FLYING CRITTERS

I was raised on a farm in Rhodesia which is now known as Zimbabwe (Southern Africa). My father bred and trained thoroughbred horses and I can not remember learning to ride a horse. I rode on the Rhodesian Equestrian team for two years when I was a teenager but always wanted to be a jockey. At this time Rhodesia and South Africa forbid girls to ride on their race tracks so I left Africa when I was 16 and served my apprenticeship in Newmarket, England under racehorse trainer Clive Brittian. I learned a lot while I worked in racing there but realized I could make a better living in America so when I was 20 I came to the United States and worked on the eastern race tracks (Belmont, Saratoga, Aqueduct, New Jersey, Hialeah, Gulfstream, Calder to name a few). I also worked as a veterinarian/surgical technician for large and small animal vets, here I got an enormous amount of experience and knowledge that I am now very grateful for.
At the age of 30 I joined the police force for the job security, pension and health benefits that you don't get in the horse-racing world. I started a mounted police unit for the department I worked for and enjoyed my job very much. I learned a lot about desensitizing and bomb proofing horses and bonded to my equine partner on a level that is so hard to explain as our lives literally depended on each other. This experience I would not trade for anything in the world!
I am now retired from the police force and spend a large portion of my time conditioning and competing my endurance horses. I also like to work with young horses using the "old school" methods of ground breaking in long lines before attempting to back them. Using the things I have picked up in a life time of working with horses I teach riders to become one with their equine partners and how to enjoy their time they have together.
I truly enjoy passing my knowledge on to other riders, helping them and their equine partners reach their full potential.