About Our Clinicians
Olivia LaGoy-Weltz is a USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medalist. As of Aug 2018, #31 in the FEI World Dressage Rankings; US Equestrian Team Reserve Rider for the 2018 World Equestrian Games; 2018 US Nation's Cup Team Rider; Champion of multiple CDI 3*/5* Grand Prix and Grand Prix Specials at the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington FL in 2018; 2015 Small Tour Alternate for USA Pan Am Team, spent the summer of 2017 in Europe as part of the US Nations Cup Team competing in Rotterdam and Aachen, helping the team secure a second place finish.
Olivia grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and began riding when she was five years old. Her experience includes working for and riding at several of the top barns in Holland and Germany. She moved to Northern Virginia in 2013 and provides high quality, focused dressage training in the greater Washington, DC area, and, in winter, Wellington, Florida. Olivia provides a focused, professional, and horse-friendly approach to training which is available for all levels, ages and disciplines. She takes pride in producing horses that are not only top performers, but happy healthy athletes as well.
Olivia and Jen first met around 2008 or 09 at Sandy Howard's farm in California during a RWYM Teacher Training with Mary Wanless. In fact, that was the first time Jen met Mary. Olivia had the good fortune of getting to grow up within the RWYM system, so her methodology is based on the biomechanics principles taught by Mary. Livy has a similar enthusiasm, empathy for the horse, and teaching style to Jen's.
Accomplishments and Qualifications:
Olivia grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and began riding when she was five years old. Her experience includes working for and riding at several of the top barns in Holland and Germany. She moved to Northern Virginia in 2013 and provides high quality, focused dressage training in the greater Washington, DC area, and, in winter, Wellington, Florida. Olivia provides a focused, professional, and horse-friendly approach to training which is available for all levels, ages and disciplines. She takes pride in producing horses that are not only top performers, but happy healthy athletes as well.
Olivia and Jen first met around 2008 or 09 at Sandy Howard's farm in California during a RWYM Teacher Training with Mary Wanless. In fact, that was the first time Jen met Mary. Olivia had the good fortune of getting to grow up within the RWYM system, so her methodology is based on the biomechanics principles taught by Mary. Livy has a similar enthusiasm, empathy for the horse, and teaching style to Jen's.
Accomplishments and Qualifications:
- USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalist
- 2015 - Traveling Small Tour Alternate for USA Pan American Games Dressage Team
- 2015 - Palm beach Derby small tour CDI winner
- 2015- Member of the 2015 Gold medal winning Nation's Cup team in Wellington FL
- 2014 - USDF FEI Trainer's Symposium Demonstration Rider
- 2014 - Palm Beach Derby CDI, Wellington FL - Small Tour Winner
- 2014 - USEF National Championships Intermediare - 3rd Place
- 2012 - USDF Region 2 Open GP Champion, and Open I-2 Reserve Champion
- 2011 - USEF National Championships FEI Young Rider Grand Prix winner, Brentina Cup Reserve Champion
Kate Ballard, born in the UK, has always wanted to make saddles. Kate showed such aptitude for the trade and craft she was offered a place at the prestigious Cordwainers College in London.
There, she studied saddle making, bridle making, harness making, biomechanics of horse and rider, the muscular system and skeletal frame of the horse and finally lorinery, the study of bits for 3 years. Kate graduated with the highest honors, receiving the gold medal for best student.
Kate was then offered a four year formal apprenticeship with Geoff Dean, Master Saddler and Harness maker in West Sussex, England. Throughout her apprenticeship Kate continued to excel in her trade, winning the Society of Master Saddlers competition in London. She went on to make saddlery for Tina Gifford, who became Britain’s 3 Day Eventing Olympic medalist and was requested to make a bridle for the Kings Troop to be presented by Princess Anne at the Royal Tournament, Earls Court, London.
After 9 years of education, exams, training, assessments, dedication, persistence and sheer hard work Kate earned her status as a Master Saddler and Professional Saddle Fitter, her 11-year-old self’s dream come true.
Kate’s reputation, high standards, and professional ethics have made her a sought after commodity. In December of 2002 Kate moved to the United States. Bringing her wealth of knowledge and skill to a country sadly lacking in education for this unique trade, Kate has endeavored to teach and educate those in the equestrian industry.
Since, Kate has lectured on the SMS overseas Saddle Fitting Courses, taught apprentices, and most recently consulted for the U.S Paralympic Dressage team who won medals for the first time ever in an International Competition at The World Equestrian Games in 2018.
There are currently only three Master Saddlers in the United States with the additional license to saddle fit. Kate Ballard is one of them. At the age of 15, Kate began her Saddlery career with an industry appraisal from a Master Saddler near her home in Suffolk, England, and was accepted to Cordwainer’s Technical College in London. Over her 30 year career, Kate Ballard has worked with novice to world-class riders, including Olympians, and, her personal favorite, Para-Olympians.
Kate specializes in hard-to-fit horses and riders, including Para-riders and offers an industry-unique satisfaction guarantee on her work.
There, she studied saddle making, bridle making, harness making, biomechanics of horse and rider, the muscular system and skeletal frame of the horse and finally lorinery, the study of bits for 3 years. Kate graduated with the highest honors, receiving the gold medal for best student.
Kate was then offered a four year formal apprenticeship with Geoff Dean, Master Saddler and Harness maker in West Sussex, England. Throughout her apprenticeship Kate continued to excel in her trade, winning the Society of Master Saddlers competition in London. She went on to make saddlery for Tina Gifford, who became Britain’s 3 Day Eventing Olympic medalist and was requested to make a bridle for the Kings Troop to be presented by Princess Anne at the Royal Tournament, Earls Court, London.
After 9 years of education, exams, training, assessments, dedication, persistence and sheer hard work Kate earned her status as a Master Saddler and Professional Saddle Fitter, her 11-year-old self’s dream come true.
Kate’s reputation, high standards, and professional ethics have made her a sought after commodity. In December of 2002 Kate moved to the United States. Bringing her wealth of knowledge and skill to a country sadly lacking in education for this unique trade, Kate has endeavored to teach and educate those in the equestrian industry.
Since, Kate has lectured on the SMS overseas Saddle Fitting Courses, taught apprentices, and most recently consulted for the U.S Paralympic Dressage team who won medals for the first time ever in an International Competition at The World Equestrian Games in 2018.
There are currently only three Master Saddlers in the United States with the additional license to saddle fit. Kate Ballard is one of them. At the age of 15, Kate began her Saddlery career with an industry appraisal from a Master Saddler near her home in Suffolk, England, and was accepted to Cordwainer’s Technical College in London. Over her 30 year career, Kate Ballard has worked with novice to world-class riders, including Olympians, and, her personal favorite, Para-Olympians.
Kate specializes in hard-to-fit horses and riders, including Para-riders and offers an industry-unique satisfaction guarantee on her work.
Our rider biomechanics expert, Mary Wanless (www.mary-wanless.com) is an internationally renowned coach, and is the author of the 'Ride With Your Mind' books, which have been translated into many languages. She has also authored eight DVDs. She coaches riders at all levels, from relative novices to two of the top twelve US dressage riders, and some of the Canadian eventing squad. She has B.Sc. degrees in both Physics and Applied Sports Coaching, and holds the BHSI certificate.
Thirty years ago, when Mary was frustrated with her limited progress as a pupil, she set out to discover how talented riders do what they do. Her guiding question was 'What is presupposed by a trainer when she makes a specific statement to a pupil?' So when a rider is told, for instance, to 'Get the horse on the bit?' , what is the trainer presupposing? That the rider already has these skills (but somehow forgot, or just didn't bother to impliment them?!) Or that she ought to be able to do it because it's easy?
Mary's knowledge has evolved from the early years of this project, which were spent 'unpacking' the skills that are really needed to 'get the horse on the bit'. The intervening years have been the most phenomenal learning journey, spent developing her own riding skills, learning from some of the world's best riders, and honing her coaching skills by learning about learning. She has also invested many hours in writing books, doing lecture-demonstrations, and training other coaches.
Science has now proved what Mary instinctively knew all those years ago - that the world's best riders may have implicit knowledge or 'know-how', but they cannot put this knowledge into words. This is because physical skills and verbal descriptions come from different parts of the brain. The resulting dislocation between expertise and explanation makes it hard for skilled riders to 'clone' themselves - indeed, what they do and what they say they do can be poles apart. But Mary has discovered that their skills have an underlying structure, and knowing this explicitly enables her to communicate it to others. She clarifies the ‘how’ of riding, making its biomechanics explicit and learnable whilst avoiding the ‘oughts’ and ‘shoulds’ that stifle learning.
Mary rode with the late Nuno Oliveira, the late Egon Von Neindorff and Hans Heinrich Meyer-Zu-Strohen.
Her coaching career in the US began in 1991 with an invitation to speak at the California Dressage Society annual meeting. She has also spoken at the US Dressage Federation's Annual Convention. (Most of this information is from www.mary-wanless.com)
Learning Ride With Your Mind techniques changed Jen's riding and teaching forever.
Thirty years ago, when Mary was frustrated with her limited progress as a pupil, she set out to discover how talented riders do what they do. Her guiding question was 'What is presupposed by a trainer when she makes a specific statement to a pupil?' So when a rider is told, for instance, to 'Get the horse on the bit?' , what is the trainer presupposing? That the rider already has these skills (but somehow forgot, or just didn't bother to impliment them?!) Or that she ought to be able to do it because it's easy?
Mary's knowledge has evolved from the early years of this project, which were spent 'unpacking' the skills that are really needed to 'get the horse on the bit'. The intervening years have been the most phenomenal learning journey, spent developing her own riding skills, learning from some of the world's best riders, and honing her coaching skills by learning about learning. She has also invested many hours in writing books, doing lecture-demonstrations, and training other coaches.
Science has now proved what Mary instinctively knew all those years ago - that the world's best riders may have implicit knowledge or 'know-how', but they cannot put this knowledge into words. This is because physical skills and verbal descriptions come from different parts of the brain. The resulting dislocation between expertise and explanation makes it hard for skilled riders to 'clone' themselves - indeed, what they do and what they say they do can be poles apart. But Mary has discovered that their skills have an underlying structure, and knowing this explicitly enables her to communicate it to others. She clarifies the ‘how’ of riding, making its biomechanics explicit and learnable whilst avoiding the ‘oughts’ and ‘shoulds’ that stifle learning.
Mary rode with the late Nuno Oliveira, the late Egon Von Neindorff and Hans Heinrich Meyer-Zu-Strohen.
Her coaching career in the US began in 1991 with an invitation to speak at the California Dressage Society annual meeting. She has also spoken at the US Dressage Federation's Annual Convention. (Most of this information is from www.mary-wanless.com)
Learning Ride With Your Mind techniques changed Jen's riding and teaching forever.
Our horse biomechanics expert, Gerd Heuschmann, DVM, trained as a Bereiter (master rider) in Germany before qualifying for veterinary study at Munich University. There he specialized in equine orthopedics for two years before accepting a post as the head of the breeding department at the German Equestrian Federation, which he eventually left to start his own practice in Warendorf. He has been an active member of the “hyperflexion” (previously referred to as Rollkur) debate, weighing in at the 2005 USDF National Symposium and the 2006 FEI Veterinary and Dressage Committees’ Workshop. His arguments have been featured in many magazines, including Dressage Today and Horse and Hound. Along with Klaus Balkenhol and other prominent figures in the dressage community, Dr. Heuschmann is a founding member of “Xenophon,” an organization dedicated to “fighting hard against serious mistakes in equestrian sport”. [From “Tug of War…”.]
He is the author of the following books and DVD which are the basis for his lectures:
Collection or Contortion?: Exposing the Misconceptions and Exploring the Truths of Horse Positioning and Bend, Trafalgar Square Books (February 14, 2017) 112 pages.
Tug of War: Classical Versus “Modern” Dressage: Why Classical Training Works and How Incorrect Riding Negatively Affects Horses’ Health, Trafalgar Square Books (September 2007) 143 pages.
Balancing Act: The Horse in Sport—An Irreconcilable Conflict? (book) Trafalgar Square Books (July 2012) 256 pages.
If Horses Could Speak, 60 minute DVD with unique 3-D animation which clearly demonstrates the principals in the book.
He also provides margin notes and commentary in the book:
Classical Schooling with the Horse in Mind: Gentle Gymnastic Training Techniques, Trafalgar Square Books (October 2007) 192 pages.
(Most of this text is quoted from Trafalgar Square, HorseandRiderbooks.com)
He is the author of the following books and DVD which are the basis for his lectures:
Collection or Contortion?: Exposing the Misconceptions and Exploring the Truths of Horse Positioning and Bend, Trafalgar Square Books (February 14, 2017) 112 pages.
Tug of War: Classical Versus “Modern” Dressage: Why Classical Training Works and How Incorrect Riding Negatively Affects Horses’ Health, Trafalgar Square Books (September 2007) 143 pages.
Balancing Act: The Horse in Sport—An Irreconcilable Conflict? (book) Trafalgar Square Books (July 2012) 256 pages.
If Horses Could Speak, 60 minute DVD with unique 3-D animation which clearly demonstrates the principals in the book.
He also provides margin notes and commentary in the book:
Classical Schooling with the Horse in Mind: Gentle Gymnastic Training Techniques, Trafalgar Square Books (October 2007) 192 pages.
(Most of this text is quoted from Trafalgar Square, HorseandRiderbooks.com)
Our bit-fitting expert and native of Sydney, Australia, Kim Gentry (www.kimgentrydressage.com) is an international Grand Prix dressage rider. In 2015 Kim and her horse, Leonardo, were named to the Australian Equestrian Team High Performance Squad for the Olympics and WEG for 2015-2020. The pair represented Australia in the CDIO3* Nations Cup in 2015 and 2016. They were Shadow Team members for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Kim has owned and trained Leonardo since he was a just-backed 3 year old.
Kim is a USDF Certified Instructor through Fourth Level, a graduate with Distinction from the USDF “L” Program for Judge Training and a CLS 5* rated trainer. Kim has earned her USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals on self trained horses and has a diverse riding background in eventing, show jumping and dressage. She even held an amateur flat and steeplechase racing license. Kim holds a Bachelor degree and an MBA. Her background prior to becoming a professional rider and trainer was in Brand Management and Marketing at an executive level at Kraft, Nabisco and International Paper. In 2017, Kim started a bit consultation business which has become extremely popular. Her clinics are in demand all across the US and across several disciplines.
In 2007, she was awarded the Major Andres Lindgren Scholarship from the Dressage Foundation which enabled her to travel to Germany with her horse to train in 2008 and 2009.
Kim runs a training and teaching business in the Memphis, Tennessee area and spends the winter training and competing on the international circuit in Wellington, Florida.
Kim is a USDF Certified Instructor through Fourth Level, a graduate with Distinction from the USDF “L” Program for Judge Training and a CLS 5* rated trainer. Kim has earned her USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals on self trained horses and has a diverse riding background in eventing, show jumping and dressage. She even held an amateur flat and steeplechase racing license. Kim holds a Bachelor degree and an MBA. Her background prior to becoming a professional rider and trainer was in Brand Management and Marketing at an executive level at Kraft, Nabisco and International Paper. In 2017, Kim started a bit consultation business which has become extremely popular. Her clinics are in demand all across the US and across several disciplines.
In 2007, she was awarded the Major Andres Lindgren Scholarship from the Dressage Foundation which enabled her to travel to Germany with her horse to train in 2008 and 2009.
Kim runs a training and teaching business in the Memphis, Tennessee area and spends the winter training and competing on the international circuit in Wellington, Florida.
