why horses?
My horse experiences started as a young girl, when my father would take my younger sister and I to watch horses from a local riding school and mounted police unit out. We would just watch them turned out in their small field. This was my first experience of observering horses in a herd. As a teenager, I attend summer day-camp for 10 days where I first learned to ride. I think it was these early experiences that planted the love of horses in my heart. It wasn’t until I started to volunteer with a therapeutic riding centre in Toronto, Cananda that I took up riding again.
inspiration
The birth of Dance with Equus came about from my own journey towards discovering my authentic self. This journey has been facilitated through my personal development and healing work with horses, my study and training in Equine Facilitated Learning and my study and practice of reiki and Chakradance. My purpose is to empower you to become your best self.
It was through my time spent with the therapeutic riding program, as well as my own riding, that I experienced first hand the special bond riders developed with their horses. I started searching for more information about therapeutic riding, which lead to learning more about equine assisted activities and therapies, eventually leading to learn more about the horse-human bond and equine assisted learning.
I remember people asking me when I was getting my own horse. I told them when I’m forty, I’ll have my horse. Well that number came and went many years ago. It was in 2022, that I started thinking now was the time to find my horse. After looking at several ads for horses, friends sending me posts about horses, and visiting one to try, I thought now was not the time. Then I saw a post for a 20 year old Irish Sport Horse. I went to see and ride her and knew she was the one. I found my HEART Horse, Annie or I should say Annie found me late September 2022. She joined me at the Holistic Horse and Pony Centre in October 2023.
MORE TO COME about Annie!
In addition to my love of horses, I am a passionate and dedicated educator, who has had the opportunity to facilitate learning for diverse groups of individuals across various environments in Canada, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. My goal for my students is for them to develop a growth mindset, an attitude of “Let me give it a try!”
Education and Training
Certified Equine Interaction Professional - Education (CEIP-ED) (2018), Certification Board for Equine Interaction Professionals, USA
H.E.A.R.T Equine Assisted Coaching Training Programme (2020), The H.E.A.R.T Centre, England
I completed my 200 hour training with the H.E.A.R.T Centre founder Wendy Firmin-Price
Equine Facilitated Learning Facilitator Training (2017), Human-Equine Alliance for Learning (HEAL) Equine Facilitated Learning Model™ , Norway
I completed my training with Kristen Fernald assisted by Jeanette Lysell and her wonderful herd of horses at Bilitt Gard
Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator Training (2017), Cartier Farms Equine Assisted Learning Building Blocks™ model, Canada
I completed my training with Master Instructor Tracey Evans at her beautiful Dreamwinds Equine Assisted Leaning Centre
Animal-Assisted Play Therapy Level 1 Training (2022), International Institute of Animal-Assisted Play Therapy, USA
I completed this 4-day training with Tracie Faa-Thompson, Lucy Llewellyn, and Sheli Brown in England
Reiki Master Practitioner and Teacher (2017-2018) , The Reiki Academy, England
Animal Reiki Practitioner (2023), Calm, Kind, Happy, England
I completed my Level 1 & 2 training with Ali Carrington, founder of Calm, Kind, Happy, using the Let Animals Lead Method™.
Qualified Teacher Status ~ Primary (2013), Department of Education, England
Ontario Certified Teacher ~ Primary (2011), Ontario College of Teachers, Canada
Masters of Science in Childhood Education (2011), D’Youville College, USA
Equine Science Certificate (2008), University of Guelph, Canada
Early Childhood Education Advanced Studies in Special Needs, Humber College (2005), Canada
Autism and Behavioural Science, Seneca College (2014), Canada
Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (2003), PATH International, USA
Equestrian Coach ~ General Riding Level 1 (2022), UK Coaching, England