WELCOME TO MY WEBSITE I am a classical riding trainer and author and my aim in life is to introduce people and horses to the benefits of classical training and riding.

I began my riding career at the age of only 7. Obviously, at that time I had no idea about classicism, nor how to change my weight slightly to ask and aid the horse to perform different movements. In fact, I did not have formal lessons (except from the ponies I rode) until I was much older. In some ways this was a good thing, as I learnt natural balance and sat in a fairly good classical position, which most children will do naturally anyway. I learnt through trial and error that sitting upright with my seat in the centre of the saddle and legs long, often without stirrups and sometimes without even a saddle, holding my torso erect and chest expanded, was the best way to stay aboard, especially on a bucking pony. Most of the time I was left to my own devices.

I did not have the disadvantage of being given wrong and harsh instruction, which I see too often today. I was never told to keep kicking on or to pull on one rein to turn the horse, and especially not to pull the horse's head in towards his chest to create an 'outline'. The term 'quiet hands' was one used frequently in those days and it was indeed a compliment which I was delighted to be given.

I spent many years practicing pony club games and then plenty of jumping. I was instructed to jump 4ft without reins and stirrups, and told this was the only way to attain an independent seat. Well, it did that alright, albeit at the cost of many falls, and I would certainly NOT recommend that today.
All this carefree riding, although maybe not the best, did give me a good feeling of balance and how the horse moves and thinks.
In the 1970's I first discovered that there was a much gentler, calmer way of riding, which created a wonderful feeling of being at one with the horse. I discovered the masterpiece book of Col. Alois Podhajsky (former Director of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna). I went on from there slowly and deeply delving into the books of other great Horse Masters.
In 1995 I met the modern day Classical Master, Sylvia Loch, and began training with her, and we remain good friends today.  I became Regional Liaison Member of Sylvia's Classical Riding Club. It was at this time that Sylvia encouraged my writing, and I wrote articles for the Club and other magazines for many years.

In 2008 I began publication of a quarterly subscription equestrian magazine called Tracking-up. This was in partnership with Susan McBane, Lesley Skipper and for many years Sylvia Loch and The Classical Riding Club had a section inside the magazine. To see more about this see the 'Tracking-up' page.

I have published three equestrian books - see My Books page.







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