I started Castle View in 2009, and it is a riding school and pony club centre specialising in grass root riders and non-riders with installing the correct foundations of horsemanship and the importance of horse welfare.

As well as having completed my BHS II - BHS Senior Eventing Coach and UKCC level 2, I’ve also gained a Post Graduate certificate in Equine Leadership and Management through North Highland College UHI.

I do everything here. Mucking out, exercising, organising lesson times, arranging pony club groups, keeping all paperwork up to date, communicating with regular and new clients, sometimes past clients get in touch for advice, maintenance of the yard and grazing areas.

We run a successful pony club centre and riding school. I also lecture for North Highland College UHI in the Equine department and run flexible learning courses part-time. In my spare time I’m the BHS Highland North Education Officer.

Communication, and patience is a close second and of course perseverance. The ability to reflect on today and look forward to the future.

No day is the same however regimented we try to be. I like the organised chaos, learning on the job and being open to accept situations as they are, then reflect and grow from them.

The best part of my job is meeting like-minded people and having the facilities and the knowledge to give others the best start on their equestrian journey or helping them pick up where they left off.

We share the same passion but not necessarily the same journey. The main challenges are to accept where they are and how they got there, then figure out a pathway forward, accepting that there may be many roundabouts where people get off, and rejoin.

You’ll never look back, you’ll meet all the best people and experience magically things along the way!