About Heather

Horses have been my dream since I was three years old. Until that point, my mother tells me I wanted a baby elephant. Since then, it’s been horses that have held me fascinated and in awe.

Living in the suburbs throughout my childhood and moving into the city when I was in my 20′s didn’t afford me much opportunity to really explore the passion that I have for horses. I took lessons as a child, but we couldn’t really afford it, so they had to stop. I started lessons again in my early 20′s, learning to ride english doing mostly jumping and a little dressage at a barn near where I lived. I rode school horses and even half-leased a horse for part of the time. I loved it, but something didn’t sit right with me about the way I saw some of the horses being treated. Forced over jumps with plastic baseball bats, heads tied down, mouths tied shut, tails swishing with every use of the spur and more… After a few years of being around this, I couldn’t continue but didn’t know where to turn so I gave up on my dream of being with horses in any way.

Now in my 30s, I have three horses. You can read about them following the links above. Bailey is the one who led me to find a better way.

I have been studying Parelli Natural Horsemanship for five years using Parelli’s home study materials and summer clinics with Licensed Parelli Instructor Fawn Anderson. In May 2009, I officially assessed as Level 3 Online (ground skills) and I am progressing through Level 2 with my riding. I also study and incorporate the methods and skills of such horsemen as Bill Dorrance and Buck Brannaman into my practice. Always open and willing to learn from people with true expertise in the art of horsemanship I attend clinics as both spectator and rider as regularly as my family schedule and finances will allow. In the next few years I hope to attend the Mastery Program at the Parelli Ranch in Colorado to take my horsemanship and probelm solving skills to new heights.

My husband Matthew, daughter Murrin and I  live in beautiful Blewett, BC about 15 minutes outside of Nelson, BC   We currently have three horses in “our” herd, though really, they’re all mine…  We have two dogs, one cat and a few chickens, as well. This year I have become a director of the Nelson & District Riding Club and I’m a long-standing member of the Parelli Savvy Club. On Mondays during the NDRC season, I lead the Parelli Perfect Practice Playgroup at the NDRC Grounds with the help of other advanced Parelli students.

For more information on how Parelli can help you understand your horse, better – please contact me via this website using comments and we will go from there!