Teaching

Teaching / Training

Based in Nobottle, Northamptonshire, Katie Kirkpatrick is a freelance rider/trainer providing training for riders of all ages and abilities on all different types of horses/ponies. 

What sort of problems can she help with?

• Do you feel secure and confident in the saddle?
• Do you lack confidence out hacking?
• Is your horse heavy on the forehand or trot around with his head in the clouds?
• Do you struggle with flexion and bend or getting your horse to work into a contact?
• Is your horse 'lazy' or too speedy?
• If your horse spooky or nervous?
• Do you have behavioural issues? Rearing, bucking, spinning?
• Are you or your horse getting bored and lacking motivation?
• Do you suffer with nerves either at home or at a compeition?
• Many more...

Katie likes to take the time to get to know her clients and their horses, whilst it is possible to help a certain amount initially, she finds that once you really get to know a combination you can start to make the subtle changes that make all the difference. You cannot change ten things in the first lesson, and expect the horse to 'get it' and the rider to remember it all. Katie likes to priotritise and chop it up into bitesize pieces to make simple changes over time. She doesn't believe in a "quick fix!"

Katie will happily combine schooling and teaching as she believes you get a better understanding of how to teach the rider if you have ridden the horse yourself.

Katie's main priority when teaching a client and their horse is well-being, safety and confidence. A horse who is not feeling well, maybe has/had a poorly fitting saddle resulting in a sore back, will not perform well for the rider. Equally a perfect comfortable horse will not perform well for a tight/anxious rider.... It is all about creating a happy, harmonious combination who can work together. 

Katie works with horses and riders both on the ground and under saddle. And she also likes to set 'homework' to give you something to work on between sessions.

Katie's training techniques are based on a classical riding approach and natural management.

As Sylia Loch once said "You should look a horse in the eye and, in your head, ask permission to ride him before getting on board, as it is quite personal... You wouldn't get into bed with someone without first looking them in the eye, and this is just as personal, your body on their body." There is a lot of trust involved with both parties so there must be a mutual respect!  

 Katie is available for private individual lessons or clinics. Please see Prices page.

 

 

Terms and conditions can be found here.