About
Animals have always been a huge part of my life. Some of my earliest memories involve cuddling our family puppy, asking for a kitten, and begging to go horse riding whenever I could. I was always happiest sitting quietly with animals rather than playing with other children, and that’s still very much true today.
At home, life is never quiet in the best way! I share it with my Jack Russell Terrier Teddy, an orange cat called Scooter, and two hamsters, Badger and Bandit, along with my husband who is just as animal-mad as I am. We also had two horses, Storm and Bouncer, who were a huge part of our lives. Storm passed away a few years ago, and we very recently lost Bouncer, which has been a big loss. They both shaped so much of how I understand animals, behaviour, and partnership, and I still ride when I can, with hopes of having another horse again one day when the time is right.
My path into animal work has had a couple of turns, but always came back to animals. I first studied Equine Business Management, where I really started building my understanding of horses, handling, and behaviour. After that I went on to complete a BA (Hons) in Sustainable Development, but during that time I realised more and more how much I wanted to work with animals day to day. That’s what brought me back into animal work properly and set everything else in motion.
Alongside my studies and working in the charity sector, I’ve worked hands-on with animals for years, which is where most of my learning has really come from. I’ve worked with all sorts of dogs, from busy, high-energy working breeds to nervous rescues who needed a bit more time and understanding. I’ve supported dogs with reactivity, separation-related struggles, confidence issues, and everything in between.
These days, most of my time is spent between my dog walking and pet care work, training support, and running Mantrailing sessions, which I really enjoy. At the heart of everything I do is a simple goal, helping animals feel safer, more understood, and more able to cope with the world around them, while helping their people feel more confident working with them.
