LAURIE REESE

Head Instructor

The Head Instructor at Pleasant Heights Farm is Laurie Reese. Laurie has spent more years of her life on horseback than she has doing anything else, which adds up to more than two decades of extensive training and successful competition in the equine industry. As Head Instructor, she provides professional instruction and training to humans and horses of all ages, specializing in Eventing, Dressage, and Balanced Seat.

Laurie combines centered riding, gymnastics, and exercises learned from expert trainers to formulate an individual progressive plan for her students and their horses. She integrates your goals, your capacities, and her knowledge and skills to strengthen your ride and your confidence.

Since her arrival at Pleasant Heights in 1997, Laurie has restructured and expanded the 90-acre full care equestrian facility. She has designed an equine management system for the barn that allows her to manage the care and training of all of the horses on-site. Laurie has also expanded the services at the Farm to include many group and family friendly activities for riders of all levels. Laurie’s knowledge and skills are so well known that she was tapped to serve as technical editor for the Horses For Dummies 2nd Edition.

In addition to offering training services, Laurie also founded the Equine Friends Foundation support underprivileged youth and provide them with educational opportunities in the area of equine management and animal care.

The Head Instructor of Pleasant Height Farm is also a competitor. Laurie has competed and placed in three Intermediates, over 30 Preliminaries, and countless other lower levels in the Southern, East Coast and Midwest eventing circuits. She has competed and placed in numerous Dressage shows throughout the South and Midwest up and through Third Level.

Laurie’s knowledge and skills has been enriched by working or training privately with internationally known equestrians like Karen O’Connor (1991), Michael Godfrey (1995), Wash Bishop (1995), Nanci Lindroth (1995), Kim Walnes (1996-2001), Jim Graham (2001), Laurie Moore (2001-3), Lucinda Green (2000-2009), Guatama Tschannerl (2001-2004), Anke Heller (2004-2009) all of whom have either been to the Olympics or Pan-Am Games as riders or alternates, except for Dressage Masters Moore and Heller and Show Jumper Expert Tschannerl.

Laurie’s equine training and formal schooling have been joined for years. In addition to training at home in Michigan City, Indiana, Laurie attended Foxcroft School in grades 9-12, which has expansive equestrian opportunities and competitive teams. When Laurie went on to college at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, she joined the Polo Club. And when she decided to change her course of study, she enrolled at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island and earned a Bachelor of Science in Equine Management and Riding. Laurie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Johnson & Wales adding honors to her decision to merge her education with her love of riding.

For more than a decade, Laurie has trained several eventers ranging from Preliminary to Beginner Novice with consistent fourth place and above results. Riders generally compete 2-3 times per season.

On a monthly basis, Laurie works with many children and adults on individually owned and stable horses. She is looking forward to working with you.