A lifelong equestrian, I have loved horses for as long as I can remember. My background is primarily with performance horses specifically hunter/jumpers but no matter the job, correct balance and biomechanics are important to minimize injuries. Initially I considered pursuing a career in the veterinary industry, but realized I wasn’t good enough at math and ended up at art school.
I hold a BFA in Advertising Design from The Savannah College of Art and Design. After nearly ten years in the industry as a Designer and Art Director I went freelance in 2018 and to this day if I’m not under a horse I’m at my computer working on logos, websites, photography, video editing, animation, and other creative endeavors.
In addition to hoof care, nutrition, and design work, I am the barn manager for a private hunter/jumper farm in Dripping Springs, TX.
Hi, I’m Amber
My pet horse dog, Bali
NRC EQUINE NUTRITION COURSE COMPLETION
NRC Plus - Spring 2021
Nutrition For the Performance Horse - Summer 2022
Losing my first horse Wyatt to a second impaction and torsion just 42 days post colic surgery catapulted me to a new reality and I had to learn why it happened and how to minimize colic risks. This lead me to studying the NRC (National Research Council) guidelines as clarified and taught by Dr. Eleanor Kellon, VMD and taking her online courses.
I had begun exploring Positive Reinforcement and Consent Based training with Wyatt during his rehab. I lost him fall 2019 and decided I was either going to find a young horse and start it with R+ or I was getting out of horses all together. Fast forward to spring 2020: covid happens.
When normal people were baking sourdough, I decided to buy a 2 year old sight unseen. Since May 2020, I have exclusively trained my horse Bali with R+ (Positive Reinforcement) using tools learned from The Willing Equine’s extensive programs.
I first explored hoof care as a means to train my horse for the farrier. After a few months of trims from other local professionals I decided to further invest in my education and take over his hoof care fully. Initially I was a Patreon member of several different barefoot specialists but ultimately ended up enrolling in Daisy Bicking’s Foundation Course due to her mastery of pathological issues and more detailed explorations of anatomy and biomechanics.
I have also thoroughly explored and studied the work of the following respected researchers and leading modern industry professionals:
I believe there is no limit to education and there is always more to learn.
I do not believe I have all the answers, and listening to owners is vital for success with their horse.
The horse is always right and they will tell us what feels best if we will simply watch and listen.
It is important to me that owners feel heard and supported, if I do not have the tools to help their horse feel their very best, I will help find someone who does.