Cathy Koetsier

About Me

Horses have always been very important in my life. Horsemanship, horse care, horse communication, horse behaviour, and the power of the horse-human interaction are among my favourite subjects. Discovering how to live and partner with these marvellous animals in ways that are as good for them as they are for us is an abiding interest.

I enjoy teaching. I home educated my children, and I was involved with organisations supporting home educating parents for many years, so it is not surprising that I find my role as a Masterson Method fieldwork student mentor deeply satisfying.  I have a particular interest in facilitating and supporting learning and growth through interaction with horses. Because horses are very sensitive to body language and to the feel or energy of a person, they are uniquely equipped to help people explore and understand themselves better and become more congruent. 

I have shared my life with horses for more than 30 years, and I have a wealth of experience, much of it gained through trial and error. My natural horsemanship journey began with Parelli, back in 2009, and I remain grateful for the foundation laid at that time. I have had the privilege of being a participant in many of Ingela Larsson Smith's 'True Connection' courses, and have been to Brazil to teach horsemanship with her charity, 'Horses for Orphans'. I have done courses and brushed shoulders with amazing and knowledgeable horse people, each of whom has given me another piece of the puzzle in my efforts to understand how to be the partner my horses would like me to be: Sharon Mallinson, Dave Stuart, Silke Vallentin, Mark Rashid, Thirza Hendriks, Zefanja Vermeulen, Jochen Schleese, Caroline Lindsay, Lorre Muller,  Steve Peters, and Lynn Henry, with whom I qualified as a 'Think Like A Pony' instructor. I have enormous respect for Manolo Mendez, and his empathetic, holistic way of training and rehabilitating horses. Most recently I met Nahshon Cook and I was deeply touched by his  loving, accepting, but thoughtfully challenging way of teaching both horses and humans. 

From the first moment I saw Jim Masterson speaking about the Masterson Method in a video clip on YouTube in 2012, I was absolutely sure that this was something I wanted to learn to do. I did all my training with Jim when he came to the UK and qualified as a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner (MMCP) in 2015. I love horses. I love them with a deep, crazy, life motivating passion. I have done so for as long as I can remember. But growing up in a non-horsy family meant that I hardly ever got anywhere near a horse. On those rare occasions that I did, I would rub my hands all over the horse's neck and then try my best to avoid washing them so that I could continue to breathe in that elusive fragrance between my cupped hands for as long as possible. With such a history it is not surprising that I have ended up with a job that involves touching horses! It feels such a privilege to know how to use my hands in a way that releases tension and increases the comfort of these most beloved of animals. 

I am married to Craig, and we have raised five children. Horses have been a central part of our lifestyle, and interaction with them has taught the children so many things and greatly enriched our lives. We have four grandchildren and it delights my heart to see the passion for horses being carried into the next generation. 

Right now I have four ponies living with me: two Highland ponies, a Connemara pony and a Welsh x Coloured pony. I have a great affection for our wonderful British Native Breeds, many of which are sadly at risk of extinction. We have created a track system (aka 'Paddock Paradise') living environment for the ponies at our home in Norfolk and I am increasingly enthusiastic about promoting this way of keeping horses as I see how good it is for their wellbeing.