider/horse owner/handler located in the larger Santa Ynez Valley area and in search of in-person horse training/riding lesson support let’s learn more about one another to see how I may be of help to you and your horse(s). I visit most of my clients at their private properties, and I also teach and train at public boarding facilities such as Bella Cavalli Farms, Rancho Mora and Westerly Stud & Equestrian Center.
How It Works
Once we have had our initial call, meeting and evaluation, my new clients typically book their weekly training sessions/lessons by the month. Training programs, specifically tailored to serve the needs of each individual horse and rider pair, may include work on ground manners, long-lining, free-schooling, lessons along classical dressage principles, gently reshaping undesirable behavioral patterns, mental and physical rehab, trauma resets, handling untouchable horses (mustangs/untrained/wild horses), as well as guiding owners towards a continuously happy and fulfilling relationship with their horses.
When you contact me via email, I will send you my release form(s) which will need to be filled-out and returned to me prior to the first session/evaluation. The base fee (depending on details such as your barn location, grooming/tacking-up set-up, etc.) starts at $125-150 per 60-minute lesson/training session. New clients typically book their sessions a month in advance (pending availability) and are billed via email towards the end of each month. Payments can be made via Venmo or check.
Contact me for more information and/or to schedule a free 20-minute discovery phone call prior to your in-person horse & rider evaluation and first training sessions/lessons
Virtual Lessons
What It Is
If you are a rider/horse owner/handler anywhere in the world and don’t have access to a local Dressage trainer/instructor who uses a gentle-yet-effective training methodology to support you and your horse(s) on your journey please feel free to reach out to me to set up some virtual lessons. We can either do a real-time video lesson via Pivo, and we can discuss how this would work if this is what you’d like to do. Or you can send me one or several brief video clips (1-3 videos, 5 minutes each, max) of you and your horse prior to a scheduled phone session where we will discuss your riding or groundwork goals and progress in person.
Often it is also useful to use some of my YouTube videos and my Arena Pattern Guide as references and guiding tools for my virtual lessons. I may send you links to potentially useful videos and graphics that can be used as tutorials to help clarifying certain concepts and practice patterns.
How It Works
When you contact me via email, I will send you my release form(s) which will need to be filled-out and returned to me prior to our first virtual session/evaluation. The base fee is $125 per virtual 45-minute lesson/training session on the phone. Ideally, you will send me your video clips at least 3 days prior to our call to provide enough time to review them. You may also request a written evaluation of your video clips instead of your live phone call. Clients typically book their virtual sessions monthly and are billed via email towards the end of each month. Payment for individually booked virtual lessons/training sessions are due at the time of the appointment via Venmo.
Contact me for more information and/or to schedule a free 20-minute discovery phone call prior to your virtual horse & rider evaluation and first training sessions/lessons
Trailer-Loading & Groundwork Training
What It Is
Does your horse load easily and reliably into your trailer? Are you ready for emergency situations when time is of the essence? Has it been a while since you had to load your horse(s)? Are you worried that you'll have to ‘let go’ of your horses because you can't load them easily when it really matters?
Here in California, fires and flooding are almost year-round occurrences now. It’s never a good idea to hope for the best or to improvise when it comes to ensuring your horses safety and well-being without preparing for an actual emergency.
I’ll be happy to help you start or brush up on your horses’ groundwork and trailer-loading practices in regular increments so you are prepared for when it matters. I offer safe, humane and effective trailer loading training for horses (refreshers, trailer-newbies, resistant horses) and their owners/handlers in the greater Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara county, area.
How It Works
When you contact me via email, I will send you my release form(s) which will need to be filled-out and returned to me prior to the first session/evaluation. The base fee (depending on details such as your barn location and possible setup preparation) starts at $125-150 per 60-minute lesson/training session. New clients typically book their sessions a month in advance (pending availability) and are billed via email towards the end of each month. Payments can be made via Venmo or check.
Contact me for more information and/or to schedule a free 20-minute discovery phone call prior to your in-person evaluation and first training sessions/lessons
Clinics and Retreats
What It Is
I offer clinics to provide insights into the complex inner workings of the horses’ psychology and their natural response system so that riders and handlers can communicate more clearly and more effectively with their equine partners on the ground and under saddle. Riders and handlers of all backgrounds and horses of all breeds, ages and levels of development are welcome.
Possible clinic formats:
The Dressage Aid System
Refine Your Aid System
Energy Awareness & Presence Training
Nervous Rider – Spooky Horse
Introduction To Longlining
Advanced Longlining
I’m also a creator and facilitator of equine-assisted retreats which I have offered in collaborations with other life coaching friends to select groups and private clients. Possible elements of these types of events can be subjects like crossroads exploration, vision quest, identity renewal, leadership, meditation/presence/mindfulness practice, creative expression/art, connecting with nature inwardly/outwardly, and key experiences around a renewed sense of self and purpose.
Possible retreat formats:
Private Coaching Weekend
Themed Group Retreats
Private Equine-assisted 1-on-1 Coaching Experience
How It Works
If you are interested in hosting and/or creating a clinic or a retreat please contact me to discuss availability, options and fees.
Contact me for more information, to discuss specific details and to see which clinic or retreat format may work best for you