Anni Stonebridge Bsc UNKNHCP

Anni has combined a career in psychology with becoming a multidisciplinary equestrian. She has a BSc in Psychology from the University of Wales Bangor, is a certified hoof care practitioner with UKNHCP, and is a qualified saddler and approved saddle fitter for holistic saddling systems with Lavinia Mitchell Saddles. Anni is the founder of Barefootworks – the UK’s first barefoot trimming co-operative, was a hoof care professional for 15 years, and has been a Field Instructor for the Equine Sciences Academy. During the last twenty years she has trained with Mary Wanless – Ride With Your Mind, Dorothy Marks, Lisa Bruin, Steve Halfpenny, Balance International, PNH, Kelly Marks and Mike Barker. In 2017 she co-authored Barefoot Horse Keeping – The integrated horse, published by Crowood Press with her colleague Jane Cumberlidge.

Living in North East Scotland with her husband and son, she offers biomechanical ridden and groundwork coaching via one to one lessons and clinics. Informed by the experiences of riders and coaches Anni is also developing an innovative rider tech product – Sculptaseat®. Her approach to coaching and innovation is informed by in depth study and practise, underpinned by her psychology background and interest in human and equine learning theory and biomechanics.

Anni started riding bitless as a child, then after several years training and showing Arabians she observed the reactions of the horses in detail to the bits used at the time and how they were being utilised. Being unable to find a trainer who could teach refined contact skills, she moved away from bitted riding in her early twenties and studied horsemanship and equine behaviour. Ten years later she developed an interest in classical riding and biomechanics, and with the help of friend and trainer Dorothy Marks, was introduced to Philippe Karl’s system of horse training, which gave her a framework to practise and develop contact dexterity. She is a student coach with Ride With Your Mind, and writes a blog on holistic equestrianism and her own explorations of seat and body communication. She introduces all her clients to bitless bridles, to develop their communication between the seat and hand/rein contact, and to establish bitless fluency with their horses. Her own three horses are ridden bitless for the majority of the time.