Equestrian Career
Yep... that's me! I am and always will be that horse girl. With over 15 years of experience in the horse industry, it's safe to say that my passion will never fade, even if it is no longer the focus of my career.
I began riding at the age of 13 after begging my parents for riding lessons. From that moment, I knew I wanted to become a horse trainer, so a horse trainer I became. In my junior years, I spent all of my free time at the barn working to help my family afford the competitions I so badly wanted to attend. I found success in my junior career, winning top eight at multiple regional medal finals. Fast forward to my college years, where I went to the Savannah College of Art and Design. There I competed with the multi-national champion title-winning team, participated in high-caliber internships, and got my bachelor's degree in equestrian studies.
After graduation, I immediately went to the Netherlands, where I was a working student. I rode, groomed, and attended many FEI and CSI*** competitions across the Netherlands and Belgium. I have never in my life worked as hard as I did there. For the first time, I experienced what it felt like to wake up with your feet still sore from the previous day. I would wake up at 4 AM so we could transport the horses to a competition. The competition was a full day of riding and grooming. When the day was done (around 5 PM) we would hop back in the truck to bring the horses home- often times getting back around 2 AM. The next morning would be a 7 AM start time to clean out the trailer and care for the horses. It was hard work and I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.
Once my visitor visa ran out, I came back home to find a job with Dicorti Bush Equestrian, a competition barn owned and ran by Nicole Dicorti-Bush. Nicole is a woman looked up to since I was a beginning rider when I first met her, so it felt like fate when I saw she was looking for an assistant. She hired me immediately and we quickly realized that our working style meshed perfectly. For four years I dedicated my time to helping manage a full barn for 25+ horses and their clients. I rode, taught lessons, and held the fort down while she was at shows. During my time at Dicorti Bush Equestrian, I was also invited to coach the Santa Clara Univerity Equestrian Team. I accepted the invitation and found much joy in helping college students continue their passion for horses while pursuing further education, just as I had done in my college years. Working at Dicorti Bush Equestrian was one of the most gratifying experiences and it was an extremely difficult position to leave.
I now enjoy riding and teaching in my free time and seeking any opportunities to be near horses when I can. I hope to one day have my own horses to ride and compete at my leisure.
Partnerships