My journey with horses began before I could walk, with my mum buying me my first Shetland pony, Billy, when I was just three. Since then, horses have been a constant and incredibly important part of my life.

At 12, I got my first horse, Mickey, a beautiful bay Arabian gelding. Growing up at a busy agistment centre, I often found myself questioning the way undesirable behaviour was labelled as “naughty” or “disrespectful.” Traditional approaches that relied heavily on punishment and correction never quite sat right with me. However, as a young and inexperienced rider surrounded by people with far more experience, I didn’t always have the knowledge or confidence to speak up or understand why.

After unexpectedly losing Mickey, I took a short break from horses before welcoming Tex and Teddy into my life. It was around this time that I discovered the Equitation Science Diploma, which was extremely eye opening. It gave me the scientific knowledge and evidence behind the feelings I had held since childhood and helped me understand that there was another way to approach training — one based on understanding behaviour, clear communication and prioritising the horse’s welfare.

I now work at Wallington Park Equestrian Centre, working in both the office and coaching clients. I love helping riders develop a deeper understanding of their horses and find practical, evidence-based ways to communicate more clearly with them. I am also working towards my EA coaching qualifications and hope to expand my coaching through local pony clubs.

I aim to create a supportive, non-judgemental environment for both horse and rider, I understand that we all start somewhere, and that many of us have simply been taught the methods we know. My goal isn’t to judge riders for what they may have done in the past, but to help them understand why their horse behaves the way they do and give them the tools to move forward in a more ethical way.

Alongside my coaching, I have spent several years working within the thoroughbred industry, both on and off the track, and enjoy using positive reinforcement and clicker training with my own horses. I am passionate about continually expanding my knowledge and finding better ways to improve the welfare, confidence and relationship between horses and their people.

My goal as a coach is to help riders feel more confident, curious and connected with their horses — creating a training environment where both horse and human feel understood, respected and supported.