Myself and Ciara have our horses on livery with Nicola and she has been giving us lessons for close to 3 years. She has also sourced all our horses over that period as our riding has progressed and our requirements have evolved.Nicola is first of all very diligent when it comes to horse care and the high standards she holds is something that she thoroughly cascades to her team in the yard, as well as taking the time to pass on her knowledge to us. She manages the horses physical health but also notices any changes in a horse if they are less than 100% content.When coaching Nicola first assesses a riders level and then takes time to discuss the goals of the rider before putting a plan in place. We get our enjoyment from jumping and progressing up the heights, but she makes sure to keep us focused on flatwork and takes time as any issues present themselves in order to work through them. She has also helped us hugely when preparing for and at shows, particularly the bigger ones like RDS qualifiers and Cavan, where she is very aware of the mental pressures associated with these and how best to work through them.

In sourcing horses for us, we discussed and agreed on exactly the type we were looking for. As we tried horses out she was decisive and didn’t hesitate if a horse was good but not the perfect fit. Thanks to her large network, the search was extensive and took us to yards around Ireland and Europe until the right horse came up.Nicola minds our horses like they were her own, she is very focused on helping us to achieve our riding goals and is genuinely invested.

She is honest, professional, and diligent. When we are not riding to our best, she is direct in telling us what we need to improve. And when things are going well she takes pleasure in celebrating with us. Through the ups and downs that riding horses inevitably brings and the many hours of work required to achieve ambitious goals, Nicola has also become a friend of ours, and we would recommend anyone who is serious about horses to talk to her.

I have had my horses with Nicola for some years now. Nicola’s superior horsemanship and understanding of horse psychology has brought my horse to heights I did not think possible.

Nicola and her team at her 10* facility in Kilteel demonstrate a knowledge, dedication and genuine love for the horse which is evident in abundance.

Nicola also coaches my grandson where her ability to pass on her vast experience is exceptional. Nicola explains the process very well, is always challenging and instills great understanding and confidence. Nicola has the ability to challenge and extend my grandsons capabilities without ever overfacing him.

To sum up: Nicola is patient and persistent, gentle and forceful, accomodating and demanding, and always uses the above in the correct balance to achieve the best from horse and rider. Thank you Nicola.