Background & Influences

Three pillars shape her technique, artistic sensibility,

and sense of purpose and meaning with horses.

Pippa’s formation was made with Master Philippe Karl in France. What began as weekly lessons, evolved into a daily formation as his apprentice from February 2020 - March 2022. There, she was able to watch the master ride every morning, receive daily lessons to develop her own young horses, and immerse herself in his methods and equitation. He gave her a progressive, effective and logical base that brings out the talent of all horses. He emphasized the importance of teaching the horse by way of his mind - verses merely developing the body; so when faced with resistances, the rider must decompose and explain, not force. He taught that one of the rider’s priorities must be to develop straightness, achieved by systematically adapting the work to the horse’s natural asymmetry at every stage of their development. He also taught - with outstanding depth and precision - fair and effective methods of the hands to correctly educate a horse’s mouth. Pippa was also given the privilege to learn from his horse, High Noon, while M. Karl was away at his clinic duties. This experience helped her feel first-hand the quality of the contact, balance, impulsion and calm that M. Karl creates in his education of horses. She considers learning from High Noon as one of the greatest gifts of her life. Philippe Karl’s technical acumen, insight, sense of justice and love of horses leaves an indelible mark, so naturally he has become the primary influence of her life with horses. She continues her studies with him in the Ecole de Légèreté at Bordeaux.

Pippa’s journey began when she was exposed to classical dressage from Bettina Drummond in 2002. Attending clinics with Bettina for a total of eight years (2002-2008 & 2017-2019), she experienced the feel and lightness only possible through tactful horsemanship. Bettina imprinted in her a sense of ethics, a love for lightness, tact, discipline, and an understanding of balance through the nuanced use of the rider's back and seat. She also seeded a respect and love for the history of the art and the masters who formed it. Bettina taught Pippa to recognize, adapt to, and promote the individuality in each horse - that expression demands space. These teachings remain central to Pippa’s way with horses. It was through Bettina, that she realized that classical equitation could be artistic expression.

One of the most important aspects of Pippa’s work is how she strives to connect to and understand the interior life of the horse: how they think, feel and learn. This part of her education was deeply influenced by Clay Wright. Her studies with Clay were intensive from 2012 - 2019, during which time he helped her “see” horses. During their time together, they explored everything from haltering a weanling for her first time, to building trust in emotionally traumatized horses, to schooling piaffe, passage and canter pirouettes on upper-level horses. He modeled how to teach clearly and specifically, while giving each rider space to think critically and problem solve, just as he aims to do with his horses. He breathed in the heart and soul of the work, through kindness, wisdom, humility and authenticity. Pippa’s socratic teaching style comes from the same goal she has for her horses: to promote autonomy and thoughtfulness. This came from Clay.

Pippa has also learned from José Manuel Correia Lopes, Bea Borelle, Rodrigo Matos, Ross Harper-Lewis, Andrè Ganc, Carlos Carneiro, Miguel Ralão Duarte, Mari Austad-Bourque, and Lilo Fore. She now lives and works in the southwest of France, developing her own stables in Caravelle, 24540 Capdrot France.

Her Teachers