About Chris
Chris first came into contact with horses when he started taking riding lessons in his home state of Maine. He found great enjoyment in riding but was more inspired by what was possible when you truly connected with a horse. This led him to leave Maine for a while to go in search of learning more about horses, their nature and the different ways of working with them.
His Background
He would first work as an apprentice trainer at The Van Nostern Arabian Horse Ranch in Colorado. The Van Nostern Ranch was focused on a modern and natural approach in their training and riding. Chris worked with Arabian horses of all ages, from young colts to champion stallions. From there he moved on to the Sunset Ranch in California where he worked as a wrangler. He led trail rides ranging from 5 to 30 riders, including Sunset Ranch’s famous night rides. He also worked as a riding instructor, teaching both English and Western riding.
I love my work, and love the opportunity to
help people and their horses. There is greatness
when a horse and human truly connect, and my
main goal is to help them find their path to that.
Arizona to Maine
The ranch that had the most influence on Chris was the Rancho de la Osa in Arizona. The Rancho de la Osa was a working cowboy ranch that also served as a guest ranch. It was here that Chris learned what it meant to have complete trust with a horse and he learned more about the deep bonds and relationships that can be had with horses. From herding horses and cattle to running the rides and looking after the guests, each day was a study on horse/human relations. Chris worked on developing a natural and easy approach to working with horses and worked to develop his skill in teaching these methods to people of all ages and ability.
the Dynamics Between Horse & Human
Chris has been back in Maine now since 2003 and currently resides at Thanksgiving Farm in Durham. For the last 9 years he has traveled the northeast helping people and their horses to build the trust that will allow them to be safe and have fun in any type of training or riding they choose. Through his weekly one-on-one work with his regular clients and his weekend clinics, he works with around 15-20 horses a week and well over 100 different horses each year. By going very in-depth with each horse/human relationship he encounters, it has allowed him to understand the dynamics between horse and human very well.