Hear what some of our clients have to say!
Anna and Sadie
Kate has an amazing ability to work with horses. She understands how they think, how they move and what they need, and as a result, Kate can teach her students how to best work with their horses. She is warm, personable, and communicates clearly. Her sense of humor is always appreciated. My daughter (Anna) has become an excellent rider due to Kate's knowledge, expertise, and overall good horsemanship and we plan to continue working with Kate for many years to come.
Susan (Owner, NARS) and Odie
Kate originally came to me as a boarder; however, once I saw her in action and how savvy she is around horses and people, it became evident that I wanted her to be affiliated with the barn in any way possible. I have always said that I believe that Kate is part horse. . . her ability to get a handle on a horse or on a horse and rider team is amazing. Her well-rounded background combined with her positive attitude and infectious laugh makes her a rare trainer indeed! I have always felt that a good trainer needs to be equally good on the ground and in the saddle. Kate fits the bill. . .not only can she explain things in such easy to understand terms but she can also ride! She chooses to ride in a discipline--3-day eventing--that requires the highest level of skill (and nerve)! Whether she is simply trail riding, training or eventing, Kate brings such a great dynamic to the barn . . .to know her is to respect her.
Lesley and Buckwheet
I've been taking lessons from Kate since April, 2010. Before that, I hadn't ridden a horse in over 30 years, and I never owned one. When I first started taking lessons in April, I quickly realized that I wasn't actually 'riding' 30+ years ago as much as I was sitting on a horse who would then follow the other horses. I started taking western lessons from Kate but then, because I bought a black horse, I decided I should ride English, since I'd be able to find a black English saddle much more easily than a black western saddle. Yes, really. Clearly, Kate has to be an incredibly patient instructor to put up with the likes of me! But she's so much more than a trainer, although it's amazing how good she is at teaching. I'm taking lessons in dressage, jumping and I'm always being schooled in horsemanship. I'm often amazed at how she figures out the exact way that she needs to teach a particular concept to me (most of her students have a lot more riding experience than I) so that I'll "get it". And she cares about my horse almost as much as I do. She works with the farrier to correct shoeing problems, she advises me on what kind of supplements I should feed him, she's totally taught me how to take care of him and she's taught me so much about how horses think and how my horse thinks. Oh, did I mention--she found him for me--Buckwheet: World's Most Amazing Horse. I was so ready to drop a load of cash on the wrong horse and she saved me from myself. She's incredibly accommodating in terms of the timing of lessons--we've had lessons as early as 7:30am and as late as 6:30pm. I work full-time so that's important. I guess if I had to sum it up in one sentence I would say, "Kate is an important part of my life now that I'm a horseperson. I don't know what I would do without her." OK, so that's two sentences. So sue me. If you want to ask any specific questions, you can contact me at badbirdsbadbirds@gmail.com. Kate simply ROCKS. Now I just have to find a black jumping saddle. :)