Pat has been riding horses since...
the day she jumped on her first horse bare back at the age of six.  Her love of horses has led her on a life long commitment to horse training, riding & coaching.  Pat's many students will agree that she is an intuitive, practical & outstanding teacher & horse trainer. 

Qualifications & Experience: 

Equine Canada Certified Level 2 Coach / Trainer. 
Qualified to teach beginners up to Intermediate riders who are competing at a Preliminary Level.

Qualified professional trainer of horses from Colts up to Preliminary Jumpers & Dressage.

Pat Pighin has completed successfully to the Intermediate level in the three disciplines of Dressage, Stadium & Cross Country Jumping.

Pat's guide and mentor over the years has been Jody Sloper, a renowned Level 3 Coach in all three disciplines. Jody continues to conduct regular Horse Jumping Clinics at Pat's arena.


Experience with Animal Husbandry
Pat worked at Steeples Vet Clinic as an assistant for 15 years, giving her much experience with horse related medical procedures.  Thus, horses under her care benefit from an experienced eye on them at all times.

Respect is better than Fear when it comes to the horse-human relationship.  Once you gain a horse's trust you will have a fantastic working relationship.  Otherwise a horse will 'tune out' or become agitated & fight.

Horses (or any animal) will respect us if we work with them with fairness, consistency and clear boundaries. 

Horses have long memories and are very sensitive to your actions. 

Horses read our body language as much, if not more, than we read theirs. 

Horses teach people - they just allow people to think the opposite is true!

We learn responsibility & how to care for more than just ourselves when caring for horses. They require ongoing care & maintenance! 

Patience is key - losing your patience with a horse gets both of you into a power struggle. 

Be Clear & Consistent- If a horse is confused his flight instinct takes over, making it dangerous for both horse and rider.