After slowing down a bit to focus on her young son, Caleb, Katie is gearing back up as a trainer, instructor, and competitor. 

A well-rounded and thoughtful equestrienne, Katie has a very diverse training background.  After developing basic skills on all kinds of horses, Katie had the opportunity to purchase Emotional Notion, a young, difficult thoroughbred gelding at the age of 15.  That horse, and the help necessary to learn to train and ride him, provided her with an exceptional education.  Katie had the opportunity to ride and train a wide variety of horses from a very young age, and credits that experience with her thorough understanding of the training process.  Additionally, Katie believes that you never know it all, and continues to expand her education with lessons and clinics whenever possible.

Dressage clinics and a working student position with Peter DeCosemo, a genius International Grand Prix trainer, allowed her understand how the brain and body of the horse work, and how to tap the talent of any horse. 

As a working student in Europe with International Grand Prix Show Jumper Vuk Djokovic, Katie learned importance of those dressage skills for riding fast and clean in the jumper ring. 

A working student position with an Olympic 3-Day-Eventer proved the absolute necessity of cross-training to create an athlete in any discipline.

Most recently, Katie has had the opportunity to take some lessons from Rob Perkins, the exceptional hunter and equitation trainer at Arbor Grove Equestrian, to round out her education by learning to style a show-ring hunter. 

Katie is also very lucky to have exceptional professional riders as good friends, and wants to extend a special thank you to Karianne Boyce-Lockhart of Posieden Stables for allowing her to pop in to school her own horses and jump around on Kari's lovely horses when she needs a great set of eyes on the ground.