Kat Napier started riding horses when she was 6 years old, and was hooked ever since. She spent several years in her early teens volunteering for the Woodland Park Zoo pony riding program and from there went on to 1/2 leasing a National Show Horse mare which she bussed to 2 hours in each direction. At this point her parents knew she was hooked and Kat got her first horse at 16 years old for $1,500 dollars. Later she would be given a 3yo morgan gelding which she would train through 3rd level. Once in college, Kat had access to more advanced horses and quickly progressed up the levels to Prix St. George and the Advanced Young Rider tests. Currently, Kat is riding and training horses of all ages, breeds, and backgrounds from backing them to PSG. She has also attained her bronze medal on one of the horses she trained.

Instruction

Kat has been a student with: Wendy Meyers, Nancy Smith, Dr Katrina Merkies, Gwen Blake, Leslie Morse, and Beth Glosten. Clinicians she has ridden with include: Conrad Schumacher, Mette Rosencrantz, Dirk Glitz, and  Lee Tubman.

 Conrad Schumacher with Kat on Kastella

2006                                       Working student for Leslie Morse, 2006 WEG Bronze team

·         Riding and showing sale horses

·         Assisting training of clients

·         Barn manager

2005-2006                            Working student for Gwen Blake, Grand Prix rider and trainer        

·         Riding and training of dressage horses and hunters of all levels

·         Teaching pony lessons for children ages 4-12

Summer 2005                      Working student for Penny and Johan Rockx (Dutch B team)

·         Daily riding and lessons on horses through Grand Prix  including young stallions

·         Grooming for 2005 Dutch championships

·         Attending training sessions with Anky Van Grunsven

Education

Kat Napier attended Lake Erie College and worked towards a BS Teacher/trainer major. While attending this school she learned many aspects of the equestrian business such as equine anatomy and lameness, history of horses and horsemanship, facilities management, riding theory and participating in equestrian extracurricular activities, most notably:

 

2004-2005                                          Vice President of Lake Erie College’s Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) Team                                                                                            

·         Team captain and 1st level rider on the team with scores in the 70’s

·         2005 IDA champion team

Lake Erie team members (l to r) Cecily Bonadio, Kat Napier, Coach Katrina Merkies, Christine Talbert and Jill Dumont with the Dressage Today Trophy.
Photo by Cami Harkless

2003-2005                                          President of The Mane Event, an educational performance for the community