Horse: Chamfron Chipita, 2009 Appaloosa mare 

Type of service: Full training livery, April 2018 - July 2020

​

Moving Chip to Sara's yard - a decision I originally made on purely geographical grounds (her previous trainer moved too far aware for weekday riding to be feasible around my work hours) - has turned out to be one of the best horse-related decisions I ever made. 

​

In the past 15 months Sara has transformed both my mare and myself, helping Chip develop physically and mentally into a dressage partner for me, and helping me develop into a dressage partner for Chip! 

​

Sara's attention to detail on both horse and client care and training is second to none. As a working horse owner who cannot get to the yard daily, I feel totally secure that Chip is beautifully looked after in my absence, and I greatly value Sara's ethos that she is building the partnership of Chip and I, not just training the horse. I value the constant monitoring of horse behaviour - even being turned in and out is extra groundwork training - and when Chip became somewhat over-attached to her field mate, rather than hoping the separation anxiety would sort itself out, Sara devised a plan with me to help Chip "develop her tools" for working solo. 

 

When I first took Chip to Sara's, I had avoided riding her as (in eventing mode, which she'd been doing with our previous trainer) I found her quite intimidating and uncomfortable to ride. Less than 4 months later I rode her myself at the Anglesey show (pictured)  

​

Sara's nurturing "whole partnership" style might not suit a rider wanting to take the lead in producing their own horse, but for me - sometimes less than confident  and always time-pressured - I could not be happier.   

​

Dr Linda Dykes, July 2019

​

Chip & Linda moved to Herefordshire in July 2020

 

 

​

​

​

​