College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Animal Science

I grew up on the west side of Michigan and have a background in showing and training dressage horses. I bring this experience into my hands-on equine teaching, where I focus on developing students’ horsemanship skills through correct biomechanics, clear communication, and safe, effective training practices.

I teach a range of hands-on horse handling and training courses, including ANS 140 (Horsemanship), ANS 246 (Young Horse Handling), ANS 446 (Starting Young Horses Under Saddle), and ANS 249 (Methods of Teaching Safe Horsemanship). Across these courses, I emphasize building a strong foundation in horse handling and riding while helping students understand the principles behind effective training. I believe that developing correct biomechanics and thoughtful horsemanship skills gives students the foundation they need to become confident, capable riders and trainers.

I hold Level 3 Certified Horsemanship Association certifications in both Western and English disciplines and am currently working toward my USDF “L” Judge’s License. My goal is to combine practical, hands-on experience with sound horsemanship principles to prepare students for safe, knowledgeable, and effective work with horses.