Sandy Vreeburg
My passion for riding is continually revitalized, even after nearly four decades in the saddle. With every horse, my goal has always been to ride with great “feel” and a light touch. And to gain an understanding and learn the idiosyncrasies of the individual horse.
I started out by riding the “orphan horses” in the barn until my late twenties, as I did not own my own horse. Rides were always unpredictable, and often did not go as planned. But I gathered a great equine education along the way.
My objective was to ultimately find the event which best suited that particular horse.I successfully competed in various disciplines with each of my horses in the AQHA Shows.Once I felt my horse was confident, balanced and ready to go, I would find the perfect buyer, say a very difficult goodbye, and start the process all over again. While it never got any easier to move on from a beloved four-legged friend—especially after their capabilities had been refined —I continued to seek the challenge of developing new horses.
My love for the process is always greater than the end result. As my two children reached their high school and college graduations, I knew that I wanted to find a way to earn money by putting my unique equine skill set to use. I have always given my horses the care necessary to keep them at their best. Sometimes this meant hiring specialists in equine chiropractic, acupressure or myofascial massage work. So naturally I thought, “Why not pursue a career in one of these modalities?” And then I saw an article on the Masterson Method.
The Masterson Method has reopened my eyes to the extreme sensitivity and responsiveness of our equine partners. My relationship with my own horse, and how I approach others has improved immensely since I began to practice this technique. While I have always thrived on being productive, the Masterson Method has taught me to slow down, be in the moment and truly wait to see what the horse has to say. The responses of the horses I have worked on—and that of their owners—have truly overwhelmed me.
I am thrilled to be a proud member of the Masterson Method Certified Practitioners. In order to pursue the Masterson Method, I took a break from the show arena and am now training in Western Dressage. I live in the Santa Cruz area of California and have four legged clients in Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Portola Valley and Woodside, and beyond.
I look forward to visiting you and your horse at your barn.