Qualifications
From 2004 to 2010 I rode under USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medalist, Jan Williams, who is based in North Hatfield, Massachusetts. Jan was kind enough to allow me to ride and compete her retired Grand Prix horse, Nikoli, at the FEI Junior Level in 2005. This proved to be an invaluable experience, enabling me to gain early exposure to the demands of riding at the FEI levels.
I then purchased my own horse, a green broke Morgan gelding, named "The Legacy of Scotmadison" in 2006. Under Jan's careful tutelage "Scotty" and I rose up the competitive ranks from Training to Fourth Level. Along the way we were very honored to receive numerous year end awards at the regional (NEDA) and national (USEF and USDF) levels. Additionally, due to our competitive accomplishments, Scotty and I earned various scholarships throughout their partnership to help us cover the expenses of furthering their dressage education.
In 2010, after graduating from Smith College with a double major in Government and Economics, I was privileged to have the opportunity to be a working student for 2008 Olympian, Courtney King-Dye, and her assistant trainer, Jennifer Marchand, during the 2010 - 2011 Florida season. I continue to train under Jennifer Marchand to this day. This experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me as it allowed me to not only receive rare access to training from one of world's most talented dressage riders, but it also allowed me an intimate view into the daily operations of managing international caliber performance horses.
After my time with Courtney, I returned home to Massachusetts to prepare for graduate school. During this time I worked with USEF long-listed Grand Prix dressage rider, Sharon McCusker. I then took several years away from riding under top professionals to earn my M.A. degree in Political Science from Columbia University. After earning my master's I returned to the professional horse world in 2014, eager to diversify my riding knowledge. I was welcomed into the eventing community of the picturesque Scarlet Hill Farm where Denise Goyea patiently taught me the basics of jumping on various horses, from green to Preliminary schoolmasters.
This introduction to jumping left me with a strong desire to diversify my equestrian background outside of the dressage world. I was fortunate enough work as a rider for an accomplished American Grand Prix show jumper and hunter rider, Colin Syquia of Eurasia Inc., for the 2014 - 2015 Wellington, Florida season. My experience working for Colin allowed me to hone my riding skills to be a more effective flat rider for the hunter, jumper, and equitation worlds that the Winter Equestrian Festival is built around.
I returned to Massachusetts in 2015, continuing to teach and ride professionally. After ample soul searching for a long term career path I was accepted to Boston College Master's of Clinical Social Work program in fall of 2016 with an expected MSW degree in the spring of 2020. This education in clinical social work has given me a deep and powerful understanding of the power of our emotions and mental states to affect not only our psychology and physiology, but also our equine partners'. For those who are interested in this side of horsemanship my lessons can incorporate therapeutic techniques to build self-awareness, bolster relaxation and improve focus and concentration in both the horse and rider. These therapeutic tools also help me to understand and resolve equine behaviors that stem from anxiety or underlying trauma in horses that are often considered "naughty", such as bucking, bolting, rearing, striking or biting, constant agitation, shutting down, or at a lesser level, spookiness, pushiness or clinginess on the ground, herd bound behavior and many other manifestations of a horse who is not secure in themselves.
Overall, my equine experience is unique. My professional exposure to all three of the Olympic disciplines (dressage, eventing, and jumpers) give me the perspective and skills necessary to be a highly effective teacher both on the flat and for low level jumping, no matter what level or discipline my students ride within. Additionally helping owner's understand where their horses particular training plateau or challenging behavior is coming from and how we can best help our equine partners find both security and balance in themselves is one of my greatest strengths. Working on fostering strong communication between owner and horse as well as adapting my teaching to working with riders of highly varied backgrounds has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my development as a professional in the industry.
I then purchased my own horse, a green broke Morgan gelding, named "The Legacy of Scotmadison" in 2006. Under Jan's careful tutelage "Scotty" and I rose up the competitive ranks from Training to Fourth Level. Along the way we were very honored to receive numerous year end awards at the regional (NEDA) and national (USEF and USDF) levels. Additionally, due to our competitive accomplishments, Scotty and I earned various scholarships throughout their partnership to help us cover the expenses of furthering their dressage education.
In 2010, after graduating from Smith College with a double major in Government and Economics, I was privileged to have the opportunity to be a working student for 2008 Olympian, Courtney King-Dye, and her assistant trainer, Jennifer Marchand, during the 2010 - 2011 Florida season. I continue to train under Jennifer Marchand to this day. This experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me as it allowed me to not only receive rare access to training from one of world's most talented dressage riders, but it also allowed me an intimate view into the daily operations of managing international caliber performance horses.
After my time with Courtney, I returned home to Massachusetts to prepare for graduate school. During this time I worked with USEF long-listed Grand Prix dressage rider, Sharon McCusker. I then took several years away from riding under top professionals to earn my M.A. degree in Political Science from Columbia University. After earning my master's I returned to the professional horse world in 2014, eager to diversify my riding knowledge. I was welcomed into the eventing community of the picturesque Scarlet Hill Farm where Denise Goyea patiently taught me the basics of jumping on various horses, from green to Preliminary schoolmasters.
This introduction to jumping left me with a strong desire to diversify my equestrian background outside of the dressage world. I was fortunate enough work as a rider for an accomplished American Grand Prix show jumper and hunter rider, Colin Syquia of Eurasia Inc., for the 2014 - 2015 Wellington, Florida season. My experience working for Colin allowed me to hone my riding skills to be a more effective flat rider for the hunter, jumper, and equitation worlds that the Winter Equestrian Festival is built around.
I returned to Massachusetts in 2015, continuing to teach and ride professionally. After ample soul searching for a long term career path I was accepted to Boston College Master's of Clinical Social Work program in fall of 2016 with an expected MSW degree in the spring of 2020. This education in clinical social work has given me a deep and powerful understanding of the power of our emotions and mental states to affect not only our psychology and physiology, but also our equine partners'. For those who are interested in this side of horsemanship my lessons can incorporate therapeutic techniques to build self-awareness, bolster relaxation and improve focus and concentration in both the horse and rider. These therapeutic tools also help me to understand and resolve equine behaviors that stem from anxiety or underlying trauma in horses that are often considered "naughty", such as bucking, bolting, rearing, striking or biting, constant agitation, shutting down, or at a lesser level, spookiness, pushiness or clinginess on the ground, herd bound behavior and many other manifestations of a horse who is not secure in themselves.
Overall, my equine experience is unique. My professional exposure to all three of the Olympic disciplines (dressage, eventing, and jumpers) give me the perspective and skills necessary to be a highly effective teacher both on the flat and for low level jumping, no matter what level or discipline my students ride within. Additionally helping owner's understand where their horses particular training plateau or challenging behavior is coming from and how we can best help our equine partners find both security and balance in themselves is one of my greatest strengths. Working on fostering strong communication between owner and horse as well as adapting my teaching to working with riders of highly varied backgrounds has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my development as a professional in the industry.