Testimonials-
"Working with Katie for the past several years has been a fantastic experience. I find her instruction to be positive, compassionate and encouraging for both my horse and myself. I came to her as a frustrated rider with a tense horse who was seeking to move up the dressage levels. Since working with Katie, my horse and I have become a harmonious, confident team that works well together. Katie has greatly sharpened our basic dressage skills while providing superb guidance through upper level movements. She explains the biomechanics and practical functionality of an exercise to give students a solid base of instruction. My horse and I have made many great strides with Katie and the improvement is unmistakable! She has helped me become a more patient, capable rider and has coached me through many obstacles such as nervousness in the show ring and seat position/aids. Before I came to Katie, I was nervous that my horse and I were not going to make it past showing second level. Now, I am confident that we will make it to fourth level and hopefully beyond. I'm excited to continue working with her and see how far we can go!"
-Katie M.
-Katie M.
"Katie Straton has the patience of a saint, which for me is critical. I am not a naturally gifted rider and work hard to catch on to the complexities of dressage. Katie is always willing to review concepts with me until they click. Even tempered and positive, Katie teaches with the dual perspective of what is best for both the rider and the horse. Not only is she considerate of me and my strengths and limitations, she is the same toward my horse. The word harmony comes to mind when I think about my training with Katie! I am also continually impressed by Katie's insights about muscle structure both human and equine and which muscle we as riders need to use to effectively and correctly influence our horses."
-Mary Sue M.
-Mary Sue M.
"I have known Katie for about two years now and cannot say enough good things about her. The first thing I realized about her and really appreciate is that she loves ALL horses. She could easily have a big ego with all the well known and admired trainers she rides for and with, but Katie is as humble, personable, and down to earth as it gets. We can all have a bad day, but you would never know it with Katie...she is always in a good mood with a smile on her face and sincerely happy to be riding the horses. She does not take anything for granted and appreciates all opportunities to ride and teach.
I have a 5 year old Shire mare and Katie has done a great job training her. She is a lovely rider with a wonderful seat and she adjusts her training for each horse. She has brought my horse along slowly and properly, encouraging her to progress without pushing, which is hard to find in a trainer. A friend of mine, who is also a trainer, recently got on my horse and commented about what a lovely mouth she had and whomever had been training her was doing a wonderful job! I am very fortunate to have Katie working with my horse and even more pleased to now call her a friend. I would highly recommend her to anyone who wants to ride and/or compete in Dressage."
-Laura F.
I have a 5 year old Shire mare and Katie has done a great job training her. She is a lovely rider with a wonderful seat and she adjusts her training for each horse. She has brought my horse along slowly and properly, encouraging her to progress without pushing, which is hard to find in a trainer. A friend of mine, who is also a trainer, recently got on my horse and commented about what a lovely mouth she had and whomever had been training her was doing a wonderful job! I am very fortunate to have Katie working with my horse and even more pleased to now call her a friend. I would highly recommend her to anyone who wants to ride and/or compete in Dressage."
-Laura F.
"I purchased Grande Reflection, aka Lilly, from Katie in June, 2009. Katie graciously allowed a 2-week trial period so that my trainers could evaluate her suitability for me. As a late in life and timid rider, I needed a horse that could do the sport I wanted to do and yet be safe. Lilly has turned out to be everything Katie said and more. My trainers were somewhat skeptical that this powerhouse of a horse was a good match but soon realized she is perfect for me.
The overall experience was not only positive, but I felt Katie wanted to ensure that Lilly went to the right home as much as I wanted to get the right horse. As a result of getting the right horse, my riding has improved and my trainers are pleased with my progress. I highly recommend Katie as someone who both has integrity and cares a great deal about matching the right horse and rider."
-Cheryl B.
The overall experience was not only positive, but I felt Katie wanted to ensure that Lilly went to the right home as much as I wanted to get the right horse. As a result of getting the right horse, my riding has improved and my trainers are pleased with my progress. I highly recommend Katie as someone who both has integrity and cares a great deal about matching the right horse and rider."
-Cheryl B.
