Patti Zwaan
Trainer & Coach
At the heart of our training program is Patti, an accomplished equestrian, trainer and coach with more than 50 years of experience developing horses and riders at all levels.
Throughout her career, Patti has had the opportunity to learn from and work alongside numerous Olympic-level riders and trainers, accumulating a vast depth of knowledge across many areas of riding, training and horsemanship. Over the years she has combined the techniques, philosophies and lessons gained from these accomplished horsemen and horsewomen with her own experience and instincts to develop a highly effective and distinctly personal approach to training.
That broad foundation allows Patti to adapt her coaching to virtually any horse-and-rider combination. Rather than relying on a single method, she draws on decades of experience to determine what works best for the pair in front of her — whether that means developing fundamental skills, addressing a training challenge, building confidence, improving communication, or preparing for competition.
Her experience also extends to the collegiate equestrian world and the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA). A highlight of Patti's coaching career was serving as Head Coach of the equestrian team at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. Through her work with IHSA riders she coached students with a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels, helping them develop the adaptability, confidence and effectiveness the collegiate format demands.
Patti's coaching philosophy goes far beyond teaching someone how to ride. She believes in developing the complete equestrian — building confidence, establishing strong fundamentals, improving communication between horse and rider, and teaching the horsemanship skills necessary for long-term success.
With an experienced eye and a hands-on, individualized style, Patti recognizes that every rider and every horse is different. She has a talent for identifying the small adjustments that make a significant difference in a rider's position, effectiveness, confidence and overall performance.
Whether working with someone taking their first steps into the equestrian world, an IHSA rider, an experienced horse owner, or a competitor pursuing ambitious goals, Patti is dedicated to helping each student become a more knowledgeable, confident and capable equestrian while developing a stronger partnership with their horse.
