Her entire life Chaja has been surrounded by horses, and her original dream was to become a veterinarian. Somewhere life intervened and she found herself building up a business in teaching and training horses at the young age of 20. She followed numerous courses and got the opportunity to work with lots of different horses and coaches, resulting in eventually founding an equine educational centre together with her former trainer and then husband. The Freestyle Academy provides in educational courses for instructors, trainers, equine welfare, health and rehabilitation. From the angle of rehabilitation Chaja and her husband work together with a multidisciplinary team of veterinarians, physical therapists, dentists, farriers, saddle fitters and so on to maintain and improve equine welfare and training. In this perspective, Chaja followed many courses herself to extend her knowledge and skills and that’s how she came in touch with the Masterson Method. The techniques provide her with tools to keep her own horses sound and healthy, and to expand this knowledge to her students and the horses she works with. Next to teaching and training she performs in dressage competitions, currently up to Prix St. George level.