Staff

Nadine Bollig

Owner, Trainer, Coach, Instructor

Reaching Strides Equestrian Centre has been successfully owned and operated by Nadine Bollig since the spring of 2000. Nadine has been involved with horses since the age of 9 when she started to take lessons at a local stable, and within a year had her own first pony, an Appy mare named Sassy who is still a successful member of the school string at the ripe age of 24. Having nearly 20 years of horse experience, Nadine is a current certified Instructor, Equine Behaviourist and Trainer through the Nova Scotia Equestrian Federation and Equine Canada, a certified Level 1 Coach with NCCP Canada, and is currently working to achieve competition coach status.

Nadine has been showing competitively since she was a child and showed in many disciplines including dressage, western pleasure, reining, english, hunter, jumper, driving, and even some barrels and poles. She was an active member of Pony Club and 4-H well into her teens. She uses her extensive experiences and her own training, and puts her heart and soul into the operating of the stable to bring out the best in all of the students and horses at Reaching Strides. Nadine has worked with several trainers throughout her career on the methods of non-resistance training through Natural Horsemanship and implements this into every horse or pony that comes through the training program at RSEC.

Nadine acts as head coach and trainer for the stable and continues to enjoy competing, now mainly in the hunter discipline. She acts as competition coach and travels with students at all levels and disciplines to competitions from fun/schooling shows to Provincial Bronze and National Gold competitions. Horses and Equestrian are her business and her passion, and she is proud to provide to the stable an environment that is family-like, safe, and friendly, and treats all clientele - whether they are horses or people - with open friendship. One of her biggest beliefs is "you walk into the stable a stranger, but you leave as a friend".

Elizabeth Lawrence

Trail Guide

Meet Elizabeth Lawrence, our trail boss. Her Equine partner, Rusty, joins her as head guide on our beginner trail rides. Elizabeth has a strong attitude for learning all she can and is in the process of training him under guidance to drive a cart. This guy is super chill and learns fast. They are an integral part of our team. We are ever so lucky to have them.

David Hayne

Farrier

David Hayne is the Professional Farrier and Hoof Care Specialist for Reaching Strides Equestrian Centre and our clientele. He is the best farrier around and does his job thinking about what is best for the horse. He focuses on balanced as well as therapeutic hoof care for light horses, draft horses, ponies, miniatures, mules and donkeys.

David has been shoeing horses professionally since 1987 and has spent the last 30 plus years in studies of Farriery Science. He is a member of the American Farrier Association and has written and passed the Certified Farrier Written Exam in 2002 in Rochester, New York. He is actively involved with the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the Veterinarian College on Prince Edward Island in the Vet/Farrier Course Programs, and works with vets in therapeutic and pathological cases.

David attended the Atlantic Farrier School in 1987, which was the extension department of the Nova Scotia Agriculture College. He mentored under Rocky Irons and was hired as the substitute instructor at the Atlantic Farrier College. He acts as the Vice President of the Nova Scotia Farrier Association and believes in the motto "Educated Farriers Educating Farriers".

He has mentored with Farriers from the RCMP Musical Ride and participated in clinics with Certified Journeyman Farriers Andrew Elsbree, Fred Bowers, Myron McLean, Dave Farley, Danny Ward and the gentleman who wrote the book on Principals of Horseshoeing, Dr. Doug Butler.

His work is mainly focused on hunter/jumpers, western pleasure and driving horses. You can learn more about his farrier services on the Hoof N' Forge page.

Animal Staff