Saddling Services Offered
- BALANCE Saddling Consultations
- Saddle and remedial pad checks and help for people who have previously bought BALANCE saddles.
- Coaching and support from children to adults of all abilities, wanting to improve their balance and helping horses through the BALANCE remedial process.
- Lecture-Demos/Courses, Clinics
Areas Covered
I am based at a yard in Lancaster which has great facilitates for carrying out BALANCE Saddle consultations. This includes an indoor arena and stabling if necessary.
History with BALANCE
I was first introduced to BALANCE saddles in 2005. At the time I had a particularly ‘difficult’ mare, who was very talented but was very tense, and extremely unpredictable to handle. I was struggling to find a saddle to do the job. I met Carol Brett through a friend and whilst taking part in one of Carol’s ‘Constuctional/Functional Riding’ courses. The difference in my mare’s way of going was unbelievable. It was after that, I bought my first Zenith BALANCE saddle.
I was very lucky to have met Carol at a young age and at such an influential time in my career. She helped me develop a great depth of understanding with; correct training of horses, balanced riding, coaching, biomechanics of both rider and horse, rehabilitation and constructive saddling.
From then on, I continued to train with Carol Brett as often as I could, with competition horses, young horses, and horses needing to go back to basics and go through a remedial process up to 2017.
Through The Pony Club, I was awarded the ‘Jeffries Scholarship’ for training. I used most of this training with Carol to gain the BHSII. After this I went on to do the BALANCE Test Ride Facilitator training with Carol in 2014. Since then I have continued to work with lots of horses and riders helping them with their saddles and general all-round balance. I have also had over 14 years coaching experience in a riding school, coaching all levels and ages of riders. This has meant I’ve had a lot of hours working with all the different BALANCE trees/Pony BALANCE saddles to suit all different shapes and sizes of horse and rider.
I am now a registered BALANCE Saddle Consultant.
Equestrian Experience
I started riding at a young age and was an enthusiastic member of the Lancaster and District Branch of The Pony Club. I competed in all disciplines and worked my way up to achieving The Pony Club AH Test. When I was 18, I started my professional Equine career. I am now an Accredited Pony Club coach and still involved with coaching lots of children, having fun in BALANCE with their ponies!
I am a BHS Accredited Professional Level 4 Coach in Complete Horsemanship (BHSII) and hold the UKCC level2. I train riders up to BHS Stage 4, and also run the BHS Challenge Awards.
I have 14 years coaching experience, inc Riding Schools and freelance with children and adults, from grassroots to professionals and competition riders. I run training days and courses and have coached at different The Pony Club and BHS Camps.
I regularly school horses for clients locally and take horses for backing and rehabilitation programmes.
I have loved competing over the years with many different horses and have successfully competed BD and BS up to Foxhunter level, but I’m currently taking a break whilst bringing up my young family.
I am very passionate about developing the straightness and balance of the horse and rider, helping people achieve their goals, gain confidence and making horses happy and comfortable.