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Heidi's
experience with horses started when
she was a young child growing up in
New Hampshire. After many wonderful
hours trail riding at a local ranch
she was “hooked” and realized
that horses needed to be part of her
life.
By
the age of 13 she had saved $350 and
purchased her first horse. Thunder
was a pure white, 7 year old, 16-hand
grade horse. During the summer of
1974 Thunder became her primary teacher.
“We spent most of that summer
in a rearing or reverse situation,
with him stating that he couldn’t
possibly leave the farm without his
equine buddies.” Equally stubborn
and determined to trail ride with
her new friend, Heidi would walk him
to the top of the mountain and then
get on and ride him home. As with
most professionals, looking back,
she now states, “Education has
been bliss - If I’d had known
then . . . . . . ”
She
spent most of her teen years at the
trail riding ranch where Thunder was
boarded. In addition to helping lead
the rides Heidi also enjoyed competing
at local horse shows in Western Pleasure
and Gymkhana.
For
her 16th birthday her parents surprised
her with a 6 month-old Appaloosa colt
she had come to love at the ranch.
He was hers to raise and train. These
two horses became Heidi’s first
lesson horses in 1994 when Maple Ridge
Stable was established in Southern
Vermont.
Maple
Ridge is now a training, boarding
and instructional facility. Over the
years it has seen many changes and
experienced much growth. Maintaining
the facility and caring for the horses
would not have been possible without
the commitment of the entire family.
Heidi's husband Rob and the three
Potter children, Aaron, Chelsea and
Tyler have contributed greatly to
its success.
In
1997 Heidi took her first Centered
Riding lesson with Senior Instructor,
Lucile Bump, at Southmowing Stable.
She immediately knew that this was
what she was looking for. Teaching
the principals of CR gave her a way
to combine her training in the martial
arts and her work with horses. “It
all fit so perfectly, and the humans
and horses loved it." By late
1998 Heidi was teaching and training
full time, six days a week, in a newly
constructed indoor arena. She became
a Centered Riding Instructor herself
in 1998 and is currently one of 15
Level III CR Instructor/Clinicians
in the United States. Heidi has especially
enjoyed her time studying with Centered
Riding founder, Ms. Sally Swift, who
resides in nearby Brattleboro, Vermont.
In
June of 2000 Heidi became a CHA (Certified
Horsemanship Association) Certified
Instructor. Four years later she received
her Master Level certification and
in 2006 was honored to receive her
Clinic Instructor certification. As
Clinic Instructor Heidi participates
in staffing clinics, evaluating and
certifying riding instructors around
the U.S. CHA's program is designed
to help ensure the safety of riding
programs and the ethical treatment
of horses. Heidi has also co-taught
vaulting classes and worked with emotionally
disturbed and learning disabled children.
She found this work especially rewarding.
In 2005 Heidi became a CHA Certified
Level II Recreational Vaulting Coach
and Assistant Vaulting Clinic Instructor.
Heidi
attended a John Lyons symposium in
the early 90's and got her first look
at the "Natural Horsemanship"
style of training. Since then she
has spent a great deal of time studying
and practicing a variety of these
training methods. One of Heidi's first
mentors was Mitzi Summers, who she
met in 1998. Ms. Summers is a Level
IV Centered Riding instructor, as
well as a patient and caring trainer.
In 2000 they spent a month of instructing
and training together in New Zealand,
which proved to be a very enjoyable
and educational experience. Five years
later, at the 2005 CHA conference
in Seattle, Heidi observed a trainer
named Jon Ensign from Montana, who
was starting a young filly. She was
greatly impressed with his obvious
knowledge and experience, along with
his calm, consistent and kind manner.
She decided to invite him east and
has enjoyed working with him ever
since.
Heidi
shares her 35 years of horse experience
helping her students gain new insights,
build confidence and improve the overall
relationship with their horses. She
continues to train in the Martial
Art, Shorin Rye and practices Ashtanga
Yoga. Both of these have a strong
influence on her work with horses
and humans. The key element of her
program, In Harmony With Horses, is
to teach students to be mindful of
themselves, realizing the effect their
bodies and minds have on the horse.
She is known for her gentle and empathetic
approach to both horse and rider.
Heidi instructs full time at Maple
Ridge Stable, offering horsemanship
classes and workshops in the winter,
along with a full teaching and training
schedule throughout the riding season.
She travels to give clinics year round
and offers instruction and training
at other facilities.
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