From the moment I laid my eyes on my first pony, I knew that all I wanted to do was take care of these animals. The only question was, how?
My career with horses began at the age of five within the hunter/jumper discipline where I competed for six years. In my teenage years, I took a step back from competition and found great joy in riding as a hobby instead of a sport, which allowed me to appreciate how much horses do for us. As I moved on from high school, I was able to feed my passion for horses by attending Houghton College, which has an exceptional equestrian program. Here, I fell in love with dressage, explored the unique harmony and partnership between horse and rider, and discovered equine massage through a self-built independent study.
When I started massaging horses, I had a new hunger for knowledge and quickly began my training in the Masterson Method. As a rider I wanted to understand the biomechanics of the horse, how muscles and bones connect and influence each other, and achieve a more holistic understanding of horse well-being. I chose the Masterson Method because it captures that partnership with horses that I cherish. It’s a type of therapy done with the horse instead of to the horse. In just one session, it is obvious how much healing the horse has experienced throughout their entire body. This method and the emphasis on human- horse connection allows me to care for horses in a variety of ways – all of which work to restore them to their fullest potential.