About Riding with Amy

The time I create with horses and riders is an opportunity for communication, interpretation, and reflection. Horses have great information for us. I create a safe environment for people to interpret their experiences and I facilitate the interaction between horse and human to create a supportive and loving space for everyone.

I am a formally educated rider, trainer, and instructor. Although I have been riding horses since I was quite young, I began training young horses when I was 12 years old and now have over 20 years of experience training horses.

I have rehabilitated abused horses, started young horses under saddle, and trained horses to advanced levels. My formal riding education came from attending William Woods University and competing at the collegiate level. I studied with Isabelle Judet, the Olympic Dressage judge from France. My main concentration was dressage riding, although I have studied jumping, hunt seat, saddle seat, and western pleasure riding. Although my expertise lies in dressage training, I have huge respect for all riding styles.

I also worked in the mental health field for three years before attending medical school at the National College for Natural Medicine. This spring, I will be graduating with a medical degree and will be practicing in the Portland area as well as doing outreach work in Montana and Kansas. I am excited to incorporate equine facilitated healing in my work as a physician.

As a riding instructor, my main goal is to help riders develop skills that make safer equestrians. I nurture communication, listening, and the bond between the horse and rider. The instruction is focused on teaching strong riding fundamentals, which include developing a balanced and solid seat. I love it when horses and riders blossom. I believe any horse can be a fancy horse; top horses are not bred or bought, they are trained. Ultimately, my goal is to make riders into trainers. I work with all skill levels, ages and disciplines – there is something for everyone to learn.