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I’m a professional rider and trainer, and have a full-service program in Rancho Santa Fe, California focusing primarily on creating confident, happy, successful horse and rider pairs in the hunter, jumper, and equitation rings.

I work primarily with amateur riders, and always find that confidence is the biggest pain point. As a trainer, I want to give my clients the best possible chance of success, which is why I’m a supporter of Masterclass and the resource it provides. Many of my clients have full-time jobs, families, and other life obligations, and these courses give them a way to continue learning and improving even when they can’t make it to the barn.

I love the mental skills course on confidence for all of my riders, and having worked alongside Archie Cox for many years under Karen Healey, I know and trust his teaching methods and his understanding of the amateur rider, so I was thrilled to see him as an instructor.

I appreciate the care that was put into choosing instructors that are tuned into the amateur rider and trustworthy enough for me to feel comfortable with what my clients are learning. I also appreciate that the courses are easy for clients to use alongside my program and actually complement my training style. Thanks for caring about the trainers who are dedicated to their students’ and horses’ success and well-being!

- Jasmin Stair, Owner/Trainer Jasmin Stair Stables

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I decided to purchase my Masterclass membership before my very first eventing show in Copper Meadows, CA. Two weeks before the show I was so stressed, my riding skills suddenly declined and I could not even remember simple jumping course my trainer gave me.

I saw Anne Paterakis’ Masterclass and decided to test her methods - they worked wonders. I also used many of Anne Kursinki’s and Ian Millar’s suggestions on how to work with my horse under stress.

As a result, I had a fabulous first show, was calm and placed 6th. I would not be able to be so relaxed during the show without the Masterclasses. I work every day with my workbooks and listen to masterclasses every time I drive in the car. Both I and my trainer have seen a great improvement in my skills while jumping and dressage training and mental abilities to cope with stress. 

As far as my horse goes, he is a great, super affectionate and intelligent TB gelding, always eager to work hard. I absolutely love working with him and riding him.

- Agnieszka

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This is my stallion, Ty (Baloubet x Guidam x Ramiro). I mostly break and start young horses. The masterclasses have really helped refresh “where to go” after getting them under saddle. It’s easy to get into a rut starting baby horses. Tack up, walk, trot, canter.

The masterclass gives me not only exercises to work on for my own good, but in helping better equip the young horses for what they’ll be asked to do in their careers. I could head out and have a plan of what to do with them, what to work on. Lunging with the 2 year olds, better leg response and contact with the 3 year olds, and better distances and cleaner transitions with the 4 and ups. I was also reminded of the importance of my own fitness, which isn’t easy with two young children!

Everyone wants to come out of the ring “winning”, whether a Grand Prix win or just getting your two year old to lunge on a circle. As for me, the masterclasses have helped me retain that feeling as I can go out and teach my horses better, more clearly and with a renewed confidence in where I am headed with their training.

- Lizette

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I’m so happy I found Masterclass. I have a great trainer, but I’m always looking to learn more, and these classes have been exactly what I need! I’ve had some problems with confidence and a habit of slowing to a stop at the first jump in a course when I’m showing. Having my trainer and Masterclass is the perfect combination! I’m feeling so much more relaxed and ready to rock my jumper classes!

- Anasofia

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While I work regularly with my trainer, working through the Masterclass videos and workbooks has given me new ideas and inspiration to help my horse be the best he can be. The teachers have all explained things at a level where I sit back and think "wow, he/she is right, that totally makes sense" and it was such basic knowledge that we sometimes don't stop to remember in the daily push of training and competing.

When watching Annette's classes I didn't feel that I needed a lot of the confidence building as my horse and I were working as a team, until yesterday, when the course was quite tough and there were a lot of crashes, including us. It was the first time where both he and I got a little shaken up and I realized I needed to go back and revisit some of her tips so I can help us get back to where we have been. That's what I like so much about the Masterclass series - it's all topics, all disciplines, but yet every rider can take something away from them. Maybe not right at that moment, but at some point, there is going to be that scenario where you realize you need and can apply something you learned!

- Roberta

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I’m a true adult amateur hunter rider, I work full time as a nurse but my true passion has always been horses, I’m out at the barn almost every day. This is my horse Checklist, a 5 year old Oldenburg/ Holsteiner gelding by checkmate. He has a ton of personality but training him with my coaches help has been so rewarding, and he loves to jump!

I love masterclass, my absolute favourite so far has been Archie Cox, especially as a hunter rider. I love his approaches to each exercise, focusing on improvement, and knowing when to stop once you see improvement, and I love his viewpoints as a hunter rider, judge, and trainer. And I love the fact that he used a young horse in his videos instead of a seasoned hunter.

- Jessica

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My name is Mollie and I am a 15 year old British show jumper. I live in Oman with my horse La Paloma. We have just got back to the Sultanate of Oman after 2 months training in Holland. We are jumping 1.20 and last season we won together, the female rider award, junior rider award and won both our classes in the championships.

I have used the Masterclass with Anne Kursinski to improve my communication between my horse and I. I feel that I now have a better understanding of what she understands from my aids and build my riding around that. I have used the masterclass with Annette Paterakis to help me excell under pressure by becoming more confident. Ian Miller has helped me with basic groundwork and lunging of my horse so that we have a good mutal understanding and respect for each other. I am very excited to watch the new Masterclass with Archie Fox specifically to improve my striding. 

- Mollie

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Cool Boy, my 7 year old, and I have a very great relationship. We work in harmony to achieve our best results. Thanks to the Masterclasses we were able to always do our best at every show. I use Annette Paterakis’ course to prepare for upcoming competitions, I’m implementing the things I learned with my 7 year old. The website is super easy to use and the courses are very simple to follow. Thank you so much!

- Caterina

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I came to riding late in life, on a dare from a young granddaughter. Turned out I loved it. Started with Western, but I wanted to jump so moved to English. So, about three years riding time. I’ve been riding different lesson horses over the past three years, this is me with Charu, my favorite, and a very affectionate mare, smarter than me too. I have particularly enjoyed Ian’s and Archie’s Masterclasses. They have helped improve my awareness of the horse as well as the arena, and reinforced the basics in a new and helpful way.

- Kenneth

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I built a lot of confidence with my 6 year old Gypsy Vanner, Baggins, as a foxhunter, but show jumping is a new thing for both of us! My current trainer is amazing and has taught us so much, and we’ve been having the best time learning new things over the past two years since we relocated to Southern California.

As a commercial real estate broker, I have a super busy schedule, so I can usually only get to the barn once or twice a week. I’ve been loving having Masterclasses to watch in the evenings on days I can’t ride so I can keep learning more and going deeper on the topics my trainer is already teaching me in lessons. We might not be the world’s next show jumping stars, but the more we learn the more fun we have, and that’s why I love to ride!

- Allison

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I have been riding since I was 8, did the a-circuit  jr amateur jumpers in Ontario from 13-18 and then started again about 6 years ago.  I just bought my latest horse last April from the Czech Republic. His name is Diablue or Blue for short.  He is 5 year old gelding out of Diarado x Chacco Blue.

We did a few 0.90-1m shows this summer and I look forward to continuing to move up the ranks over the next few years. 

Our time together has been challenging due to some circumstantial and physical set backs. Blue spent three months in quarantine last summer and then this summer he began bucking me off more times then I was comfortable with.  Turns out he was in a lot of pain which we have now figured out and are bringing him back slowly.

Going through all of this and having the Masterclasses to learn from has been a huge help and support. One of the biggest takeaways I got from Ian Miller’s Masterclass was using a rope halter to lunge with.  Along with being clear with my directions, the rope halter allows me to have control without pressure on his mouth. Anne Kursinski reinforced how important it is to listen to our horses and I loved her jumping exercises. I am a huge fan of sport psychology and I am a positive psychology practitioner so I also enjoyed Annette Paterakis Masterclass.   She shared many great tools to keep us focused and calm in order to perform our best.

Ian and Anne emphasized how horses are our partners and it is up to us to communicate with them clearly and fairly. Because of all of our struggles, I know our partnership will be stronger in the long run. I can’t wait to see what we can do!!

- Samantha

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So I am an amateur rider, which means that Chloe and I are learning together, which is awesome. I rescued her from the kill pen in January (she was a former buggy horse for the Amish) and we are now doing dressage!

Because she is so large when she gets moving in her trot (she is quite light on her feet for a Percheron!) I was having some anxiety and balance issues. What I love about the master class, is that it is helping me with my seat, as well as confidence and continued bonding with my horse.

It's also online, and I can log in at any time and listen to all of the amazing experienced riders give their advice and pearls of wisdom. Each person featured explains things a little bit differently and has a different history, so it's always interesting to hear what they have to say and apply it to my riding experience. We are all on our own journey, and I am constantly learning! I look forward to more Masterclasses.

- Sylvia