I have had a diverse, lifelong engagement with horses. I’ve served as a veterinary assistant in California, retrained problem horses in Utah, guided tours in Iceland, and interned at both Western and English barns across the country. But, I always felt something was missing from my experiences–Did horses really want to be with us, or had we set them up to believe it was their only option? How do we know how a horse actually feels, and how can we support them in a domestic life that is often antithetic to their evolutionary history? For me, a deep understanding of wild horse behavior was the missing puzzle piece.

Witnessing equines free to express themselves in wild settings drew away the veil of domestic understanding of how and why horses do what they do. With this context, the reasons for difficult behavior started to emerge and I drastically changed how I approached struggling equines. The horses I worked with began to actively engage with me, not just tolerate my presence. Their relationships with the people around them improved and dangerous behaviors decreased or went away. No one should have to feel frustrated or afraid around their equine partner, and I strive to help equines and their owners thrive together.

I follow guidelines set forth by professional organizations and I utilize the most up-to-date scientific literature to ensure behavioral treatments are ethical and kind. I have a strong background in science with a PhD at the University of Utah in Geology and I bring this meticulous rigor to our appointments.  My work in science is ongoing: I am board chair of the Onaqui Catalogue Foundation, a Utah non-profit dedicated to using citizen science to educate the public about feral horse behavior. When I am not helping people with horse behavior problems, I am out in the field recording data on wild horse social structure and behavior. I am thrilled to be able to bring both my personal observations of wild horses and the latest scientific guiding principles on behavior and training to you and your horse.