Julia grew up with horses, has ridden horses in different countries, including some Western riding and currently owns two horses Tilly and Rosie based at West Craigie Farm outside Edinburgh. Her natural horsemanship journey began in 2015 with training from Jane Bury/Celtic Horse inspired by a need to connect with and understand her troubled rescue horse, Indie. Her first training session coincided with a cancer diagnosis which ultimately inspired her to follow her dream to become a natural horsemanship trainer and in 2020 she embarked on a transformational training programme with Intelligent Horsemanship, which led to an IH Diploma in October 2021. Julia embraces the IH philosophy of learning from a wide range of horsemanship teachers around the world, adopting tools and techniques that resonate with her own empathetic approach and add to her toolbox.

Julia’s approach reflects her passion for helping people and horses. She believes each horse and owner is unique and sets the scene for learning so horse and human feel safe, heard and supported in an empathetic atmosphere of non judgement.

“Julia is an exceptionally good teacher and source of support because she is able to explain and demonstrate methodology in an easily understandable and straightforward way.  I particularly enjoy how Julia is able to present leadership as a collaborative, fun and kind way for me to work with Zac, in stark contrast to the more draconian approaches of the past. The lack of judgement that Julia brings to her teaching means that I am not fearful of making mistakes or asking questions, regardless of how silly either may be. “