I had the opportunity to have lessons with Ashleigh for 9 months and I had learnt so much in that short time. Ashleigh is a fantastic teacher who is very patient and encouraging. She is an effective communicator and has an incredible eye at picking up and correcting both the rider’s position and the horse’s way of going. She is able to come up with exercises that help the rider and horse to improve and explain/demonstrate them in simple terms that are easy to understand. She always knows how hard to push both the rider and horse in a quiet and gentle way so that every lesson is rewarding and a great experience. Ashleigh engages the riders mind teaching body awareness as well as tries to teach the feel of how things should feel like so that they develop the right muscle memory and are better prepared to handle similar situations on their own.

It was a pleasure to meet you! Again thanks for making my stay in Bali even more perfect, I left both your classes with a huge smile on my face. I learned from one class with you than I have learned during the last 10 years when it comes to how to use my body to impact the horse more correctly. Your eclectic, bio-mechanical, logical and visual approach proves to be much efficient and it was amazing to feel the difference on the horse’s reaction on even the slightest of changes in posture from my side. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to take part of your learning system including your very thorough, relaxed and positive approach.  I feel I got a new set of tools that I can use on any horse back, I wish many others to also get the same sense of revelation as I did.

Ashleigh taught me for 9 month in SA. And wow what a nine months it was. In fact I see it as a gestation period from which I emerged a new person. For 22 years I have been a dressage judge and I have instructed for 27 years. After lessons with Ashleigh nothing has been the same for me again. She has changed the way I ride, the way I think, the way I teach and judge. She has shown me the flip side of riding. And I can honestly say that she has shown me the meaning of true horsemanship. It was something I thought I knew but now realise how clueless I was. She is to me the way forward the shining light in the darkness, my hero. I want to thank her for my rebirth in the horse world and my pupils and competitors are benefitting every day from what Ashleigh in stilled in me. I am forever grateful to her!!!

Picking up a sport like horse-riding is a challenge for most people. As an adult learning to ride a horse, I found it particularly difficult because it’s just so scary. When I did my lessons with Ashleigh, I was but a beginner. But, with her patience and encouragement, I completed my sessions with her feeling – and riding – like a novice. Ashleigh employs empathy and quiet encouragement in her lessons, which are essential to giving riders the confidence they need to keep going. Equally important is the care she gives to the horses. I’m looking forward to more lessons with Ashleigh!