Growing up in a non-horsey family, Cathy was lucky enough to get her first horse at the age of 8 and has been hooked ever since! Despite her parents and brothers not fully understanding her obsession, she ventured on, first through Pony Club, then travelling to the UK to do the BHSAI course, while studying Zoology at the University of Guelph. When Equine Guelph began their on-line courses in the early 2000s, Cathy decided they would be the ideal way to update her knowledge, while raising her family. Those courses began a 20-year journey and exposed her to the research of Dr. Andrew McLean.

The next few years were dictated by her desire to learn as much as she could about horses, and in particular, equine learning and behaviour. With her BSc days far behind her, she enrolled in the MSc in Equine Science program at Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh. In 2013, Cathy graduated with a MSc with Distinction for her dissertation titled, “Survey of Canadian Certified Coaches’ Understanding and Application of Learning Theory in Horse Training.

Wanting to learn more about using ethical training techniques, she enrolled in the Equitation Science International programme and received her Diploma in 2021. As a Practitioner Member of ISES, Cathy enjoys breaking down training into small, manageable steps, using the First Training Principles, so that riders/handlers and horses of all ages can learn in a calm, clear and encouraging environment where equine welfare and rider/handler safety are paramount. Life has come full circle now as Cathy is now one of the instructors of Equine Guelph’s  Equine Behaviour course.