Full-body blanket
PEMF and massage from neck to tail, for overall condition, suppleness and recovery.
Midrand & surrounds · I come to you
Happy horses. Confident riders. Gleaming show days.
I'm Kristen FitzPatrick. I teach riders, school horses, clip and plait for shows, and help sore or stiff horses feel good again with Activo-Med PEMF and massage therapy. Everything at your yard, at your horse's pace.
20+ years with horses
EQASA qualified
ISRB rider biomechanics
A quick test
You're in the right place if…Tick the ones that are a bit too true. No judgement. We've all been there.
0 / 6Go on, be honest…
1.20mshowjumping and counting
Meet Kristen
Horse-mad since the age of seven
I fell in love with horses at seven and started riding soon after. I started competing in graded shows in high school and represented Gauteng North in various disciplines in my 20s.
I've competed up to 1.20m in showjumping, Elementary in dressage, Open Equitation and Level 2 in Western Mounted Games, and done some lower-level showing and eventing. Along the way I've been taught by some of South Africa's great riders, including Lynne Piercy and Rogan Asken.
"I don't believe in pushing riders or horses too fast. A confident, happy horse and a balanced rider will always go further."
20+ yearsriding, competing and teaching
EQASAqualified to Module 4
ISRB Level 1Society for Rider Biomechanics
SA Championpupil in Western Mounted Games, several years running
What I do
Three ways to make you and your horse feel great
Mix and match. Lots of my clients book a lesson, a clip and a therapy session, and packages can be worked out for you and your horse.
01
Lessons & work riding
Patient, sympathetic teaching for riders of all ages, plus backing, schooling and lungeing for horses.
Saddle up
02
Clipping & show prep
Quiet clippers for nervous horses, crisp plaits and quartermarks so you walk into the ring sparkling.
Get show-ready
03
Activo-Med & massage
Full-body PEMF and massage blanket, laser light therapy and myofascial release to help horses heal and recover.
Book a spa day01 · Lessons & work riding
Balance first. Confidence follows.
Whether you're a nervous adult getting back in the saddle, a pony-mad kid or a competition rider chasing ribbons, we'll build the foundations properly, at a pace that suits you and your horse.
Lessons
I believe in teaching riders in a sympathetic way and making sure every rider develops good balance, so horse and rider become more confident with each other.
Riders are taught the basics of the Training Scale to help them and their horse reach their full potential. I don't push riders or horses too fast, because that creates fear and uncertainty, and that does damage in the long run.
- Kids, teens and adults
- Flatwork, jumping, equitation and mounted games
- Rider position and biomechanics
- Show coaching and ring nerves
Work riding
I'm also available to back, re-school, lunge and train horses in various disciplines. I work each horse according to its mental and physical capabilities, to make sure you end up with a confident, happy horse.
- Backing young horses
- Re-schooling and bad habits
- Lungeing, including pole work
- Keeping your horse fit while you're busy or away
One of my pupils has been the South African Western Mounted Games Champion at different levels, on different horses, in consecutive years.
The Training Scale, in six steps
Every lesson builds on the same tried-and-tested ladder that riders and horses climb together. Get the bottom rungs solid, and everything above gets easier.
1Rhythm
2Suppleness
3Contact
4Impulsion
5Straightness
6Collection
02 · Clipping & show prep
From woolly mammoth to show ring
You focus on riding a great round. I'll handle the clipping, plaiting, whitening and polishing so you both look the part.
Clipping
I clip with Liveryman Black Beauty and Harmony Plus clippers. The Black Beauty is heavy-duty with adjustable speed, and on its slowest setting it's quieter than most heavy-duty clippers, which helps nervous horses settle.
The Harmony Plus is super quiet but still strong enough for a full body clip on horses that are really worried about clipping, and it's easy to move around bony bits like the head and legs.
Full clipLegs on or offSaddle patchDesigner clipsOther clips on request
Tip: leaving a saddle patch unclipped is comfier for your horse and kinder to the back muscles, because there's less friction.
Show preparation
I'm available for any show preparation you need, at your yard before the show or on the day at the showgrounds.
- Mane and tail plaiting, pulling and hogging
- Clipping and trimming
- Whitening, shining and polishing
- Quartermarks for shows
- Hoof painting
Button plaitsNeat, tight and even
Tail plaitsFor a polished back view
QuartermarksChecks, stripes & more
Hoof paintingThe finishing gloss
03 · Activo-Med & massage therapy
A spa day that actually does something
The Activo-Med Combi Pro II PEMF and massage blanket uses pulsed electromagnetic field therapy and massage to help horses heal and recover. Unlike most blankets on the market, it covers the whole body.
How it works
PEMF spools and 14 cyclonic massage modules work in different sequences. PEMF uses a range of therapeutic frequencies to help cells work efficiently and recover, while the massage boosts blood circulation and gets the lymphatic system moving.
It can help with:
Muscle conditionFlexibility & supplenessTense, nervous horsesOlder horsesMuscle strains & tearsTendons & ligamentsKissing spineSacroiliac issuesArthritisLaminitisCold backsTying upUlcersSplints & fracturesMetabolic issuesColic & neurological issues
Pecdominal Pad
Covers the chest, girth area, belly and intercostal muscles. Great for tension and girthy horses.
Leg Wraps
PEMF from knees and hocks down to the pasterns, for strains, knocks, swelling, stiffness and pre/post-training recovery.
Laser Cluster & Pen
Wave-Light-Pulse (WLP) therapy with infrared and red light for small, specific injuries, bruises, wounds and pain.
Myofascial release
A hands-on, light-touch massage that restores the slack in the connective tissue of your horse's body, to relieve issues and improve performance.
Price guide
Straightforward prices
Packages can be worked out for regular lessons, schooling and therapy. Just ask.
All prices exclude travel. I come to you.
Good to know
Questions horse people ask
Something else on your mind? WhatsApp me, I'm happy to chat.
Do you come to my yard?
Yes. I travel to you for lessons, schooling, clipping and therapy, and I can meet you at the showgrounds on show day. Travel is charged separately from the service.
My horse hates clippers. Can you still clip him?
Very likely. My Harmony Plus clippers are super quiet, and the Black Beauty can be slowed right down. We take our time and let your horse settle, rather than rushing the job.
Do you teach children and beginners?
Absolutely. I teach sympathetically and focus on balance and confidence first, so young and nervous riders are in good hands. I also coach competitive riders, including a South African Western Mounted Games champion.
Can you help my horse after an injury?
The Activo-Med PEMF and massage system, the leg wraps and the laser lights are all used to help recovery from strains, knocks, tendon and ligament issues and more. It works alongside your vet's advice, not instead of it.
Do you do packages?
Yes. Monthly packages can be worked out for lessons, schooling and therapy, depending on how many sessions you'd like.
Let's talk horses
Lessons, a clip before show season, plaits for the big day, or some TLC for a stiff back. Drop me a message and let's make a plan.
Kristen FitzPatrick · Midrand, Gauteng