Riding Instructor

Sophie Vertigan has been riding for almost 30 years, starting in England with very little coaching mainly using more passion than education and technique.

After moving to Canada Sophie took up Eventing; at that time she was training with Janice Gannon who introduced her to Mary Wanless and a whole new world.

Sophie took her first horse, Maddy, to one of Mary’s clinics and discovered for a person who was jumping crazy the importance of basics and flat work suddenly became evident. Even more so was the art of teaching, good riders do not necessarily make good coaches, the art of being able to communicate to your students is just that.

Sophie's teaching revolves around Mary’s work in Bio Mechanics. It shows any rider how to organize his or her mind and body in the same way as the riders we call ‘talented’. This enables each person to learn the same feels and to achieve the same results. The techniques used are very streamlined. By increasing the rider’s body awareness and using images which help his or her understand both what to do and how to do it, incredible improvements can be obtained in a very short time, defying traditional expectations.

Sophie struggle with my riding every day, the journey is what she enjoy, it is endless, and that gives her the empathy and ability to help others on theirs. To learn to enjoy the journey. The basics are vital, once in place the sky is the limit. 

Sophie is presently showing at Training Level of Eventing on her 9 yr old Thoroughbred Gelding who she purchased off the track.

 

Sophie teaches beginner through to intermediate riders in both dressage and jumping.