About

I started riding in Yorkshire at the age of 3 in the 1970’s on a Shetland stallion called ‘Hickstead Cock Robin‘ aka ‘Hicky’ that we had during the winter months when he wasn’t at stud 

We‘d take him to gymkhanas and lead rein shows 

I had weekly riding lessons from 4 years old at the local riding school and hacked out at a riding centre  up until my teens 

I loaned various horses and ponies up until leaving school 

I went to art college and found my love for painting horses and animals. i got my A level in art and Design before deciding to pursue my career working with horses 

1990 I got accepted onto the YTS scheme at Moorside Equestrian Centre for BHS Qualifications I was found a live in placement at a Show Jumping/livery/dealing yard working for Sam Whittaker as a competition groom, yard worker and exercise jockey for the dealing horses with Graham Fletcher. Peter Murphy rode Sam’s horse Jays Way 

My training started at Moorside Equestrian Centre a large BHS Training Centre in Baildon

There I acquired:

1990 BHS riding and Road safety Certificate 

1990 BHS stage 1 Riding and theory 

1991 BHS stage 2 riding and theory 

I then moved to Cambridge and got a working pupil placement at Windmill Stables a riding, livery and competition yard to further improve my riding and Teaching skills

There I acquired :

1992 BHS PTT (Preliminary Teaching Test)

1993 BHS Stage 3 Riding and Theory

1993 BHS Grooms Certifications 

1993 BHSAI certification (now known as Level 3 Coach)

 
I then flew to America as I was accepted to teach English Riding at a Large Riding Camp in Vermont Camp Catherine Capers 

There I acquired:

1993 CHA Level 4 Advanced English Instructor

1993 CHA Level 1 Beginner Western Instructor 

I flew Back to America to further my CHA certification after a few years riding and competing Western

I aquired:

2002 CHA Level 4 Advanced Western Instructor 

2002 CHA MACI Master Assistant Clinic Instructor 

To have both advanced English and Western certifications I was offered to become an assistant clinician for the CHA. 

Being a CHA clinician in both English and Western, I travelled around the states on a regular basis to assist in the instructor training clinics and certifying English and Western instructors from Level 1-4.