Monty Roberts Certified Instructors – United Kingdom2023-07-12T18:54:17-07:00

Monty Roberts Certified Instructors

United Kingdom

“My greatest accomplishment was learning to be gentle; without that I feel I would have achieved nothing.” ~ Monty Roberts

KELLY MARKS
KELLY MARKS
Kelly Marks met Monty Roberts in 1992 and wrote the syllabus for the first ever Monty Roberts courses which started at West Oxfordshire College, Witney in 1995. Since that time she has taught many students who have gone on to successfully work with horses using Monty’s methods.

Kelly’s life has been filled with horses. She won BSJA Championships (show jumping) as a child rider and had great success as a Lady Jockey winning the Ladies European Championship in 1995. She made a competition comeback in 2009 when winning the Royal Windsor Pro/Am TREC championship on her horse, American Pie.

Kelly is the founder of ‘Intelligent Horsemanship’ which organises Monty’s demonstrations in the UK and runs her courses from Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Kelly gives demonstrations sharing Join-Up® methods to help ‘horses with problems’, travelling within the UK, also South Africa, Singapore, Scandinavia and Europe.

As well as appearing in numerous television shows, documentaries and magazines, Kelly is the author of several books including Perfect Manners, Perfect Partners and Perfect Confidence.

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IAN VANDENBERGHE
IAN VANDENBERGHE
Ian Vandeberghe received his Monty Roberts Instructor Certification in 2001. He is certified as a Master Instructor. He is from Oxon, England and is currently working alongside instructor Kelly Marks.

A former College Equine Lecturer and Stud Manager, Ian has over 22 years experience of stud work including foaling over 600 mares. He is often called in to deal with dystocia and young foal problems. He is successful at cardiac and respiratory resuscitation in the neonate and has had a 100% success rate with 18 foal adoptions on foster mares.

A kind and natural horseman, Ian has worked with Monty Roberts and is an expert in the correct and humane way of handling young foals as well as specialized horse care.

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MICHELLE CURE
MICHELLE CURE
A background, growing up in England, of horsing around from an early age led to the belief that there was a ‘better way’ and eventually she found it – studying under Kelly Marks and Ian Vandenberghe before working with Maya Horsey. Michelle traveled to and from the USA until late 2005 when she moved to help run the Monty Roberts International Learning Center. Now back in England, and with a passion for improving horse welfare worldwide, Michelle dedicates herself to passing on Monty’s message in the education of other students. Michelle has been a Monty Roberts Certified Instructor since 2005.
CARON WHALEY
CARON WHALEY
Caron started riding at 4 years of age but at 19 left her beloved horses to pursue an academic career, giving her exceptional credentials of a BEng Hons Civil Engineering and two MSc Degrees in Project Management and Organisational Psychology.

Caron spent almost 2 decades working in UK, Asia, Australia and the Middle East, initially as a corporate professional and more recently as an equine behaviourist and equine assisted personal development specialist. After 7 years in the Middle East (Dubai) working with remedial Thoroughbreds, Arabians and Warmbloods she has just relocated to the heart of Somerset in the UK.

She looks forward to sharing Monty’s philosophy in both Somerset and the Middle East where she will be travelling to during the winter seasons. She also plans to continue her work in the equine assisted personal development arena, a topic that Monty is passionate about and has helped to pioneer in the last few years. Caron has been a Monty Roberts Certified Instructor since 2007.

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KIRSTY JENKINS
KIRSTY JENKINS
Kirsty Jenkins grew up in Scotland riding misunderstood riding school ponies, studied equine science at college, and worked in the TB industry in Ireland before becoming an Instructor in 2007. She then spent ten years in California. During that time she taught in the Monty Roberts International Learning Center for three years and later returned to Flag Is Up Farms and spent two years training horses. This involved solving a variety of problems, on the ground and ridden. The rest of her time in California was spent starting Thoroughbreds for the track and Quarter Horses for Reined Cow Horse.

She recently spent a year in various African countries, learning about wildlife and conservation, and running horsemanship clinics including the first Monty Roberts Introductory courses on that continent. Her time in Africa deepened her desire to learn more about animal behaviour, and she will commence a Masters degree in that topic in September. Based in Edinburgh, she can offer individual sessions to help you with your horse, or group events/clinics at your facility.

JO BIRKBECK
JO BIRKBECK
Jo’s lifelong love of horses has taken her across continents, learning from and teaching a huge variety of horses and riders. From Shetlands to Shires, beginners to competitors, she enjoys working with them all. Her firm but fair, non-violent approach creates a relationship of mutual trust and respect. Jo offers an extensive equestrian service which is applicable for all stages of interaction throughout the life of the horse.

She is a BHS Intermediate Instructor, Monty Roberts Certified Instructor, and Pony Club Instructor C examiner. Jo found Monty’s methods eye opening and fascinating, gaining a real insight into the workings of the horses brain and learning styles. She received her Monty Roberts Certification in 2010. She is currently studying under the experienced eye of Sylvia Loch; dressage expert, founder of the Classical Riding Club.

Jo is based between Kendal and Lancaster and will travel to areas within Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire.

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LAIRA GOLD
LAIRA GOLD
Based in the Midlands, UK, Laira runs the 10-day Introductory Course of Monty Roberts Horsemanship for small groups and individuals. These courses take place at her purpose built facilities from her home in Northamptonshire, where a range of different horses are provided to work with, while also allowing participants to bring their own horse if they choose.

Since qualifying as a Certified Monty Roberts Instructor in 2010, she has taught Monty’s methods to students from all over the world, and loves seeing the impact that his teachings have on their horses and their own lives. As a Neuro Linguistic Programming Master Practitioner, Laira brings together her love of horses and her interest in Psychology, offering a high quality coaching context to each of the courses she runs.

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JOANNE BOND
JOANNE BOND
Jo has been around horses and ridden for pleasure all of her life. At Oxford University she rode for the squad doing combined dressage and show jumping competitions. Jo pursued a career in Finance in London for 10 years before moving to South West France. She then brought a 3yo grey Arab Stallion who proved to be quite a handful, so she enrolled in some Monty Roberts courses in the UK.

These techniques completely transformed the relationship she had with her horse allowing her to compete Internationally in Endurance with him – so she became determined to undertake all the training to become an Instructor. Jo became an Instructor in early 2010. Jo has now returned to the UK and her main focus is running a Highland pony stud bringing up the youngsters using Monty’s techniques.

Jo is available for one to one sessions and to run the Join-Up®, Long Lining and the Monty Roberts Introductory Course of Horsemanship at your facilities.

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BARRY THOMAS
BARRY THOMASWales
From an early age Barry has had a passion for horses. From 2007 – 2010 he spent his time working with the Monty Roberts and his certified instructors in California. Barry has built up his own business training horses, gaining himself an exceptional reputation, working with a huge range of equines from successful race horses to starting HOYS qualifying show horses and everything in between. Barry gained his Certified Instructor status in 2010, and offers many different courses and services to aid people in understanding their horses. He hopes, through ‘The Language of Equus’ and its gentle training methods, to help humans and horses benefit from a mutual understanding.
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LUCY SIMPSON
LUCY SIMPSONScotland
Lucy’s love for horses began at a very early age, she started riding and competing in show jumping at 4 years old and is still very successful. Upon leaving school Lucy has worked in the equine industry as an international groom and as a rider for many different show jumping yards including two Olympic riders. At the age of eighteen she completed her BHS apprenticeship at the Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies. Lucy developed a passion and aptitude for dressage through her mentor Sylvia Loch .Lucy has recently set up Ladykirk Stables as an Artificial Insemination Centre, becoming qualified in 2016 to perform this procedure. Lucy began her training with Monty Roberts in 2007 after receiving a scholarship from the legendary show jumper John Whitaker.

In 2010 Lucy completed her internship at Flag Is Up Farms, where she was teaching and riding and gained her instructors certificate. She then returned back to Scotland and now runs courses in Monty’s concepts. Lucy specialises in competing/backing and training of show jumping and dressage horses out of Ladykirk House Stables.

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CHRIS MORRIS
CHRIS MORRIS
Chris has always had a lifelong passion and fascination with the animal world, after studying animal biology and physiology at university his interest in the Monty Roberts methods grew because it provided answers to questions of why horses behave the way they do, which “professional trainers” he had come across growing up had been unable to answer.

Rekindling his passion for horses which he’d had since childhood, he worked with several Monty Roberts Instructors across the globe to gain as much experience as he could whilst completing the Introductory and Advance certificates. This culminated in Monty inviting him to undertake the instructors internship at Flag Is Up Farms.

He became a certified instructor in September 2012 and is now back in the UK and will be running courses in Monty’s concepts including Join-Up® and Long Lining clinics, Horsemanship 101 and the Introductory course.

He is also a member of the Monty Roberts Instructor Committee. Chris provides individual training sessions for horses at their owners yards in and around the Sussex / Kent areas.

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ANNA THOMAS
ANNA THOMAS
In 2012, Anna became the youngest Monty Robert’s Certified Instructor. Born with a passion for horses, she started riding and helping at her local stable at the age of five. She was first introduced to Monty’s methods by Head Instructor and Master Instructor, Maya Horsey, who she would help after school from the age of eight.

For many years she worked with her, in addition to working at racing yards, where she ended up buying her own racehorse. At 17, Anna went out to America to assist with Monty’s Special Training Clinic. It was there she decided she wanted to become an Instructor and embarked upon the journey after finishing school.

Anna has worked worldwide in promoting Monty’s training methods of improving the treatment of horses. In 2013, Anna spent one and a half years at a Thoroughbred Stud in Germany, helping to improve the handling and starting process of racehorses. Since then, she has returned to the south of England and has become heavily involved with the management and handling of wild horses.

She currently splits her time between the UK and Hungary, where she and her partner, Instructor Szabolcs Pinter are currently setting up their own equi-tourism business. Anna is available for lessons and various courses in both countries.

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NATHALIE HÖRNING
NATHALIE HÖRNING
Nathalie Hörning has been around horses since her early childhood. She started vaulting whilst living in Brazil when she was 5 and changed her focus to Dressage and Showjumping when she returned to Switzerland. Nathalie first read Monty’s book when she was 13 and was fascinated by this non-violent way of training horses so, in 2010, she began her education in his concepts. After finishing High School, Nathalie traveled around the world to intern with several of Monty’s international Instructors gaining invaluable experience she hopes to pass on to future students. Nathalie received her Certification in 2014, becoming an official Instructor and will be attending University in England to study for her BSc. in Equestrian Psychology and Sports Science. She is fluent in English, German, French and Portuguese and looks forward to holding courses in all these languages.
TESSA HORAN
TESSA HORAN
Tessa first read Monty’s book Shy Boy at the age of 10 and rode from a young age; her grandfather was an avid fox huntsman and she grew up loving horses. Whilst completing her bachelor’s degree, Tessa learned to play polo and competed as part of her university’s national team. She worked for several players and clubs during the holidays and trained and played her own horses. Her focus then shifted to classical equitation and dressage; she trained intensively with classical seat expert Heather Moffett and gained her Enlightened Equitation teaching qualifications. Tessa is currently exploring and developing the pathways between Monty’s methods and classical dressage training through non-violent communication. A dual UK & US national, she enjoyed traveling to learn from instructors worldwide before gaining her certification in 2014 – the 10th Certified Instructor in the UK! Tessa plans to hold courses, work with horses and teach riding from the UK and the US.
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RACHEL MALM
RACHEL MALM
Rachel’s passion for horses started at a young age. With a family history of horse trainers, and horse lovers, it was almost inevitable that Rachel would follow in the footsteps of her grandfather. Rachel first learned of Monty Roberts in 2001 and since has used his methods internationally backing, handling and producing horses for a number of professional international riders giving the horses a solid foundation for their ridden career. Working in many spheres of the horse industry, such as racing, show jumping, polo and eventing, Rachel has a board range of experience with horses.

In 2016 Rachel became a Certified Monty Roberts Instructor and will continue spreading Monty’s word by running courses in the UK and in the USA. Alongside this, Rachel will use her BA in Childhood Practices to run clinics for children and young people as a way to develop attachments, build trust, confidence and promote self-esteem.

JOANNA LOWES
JOANNA LOWES
From South Wales, Jo spends much of the year travelling as Monty’s assistant. This role has given Jo hands-on experience with a huge number of horses across a broad spectrum of disciplines, in various parts of the world.

Jo has acted as demonstration tour rider in the UK, Europe and Brazil and is a team member for Horse Sense and Healing Clinics in both the US and UK. Jo is passionate about showjumping and has recently started eventing. Jo hopes to hold courses in the near future.

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