My area of interest is in teaching riders to maintain and restore soundness, improve gaits, solve jumping problems, and unlock athletic potential of their horses. Building on my foundation as a serious hunter, jumper, and equitation competitor, and as a mechanical engineer, I continued my education in dressage, biomechanics and athletic rehabilitation. I enjoy working with students who are eager to learn a riding style that does not use force or punishment but rather encourages horses to explore healthy strong body coordination.   

My dressage mentor, Jean Luc Cornille, who taught me lightness, straightness, and how to sit and think in the saddle, was formally trained in classical dressage at Cadre Noire in the 1960’s. A protégé of Colonel George Margot, who was notorious for his elegance in the saddle and ability to create top level movement in ordinary horses.

Among the important "take-aways" from my educational path was that the training trajectory of elite athletes can, and should, be applied to all horses. Through analysis of gaits and jumping style, we can build strategies to solve problems using dressage gymnastics. The primary focus is the body coordination for the gymnastic. The key is that strategies, not recipes, are needed to solve problems. Small problems eventually turn into lameness if not addressed early. My work is grounded in both the evolving knowledge of horse and rider biomechanics, and in my practical experience with applying the knowledge and arriving at the results that matter most to me - soundness that lasts years. 

Competition History and Education

Hunter/Jumper/Equitation competitor - student of Robert Crawford, 1970’s
Polo groom at Myopia Hunt Club
Worked in various job exercising and training horses
Owner and trainer of riding school where I trained horses and instructed and coached adults and children, many USPC members 2010-2018
Horse PT LLC 2018 to present

Continuing Education in Dressage and Biomechanics includes:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering - University of Massachusetts

• Associate of Science in Electronic Engineering Technology - Wentworth Institute of Technology

• Jane Savoie’s Happy Horse video course and books

• Paul Belasik classical dressage instructional videos and books

• Mary Wanless RWYM video course series

• Elmar Pollmann-Schweckhorst inspires dressage training for jumpers

• Caroline Resnick’s liberty and behavior courses

• Deb Bennett biomechanics, conformation analysis

• Jean Luc Cornille – online course, clinic host and participant 2013 - 2018

• The Open College of Equine Studies – biomechanics level 5 course 2019