A combination of seminars, clinics and demonstrations will feature as part of Equifest’s educational lineup.
Our experts will cover a wide range of topics and disciplines relating to horse care and riding. While opening doors to new disciplines in a fun and interactive way, regardless of discipline or ability. Check out our educator list below. We will be adding new people all the time.
Warwick Schiller
USA / AUS
Horsemanship
A lifelong equestrian of varying disciplines, Warwick Schiller moved from his home country of Australia in his 20s to the United States in order to pursue his dream of training horses. He focused his competitive efforts on reining, eventually becoming an NRHA (National Reining Horse Association) Reserve World Champion and also representing Australia at the 2010 & 2018 World Equestrian Games. His unique ability to convey his knowledge to others became apparent when he successfully went on to coach individuals who garnered coveted reining titles such as NRHA World Champions, NRHA Rookie of the Year, Australian Champions, U.S. Champions and a fellow WEG team member. Following a transformational encounter with a horse that rewired his understanding of training and life, Warwick now focuses on connection, trust, energy, and nervous‑system awareness in both horse and human.
Key learnings from Warwick's clinics:
Understand how connection shapes effective communication with your horse.
Nervous‑system awareness in both horse and human.
Daniel Blundell
AUS/NZ
Jumping
Daniel’s passion for horses began at just five years old, following ponies around at his local school fair. He went on to compete successfully in both show ponies and jumping ponies until his early teens, when he focused his sights on show jumping.
With a career that has spanned riding, training, and coaching, Daniel has worked across many areas of the equestrian world. He spent years in the film and television industry as a riding double and horse trainer, before going on to work for some of New Zealand’s top studs, including NZPH and Mount View.
Daniel has trained countless horses through to Grand Prix and World Cup level, and is also the coach behind many of New Zealand and Australia’s leading young riders.
Key learnings from Daniel's clinics:
How to improve your flat work by understanding how the horse learns
Processes to help you see a better distance to the fence
Simple exercises to help you improve your horses technique and ride ability
How I warm my horses up for the ring. Talking through the course and then jumping
Positive thinking and visualisation
Dan Steers
AUS
Horsemanship & Liberty
Dan is an accomplished horseman who makes up one-half of Double Dan's horsemanship. As a highly skilled horseman, Dan is sought after for his ability to entertain and thrill audiences of horsey and non-horsey people alike.
Dan's inspiring philosophy is to create well-rounded horses that can excel in any discipline or job, and to foster the perfect equine relationship. By sharing the principles of horsemanship, Dan aims to empower his audience to communicate better with their horses, understand their reactions, and master new manoeuvres.
Key learnings from Dan's clinics:
Problem-Solving
Horsemanship
Caleb Degen
AUS
Liberty
Currently, Caleb serves as the Equine Coordinator at Australian Outback Spectacular. He has been with the show for nearly 10 years, assisting in the management and training of the horses for this acclaimed live show. His role involves overseeing their care, training, and performing alongside his equine counterparts as well as ensuring they are well-prepared for their captivating performances. He has been lucky enough to be trained and assisted in both trick riding and liberty work by one of the country's greatest Horsewomen, Zelie Bullen. Recently travelling to Africa to assist with the training of young horses and exposing them to game and wildlife within reserves in Botswana and Kenya has allowed him to bring new insight and perspective to the training and mindset of horses back in Australia.
Caleb has expanded his horizons by teaching liberty and groundwork through clinics and lessons around Southeast Queensland. His innovative approach to equine training and commitment to animal welfare reflect his deep dedication to the equestrian world. Caleb's journey showcases his genuine love for horses and his desire to share his knowledge with others.
Key learnings from Caleb's clinics:
Starting a horse at liberty
Liberty - LET THEM LEAVE!
Joe Gardiner
AUS
Trick Riding
Joe Gardiner's career with horses is anything but ordinary. From the glittering lights of the Australian Outback Spectacular on the Gold Coast to the awe-inspiring global stage of Cavalia, Joe has spent years performing in world-class equine productions across China, America, and Europe.
Now based on the Sunshine Coast in Australia, Joe balances life between his professional horse training business and his passion for entertainment through Laughing Stock Productions. With a flair for the dramatic and a deep connection with horses, Joe brings education and fun together in a way that's unforgettable.
Key learnings from Joe's clinics:
Come and watch as he uncovers the basics of trick riding for both horse and rider
Susi May
AUS
Relationship Based Clicker Training
Over the past twelve years, Susi has developed her training approach by drawing from a wide range of disciplines. Today, her work is focused on building true partnership and willing engagement between horse and rider. Susi’s methods provide horses with the foundations of self-regulation, helping them develop awareness of their own nervous system while incorporating key principles of horse psychology. With this understanding, she helps both horses and humans connect on a deeper level through gentle, effective training techniques.
A significant turning point in Susi’s journey came after a serious fall and full knee reconstruction, which limited her to working with horses solely from the ground. What began as a challenge transformed into a gift: “Horses raised my awareness and my consciousness, and I am now able to focus on the messages they are giving me. Observing and learning from the ground has allowed me to uncover pathways to personal growth.
Key learnings from Susi's clinics:
Consent-based training and heart–body coherence
Helping horses and humans build trust through self-regulation and tension release.
Relaxation, emotional safety, and intuitive partnership.
Ramona Berndt
Horsemanship/Liberty
Ramona's lifelong passion for horses has taken her on a diverse journey through Trick Riding, Roman Riding, Classical Dressage, and Liberty Training. With years of hands-on experience, she has developed a deep interest in ethical, intuitive, and evidence-based approaches to horsemanship. Ramona has worked internationally as a trainer, wrangler, performer, and riding coach, contributing to live shows and film productions across Europe, Canada, Australia, Asia, the Middle East, the U.S., and New Zealand. No matter the stage or discipline, her focus remains the same: fostering trust, confidence, and clear communication between horses and riders.
Key learnings from Ramona's sessions:
The language of liberty and adding tools to your training toolkit
Ethical, evidence-based training methods to help you begin your liberty training
Sarah Cullen
Dressage training with Ecole de Légèreté
Sarah Cullen has spent a lifetime with horses, beginning at age eight and progressing through all Pony Club teams and certificates to A & H. She developed a passion for eventing to 3* level and re-schooling horses before her challenging mare in 2008 shifted her focus to dressage and the Ecole de Légèreté. This path also led to saddle design, and today she owns the European brand Strada Saddles while studying equine therapies. A trainee teacher since 2012, Sarah has taught Légèreté since 2015, helping riders of all disciplines achieve performance, connection, and transformative growth with their horses.
Key learnings from Sarah's sessions:
Asymmetry & balance: Ecole de Légèreté - School of Ligthness
Training the Mouth: Ecole de Légèreté - School of Ligthness
Connection & Understanding: Ecole de Légèreté - School of Ligthness
Lecture: Asymmetry - Understanding forehand loading - the key to training balanced, flowing movement.
Camilla Whishaw
Equine Health
Camilla Whishaw BHSc (Nat) is a respected Equine Naturopath, Nutritionist, and Herbalist, consulting nationally and internationally with breeders, trainers, riders, owners, and equine hospitals. Based in Australia, she combines scientific training with lifelong experience in the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry. Camilla specialises in fertility, gastrointestinal, immune, and neurological health, as well as behavioural issues linked to the gut–brain axis. Her internationally published research into equine inflammatory bowel disease has positioned her as a leader in the field. A qualified naturopath and TGA-registered practitioner, she is passionate about integrating complementary medicine with veterinary care for lasting equine wellbeing. Having no affiliation with feed or supplement companies, Camilla presents information in a non-biased, informative and helpful manner.
Key learnings from Camilla's sessions:
Learn how different feeds and supplements influence the behaviour of our horses and ponies.
Gut health is central to overall health and performance. But what exactly is good gut health?
Tyson Miller
Horsemanship & Liberty
After attending several Buck Brannaman clinics, Tyson discovered a passion for horsemanship and soon found himself apprenticing under Ben Longwell of True West Horsemanship. Here, he spent 3.5 years under Bens's mentorship and gained lots of experience in colt starting, problem-solving, horsemanship and the Vaquero Bridlehorse tradition. This eclectic mix has given Tyson a well-rounded experience and has grown his passion for sharing knowledge and teaching clinics and lessons nationwide.
During Equifest, his Horsemanship for Green Horses & Colt Starting sessions will cover the tools and techniques required to build a strong foundation with young or green horses. His focus will be reading and understanding horses' behaviour whilst showing how to communicate effectively and safely.
Key learnings from Tyon's clinics:
Over the three days, Tyson aims to explain and showcase the importance of our groundwork with young or green horses in their early education stages and how this trust translates under saddle.
Kelly Wilson
Horsemanship & Author
Number One Bestselling author, award-winning photographer, reality television star, wild horse tamer, motivational speaker, equestrian, and adventurer – Kelly Wilson is a woman whose passion permeates into everything she does. Back in 2012, when her journey with the Kaimanawas began, Kelly had no idea where her affinity for wild horses would take her. Now, alongside a list of bestselling books and award-winning photographs of wild horses, Kelly is the only trainer in the world to have achieved top six finishes in the Extreme Mustang Makeover, Australian Brumby Challenge and Kaimanawa Stallion Challenges.
In recent years, she has continued to advocate for wild horses on a global scale, taming almost 100 wild horses, and from 2018 to 2020 she spent several months living out with wild horses in Canada, America, Australia, Portugal and New Zealand to observe herd behaviour for her bestselling book Wild Horses of the World.
Kelly will join Hannah Catalino (USA) and together they will showcase the liberty horsemanship methods they use when training wild Kaimanawa and Mustang horses. This two-day clinic will feature two Kaimanawa horses, as Kelly and Hannah train them around a challenging obstacle course at liberty.
Key learnings from Kelly's clinics:
Advanced liberty trick training with Kelly Wilson and Hannah Catalino
Vicki Wilson
Rehabilitation, Jumping & Horsemanship
In Vicki's world, there is no such thing as a problem or naughty horse, Just a horse that has a problem- painful symptoms that are the hidden cause of that unwanted behaviour.
Every horse needs to be treated like an athlete, both physically and mentally. We need to give them the tools for them to succeed in life. In these clinics, we will look at a couple of problems and sore horses and walk through issues in their body and how we would go about helping the horse going forward.
Key learnings to take away from Vicki's Clinics:
How to identify I have a sore horse and the road to recovery
Riding with feel & lightness
Amanda Wilson
Showjumping & Mindset
Amanda is one of New Zealand’s leading coaches and showjumpers, having competed to World Cup level. She has a passion for starting and producing young horses up the levels and has earned a reputation for her keen eye for a good horse and her gentle yet effective approach to developing horses for top-level competition.
Sharing her in-depth knowledge on the mechanisms of rider position, finding the correct balance in the horse, how to produce happy and sound horses, Amanda will help with rider confidence and more. For the last five years, Amanda has been studying human trauma, which she has tied strongly to her work with horses and largely influences how she trains today.
Key learnings to take away from Amanda's Clinics:
Learn practical, horse-first techniques to build trust, confidence, and relaxation in your horse.
Discover simple strategies to solve common behavioural challenges on the ground and under saddle.
Gain insight into the mental and physical stresses that affect your horse’s performance.
Take away tools you can apply immediately, whether you’re working with a young horse, a competition
Ian Shaw
Horsemanship
Ian has a degree in Agricultural Science, a Diploma in Education and has held lecturing positions in Tertiary institutions. Ian is a qualified Horse Safety Australia Instructor. In 2010, he developed a strong interest in the horse/human connection and began to explore the idea of horses as sentient being with feelings and emotions and it profoundly changed the way he looked at the way people worked with horses. His core belief is that a horse must feel safe in its environment before learning can begin and that a horse’s emotional state is reflected in its behaviour.
A chance meeting with a member of Project Hope Horse Welfare Victoria resulted in Ian being asked to work with some of their troubled horses and he now deliver clinics for the organisation across the state. Privately he works to upskill and educate those aspiring to have a connection and relationship with their horses through appropriate communication and teaching methodologies.
Key learnings from Ian's clinics:
Bridging Worlds: Embracing, Science, Empathy and Experience
It's more about Connection than Perfection
Lisa Earley
Horsemanship & Western Saddle Fit
From pony club kid to western saddle maker and horse trainer, Lisa’s journey has been driven by passion, necessity, and determination. Introduced to good horsemanship and western saddlery by her uncle, she soon carved her own path—riding with international clinicians and spending time in the USA, where she studied rawhide braiding, leatherwork, and the California bridle horse tradition while based at Martin Black’s ranch.
She went on to spend four summers apprenticing under Russell Higgins, further refining her skills in colt starting and horsemanship. These diverse experiences have shaped not only her craftsmanship but also her approach to training, blending tradition with a deep commitment to developing confident horses and capable riders.
Key learnings from Lisa's clinics:
Lisa will share how she uses her saddle horse to help prepare a young horse for its first ride
Lisa will help you identify the key elements involved in assessing how your western saddle fits
Want to turn right but drift left? Lisa will share exercises to help you & your horse move together
Linda Brown
Dressage & Rider Biomechanics
Linda is an accredited Ride with Your Mind (RWYM) and ESNZ Performance Coach. She has attended numerous Andrew and Manuela McLean clinics and strongly follows their methodology. Linda was a List 2 Dressage Judge and the Area Delegate to Dressage NZ for the Bay of Plenty area for 20 years. She has a sound understanding of dressage from the perspective of a rider, trainer, judge, and delegate.
Linda has an adult teaching diploma, a biomechanics coach accreditation from Mary Wanless UK, a certificate in e-learning design and facilitation with the Open Polytechnic, and a diploma in journalism. Linda's coaching is both ethical and compassionate. She teaches riders to adopt positions that enable their horses to move freely rather than restricting their movement. As a result, most riders see their horses becoming happier and experience an increase in movement by 10% to 15%.
Key learnings to take away from Linda's sessions:
Why balance matters and how it affects the way your horse moves and his mental wellbeing attitude
Helen Robartes
Equine Health
Helen has been passionate about horses her entire life. From the moment she could ride, she knew her future would involve helping horses thrive. That passion led her to a fulfilling career in Equine Physiotherapy, where her core purpose is to help horses live their best, most comfortable lives.
With years of hands-on experience, Helen supports both horse and rider by identifying areas of pain, restriction, or imbalance—often uncovering issues that may not be immediately visible but deeply affect performance and well-being. Ever wondered: Does your horse have a headache? How would you know—and more importantly—what can you do about it? Helen will walk you through surprising insights like these, arming you with tools to support your horse’s health beyond saddle time.
Key learnings to take away from Helen's sessions:
Does your horse have a headache? How would you know and what can you do about it?
Ellie Harrison
Horsemanship & Liberty
Ellie grew up in the UK with a love of horses inherited from her family and spent many many hours in the saddle. It was a move to New Zealand 17 years ago that began her horsemanship journey when she adopted a then fire-breathing red-headed Anglo-Arab and began to earn her trust and partnership. Today, Ellie has developed her own unique horsemanship style, combining many different approaches she has learnt from various instructors worldwide, with Liberty being her main passion.
Key learnings from Ellie's clinics:
Ellie will share her gentle approach to horsemanship with clinics focusing on Float Loading, Calming the Anxious Horse, and Liberty Outside of the Round Pen.
She will also showcase her Liberty skills in Saturday’s Festival of Fun Presented by NSC The English Saddle Company.
Russell Higgins
Horsemanship & Liberty
Russell and his partner Ruth own and run Brumby Farm Horsemanship Centre in Te Awamutu and offer online education to students worldwide. The connection Russell gains with his horses at Liberty is a by-product of his Foundation programme. Russell has been teaching horsemanship clinics and starting young horses professionally since 1999. To date, he has taught in 18 different countries and started young horses on four continents.
Key learnings from Russell's clinics:
Helping an anxious young horse: Russell is bringing his 3-year-old Lusitano, Riley, to Equifest for his first outing. He will share his preparations and perspective and how to help Riley cope.
Increasing your horse's safety rating: Russell will share with you things you can do to make him safer to handle on the ground and ride.
Foundation before Specialisation: What is Foundation, why is it important, and how does it help prepare you and your horse for specialisation?
Kirstin Kelly
Equestrian mindset coach for Dressage, Show-jumping and Eventing
After working through the pony club system, competing at champs and progressing to horse trials, Kirsten studied in the UK achieving her British Horse Society Intermediate Instructors certificate which enabled her to coach riders to fund her own three-day eventing dreams and lead to her having a long, successful career representing NewZealand and producing a string of fantastic advanced horses. Recently Kirstin has developed her coaching platform helping mentor riders from around the world. Kirstin’s workshops help riders find-tune the competition mind to be focused, confident, resilient and optimistic.
Key learnings from Kirstin’s clinics:
- The correct, balanced, and secure position ensuring you safety, effectiveness and fabulous looks
- Building a positive mindset to have faith in yourself
- How to structure schooling sessions that build your horses skills, athleticism and desire to give you 100%
Chloe Phillips - Harris
Horsemanship and eventing
Chloe Phillips-Harris has had the horse bug for as long as she can remember. These days, her career is long and diverse. She's competed at 4* eventing and produced horses to high levels in showjumping and dressage. Her understanding of horse behaviour and training has allowed her to train hundreds of wild horses, consistently get the best out of performance horses, and train some record-breaking minis.
She's also competed in the world's toughest horse race, led some of the most extreme expeditions on earth and completed 9000km in the saddle riding horses, yaks, camels and reindeer in Mongolia. Her training methods focus deeply on understanding horse behaviour and building foundations and partnerships to take you from base level to elite level riding and competing. She is all about creating happy horses and confident riders.
Key learnings to take away from Chloe’s sessions:
Learn how to understand your horses and gain skills to use at home and competition.
Learn how to be a great cross country ride with skills you can train at home.
Want to know what it takes to race the worlds toughest horse race or ride in some of the wild places
Glenn Campin
Barral Racing
Glenn has professionally trained horses and riders in New Zealand and the USA to National and World Championships for many years. His extensive background across all disciplines, e.g., show jumping, cross country, racing, cutting, reined cow horse, reining, and rodeo events, has built his unique system for barrel racing. The thrill of developing champion combinations in the excitement of barrel racing has evolved into his love of the sport.
Key learnings to take away from Glenn's sessions:
Come and see an exciting, fun equine activity. Demonstrating barrel racing techniques that produces champions.
Jody Hartstone
Equitation Science & Dressage
Jody equestrian journey began in Pony Club, where she says the determination often outweighed natural talent. That grit carried her all the way to international Grand Prix dressage, earning numerous national titles and international derby wins along the way. Today, Jody is recognised as one of the world’s leading practitioners of Equitation Science, specialising in applying learning theory to enhance training and solve behavioural challenges. Her work blends sport, science, and ethics, ensuring horses are not only successful in performance but also understood, respected, and willing partners.
Through her business, The Equine Catalyst, Jody offers a wide range of education opportunities. These include online courses, virtual lessons via Zoom, and clinics delivered both across New Zealand and internationally. Passionate about empowering riders with knowledge, Jody’s teaching combines her extensive dressage experience with her scientific expertise, making her clinics both practical and transformative.
Key learnings to take away from Jody's sessions:
Why the future of equestrian sport depends on more than skill in the saddle
Its true purpose, biomechanics, and how it can transform your horse’s way of going
What it is, how it works, and how to teach it—improving balance, communication, and performance
Kelly Keenan
Reining
Growing up on a ranch in Central California, Kelly got her start riding jumpers before switching to reining, where she soon fell in love with the athletic yet technical nature of showing reining horses. A background of learning gentle and empathetic methods with childhood mentor Kim Yancey laid a perfect foundation for her to later strive for excellence within the physical and mental bounds of the horse.
Having worked successfully for large training barns in the USA including NRHA Million Dollar Rider Jordan Larson, while she was employed mainly for coaching and guiding Non Professional riders, she accrued several regional Derby and Futurity Championships with limited opportunities to show.
Since she immigrated to New Zealand, Kelly has enjoyed forming relationships with horses and riders nationwide, helping them to reach higher levels of understanding and quality of maneuvers with their horses.
Key learnings to take away from Kelly's sessions:
Producing performance horses with traditional principles and modern horsemanship methods
Michelle Logan
Equine Veterinarian
Michelle grew up in a non-horsey family in England and Wales but always loved horses. She worked in mixed practice in Wales before moving to NZ in 2003 and worked as a vet in Gisborne and the East Coast. "I even bought my first horse from an East Coast auction," says Michelle. Following several opportunities to advance as an equine veterinarian, the result was further qualifications in equine surgery and medicine and finishing with becoming a Registered Specialist in Equine Medicine.
Michelle works remotely for the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ) and runs Logan Equine Horse First Aid Courses. Her course aims to give some confidence and knowledge to reduce panic in stressful situations to help provide the best outcome for the horse.
Key learnings to take away from Michelle's sessions:
Equine First Aid Essentials-what you need to know! An interactive overview of useful horse first aid.
Preparing for travel & keep your horse healthy on the road covers preparing horse & tips for travel.
Colic- What is it? How will I know if my horse has colic? What causes it? Can I prevent it?
Bex Tasker
Clicker Training
Bex was always horse-mad, growing up as a pony club kid, but it wasn’t until her early twenties that her path shifted. A chance encounter with a positive reinforcement dog trainer introduced her to clicker training. She was hooked. She dived into studying the science of learning and behaviour and spent a number of years training a drug detection dog for NZ Customs. Soon Bex returned to horses with this new positive reinforcement lens—and the results were profound. The way the horses became such eager, active participants in their own training process was deeply rewarding and proved it was the path she wanted to follow.
For more than twenty years Bex has specialised in positive reinforcement with horses of all types, from foals and wild Kaimanawas to sport and trail horses. As founder of Positively Together, she teaches around NZ and internationally, helping horses and humans build confident, connected, joyful partnerships and achieve amazing results through ethical, science-based training.
Key learnings to take away from Bex's Clinics
Anxious to Awesome: positive reinforcement for a confident, optimistic and trusting horse
See a demo by the current Horse Agility World Champion and find out why you should give it a go!
Understand WHY your horse does that problem behaviou, and how to fix it. No force, fear or coercion
Julie Malcolm
Rider Biomechanics & Dressage
Julie is a lifelong horsewoman, dressage coach, and judge with a passion for helping riders become the most ethical and effective partners they can be. She supports riders in overcoming fear, injury, imbalance, and asymmetry, with the goal of creating lighter, more harmonious connections with their horses. Her love of dressage was first sparked watching Reiner Klimke and Ahlerich at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but it was a serious riding accident in 1993—breaking her pelvis and back—that set her on the path to teaching and training at a deeper level. Determined to ride better and help others do the same, Julie has since built her coaching around a blend of Equitation Science, rider biomechanics, and classical dressage.
She has studied extensively with Andrew and Manuela McLean (Equitation Science International) and with Mary Wanless, aligning strongly with Mary’s “Ride With Your Mind” approach. Since 2018, she has trained regularly at the Valencia Classical Dressage Training Academy in Portugal under the Valença family. Julie is New Zealand’s only certified 3-Star Train Your Seat Embodied Rider Biomechanics Coach, as well as a Franklin Method Equestrian Trainer, using innovative techniques to transform how riders move, feel, and connect.
Lynley Schollum
Plaiting, Clipping & Turn Out
With 30 years of experience clipping and turning out horses to a high standard, the Clip Clop Shoppe's Lynley is passionate about making your horse or pony show-ready in all disciplines. Based in Hamilton, Lynley does mane and tail tidying and dying, plaiting - sewn or banded, sharks’ teeth and a range of quarter marks and show day makeup, along with the start of the season and end of winter makeovers. Lynley will share different plaiting techniques, turnout tips and advice for preparing a show-ready horse.
Key learnings to take away from Lynley's seminars:
Plaiting and turnout tips
Sarah Linton
Saddle Fitting
Sarah Linton has dedicated her career to helping horses feel and perform their best. As an Equine Body Worker and Independent Saddle Fitting Assessor, Sarah brings a wealth of experience, a holistic approach, and a deep understanding of the unique needs of both horses and riders.
Passionate about education, Sarah has presented seminars and clinics at some of the country's biggest equine events. Sarah looks at horses holistically, conducting independent saddle fitting assessments and a variety of bodywork techniques, including Equine Sports Massage, Stretching, Acupressure, Myofascial Release, & Light Therapy, etc, and assesses any behavioural issues, gait and training problems. Owners are always given homework exercises. Sarah works with all breeds & disciplines - from minis to racehorses, show jumpers to pleasure horses, and everything in between, catering to all levels of riders. She has trained with top instructors in their field from around the world.
Key learnings to take away from Sarah's sessions:
Signs of Soreness, Saddle Fitting, and Massage Moves
Lucy Scott
Heath and Behaviour
With a lifelong love for horses and a professional foundation in veterinary medicine, Lucy Scott brings a unique blend of science, empathy, and practical experience to the equine world. Growing up in the saddle, Lucy’s passion for animal wellbeing led her to become a veterinarian—and in 2021, she further specialised with postgraduate qualifications in Veterinary Behaviour. She’s now studying towards a Masters in Clinical Animal Behaviour, deepening her expertise in the emotional and psychological health of animals.
Lucy provides veterinary behaviour consultations to horse, dog, and cat owners across New Zealand, helping animals live happier, less stressful lives through evidence-based approaches that prioritise welfare.
Key learnings to take away from Lucy's clinics:
Spot subtle signs of pain using the 24 Behaviours of the Ridden Horse in Pain checklist.
Teach your horse to calmly accept vet handling using low-stress, positive training techniques.
Desensitise horse to things they fear, using science based, systematic techniques that build trust.
Use WE obstacles to build calm, focus, and trust with positive, evidence-based methods.
Dates & Location
17 - 19 October 2025
Fiber Fresh National Equestrian Centre, Taupō