Our Founder

Mary Stitson BHSI SM, NLP Practitioner

For the last twenty years, Mary has taught riders of all ages and abilities both on Courses for Horses' schoolmasters and on their own horses. She is a BHSSM, BHSII, Classical Riding Club Approved Trainer and Judge, and NLP Practitioner.

Having suffered from losses of riding confidence at several points in her career, she understands the crippling effect doubts and fears can have.

"Everyone knows that confidence is the key to successful riding. If we are confident, we learn more easily, the horses trust us and we can overcome difficulties in a logical and progressive way. However, accidents and incidents can take their toll. Many of us carry baggage from past experiences and it can seem that the older we get the more nervous we become.

However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Experience brings skills and knowledge which can help us to make good decisions when faced with challenging situations. My job is not only to help riders leave negative past experiences behind them but also really understand themselves. So often they have been told that they have to do certain things in a certain way, but feel they can’t. As a result they believe that they are “bad riders”.

I help them to change that. Like a horsey version of Gok Wan, my job is to give riders back not only their confidence but their SELF confidence.

There’s nothing better than seeing someone become the rider they want to be. For some that’s being able to go to a competition, or hack out. For others it’s cantering or jumping and enjoying it. But for many it’s the knowledge that, while they may not be the next Carl Hester or John Whitaker, that they’re good ENOUGH."