Jane Penfold
Jane is a BHS registered instructor, British Dressage Trainer and listed Judge and a TTT instructor member as well as a graduate in psychology. After her formative riding years here in the UK, she has trained extensively with some of the very best trainers in the UK and overseas throughout the last 20 years. Her classical training has placed particular emphasis on the use of the rider's body and its influence on the horse, and Jane has pursued this further to become a qualified Pilates instructor in recent years.
Having completed her early training at the prestigious Porlock Vale Equitation Centre, Jane has benefited further from the following:-
- Over three years’ daily training in Bulgaria with international trainer, judge and rider Dimitar Stoyanov: “One of the best horsemen I have come across. He has a real instinct for when, how, how much (and when not!) to push a horse. He taught me so much about “feel” and fine-tuning.”
Over ten years of lessons with world-renowned classical trainer Sylvia Loch followed by an apprenticeship at Sylvia’s yard in Scotland: “This is where I learned to pick up the subtleties of what the rider is doing with their body, and its effect on the horse. And the feel that Sylvia’s schoolmasters gave me has set me on a quest for lightness in every horse that I train and ride.”
- Further training/courses at Merrist Wood, the Yorkshire Riding Centre, Talland, and with Georges Malleroni (a student of the late Nuno Oliveira) at Alcainca in Portugal.
- Observation of some of the world’s great trainers in action including Charles de Kunffy: “One of my main influences – Charles is always an inspiration"; Arthur Kottas, Stephen Clarke, Paul Belasik, Conrad Schumacher, Carl Hester, and Ulla Salzgeber.
- Extensive worldwide travel, from Turkey to Taiwan, while pursuing her early career in the Diplomatic Service. This enabled Jane to experience, explore and take advantage of training and teaching methods and approaches from different cultures.
Jane can also offer advice on bitting (with a limited selection of bits to try) plus the opportunity to ride on a Port Lewis Impression Pad to give a readout of saddle fit and rider's weight distribution.
Here, Jane's beautiful Lipizzaner mare, Bonnie, is wearing her Dually halter - a true success story in terms of taking the time and trouble to understand the horse's preferences in terms of bitting and bridles.