As a junior rider she trained and competed under the tutelage of Benjamin Purifoy at Suburban Essex Riding Club in West Orange, N.J. She competed as a member of the Smith College riding team while attending as a psychology major. At age 18 her first position as a professional riding instructor was at the historic Claremont Riding Academy in New York City, and at age 22 she was sponsored to train w
ith U.S.E.T. coach Frank Chapot at his private facility in Neshanic Station, N.J. After being sidelined for three years from injuries sustained in a car accident, she resumed work in the horse industry by starting colts for a thoroughbred breeding and training facility in Petaluma, CA. She began her own hunter/jumper barn in Sonoma County in 1993, and has continued with her own training in jumping and dressage since that time. Many of Kate’s students have competed successfully in both the hunter/jumper and dressage arenas but her emphasis has always been to focus on the process of creating partnerships and on the importance of staying true to the principles and art of horsemanship. Kate is also a certified Reiki Master offering services to animals and their people. "Never let his fire die out, but kindle it with words, and make him feel the joy that is within you; let him know that you are honored to be carried along on his strong shoulders and back and on his swift feet ... All the grace and precision of the animal are within you, and you become part of the complex creature. . . .
