Sadie helps horse owners develop deeper connection with their horses by building trust and practicing compassion. Her experience has provided her with practical skills you can use to communicate clearly with horses, understand their behavior, help reactive or unmotivated horses, and experience not just physical togetherness, but mental-emotional harmony, as well.
Sadie has developed Compassion-Focused Horsemanship™ to support her students in addressing the complexities of horsemanship successfully. By addressing aspects of personal growth and the many variables involved in inter-specific communication, CFH™ provides a structured pathway that is paved with solid foundations in both current science and four decades of experience with horses. Graduates experience deeper connection, the confidence that comes with having effective skills, increased safety and resilience, and the ability to co-create and explore new adventures with their horse.
Sadie’s 40 years of horse experience covered a variety of activities; from endurance riding, to ranching, to jumping, to cutting, her knowledge extends across various disciplines and activities. She has worked with numerous breeds, raised foals, and developed young horses under saddle. Her experience with people includes riding instruction, horsemanship coaching, and mental health counseling.
Sadie currently operates a private mental health counseling practice in the East Mountain area of central New Mexico. Her specialization is in the treatment of complex trauma, interweaving methods such as EMDR, somatic psychology, ego states, and others. She has been certified as an EMDR therapist, equine interactions mental health professional, clinical trauma professional, and several others. She obtained a post-graduate certificate in applied animal behavior and has attended many courses on animal behavior and learning through multiple academic and professional training institutions.
After 10 years of practicing mental health counseling, Sadie founded Pivot Point to bring her psychology skills back to the horse community by offering science- and trauma-informed horsemanship coaching to equestrians. With a passion for healing and growth, her work is rooted in the belief that meaningful change happens when compassion, curiosity, and practical skill come together. Her greatest joy is helping a person and a horse connect wholeheartedly through clear, compassionate communication.