Katherine Pettus
Owner and Manager of Taos Equestrian Center
Katherine Pettus was born in the Philippine Islands and lived in London for most of her childhood. She began riding at the age of four, and learned at various stables in England and Wales, including Benendon School in Kent, and Ross Nye’s Bathurst Mews in London, where she was "head girl" for several years, supervising the stable workers, as well leading rides and teaching Hyde Park. She moved to Canberra, Australia with her family at age fifteen, where she owned her first horses (Tybalt and Coriander), but gave up riding when she graduated high school and attended the University of Sydney. "I didn’t start riding again until I was in my late forties, after my children were leaving home, I had finished my doctorate (in Political Theory at Columbia University) and was ready to learn a new, and incredibly challenging sport – dressage. I started with one horse – a beautiful thoroughbred mare called Elena – and now have about fourteen, including three foals and several yearlings. " Katherine founded Sangre de Cristo Warmbloods to raise quality sporthorses for the regional market.
Katherine’s first dressage teacher was a former Peruvian cavalry officer, Fernando Noriega, who spent some time in Taos sharing his experience as a young student of the European classical teachers, including the legendary Nuno Oliveira. Katherine started Taos Equestrian Center in 2002 as a lesson and boarding barn to serve locals and visitors alike. A center for education in the arts of horsemanship and riding, TEC owns several lesson horses and ponies that are available to regular and visiting students. Taos Equestrian Center has hosted clinics with Dominique Barbier (Dressage for the New Age), Linda Benedick (Yoga for Equestrians and Longeing the Rider for a Perfect Seat), and Nicole Polligeit, among others. Katherine is committed to the lifelong process of becoming a more feeling and effective rider, and loves teaching others the joy of balancing on a moving horse and becoming a true equestrian partner. She teaches beginners and returning adults ("my specialty") and integrates techniques from her yoga and meditation practices to help her students become more relaxed and grounded on their horses.
Katherine takes regular lessons with Alexandra Sternhagen – a "fabulous riding teacher and trainer available to students at TEC," and Nicole Polligeit, a Master trainer from Germany who holds clinics in New Mexico and Colorado. She also clinics with Albrecht Heidemann (coach of the Canadian Junior Olympic Team) when he is in New Mexico. Her current show horse is the imported 2004 Dutch Warmblood Zecret Agent, by 007 out of a Krack C mare.
In keeping with their commitment to excellence in training, Taos Equestrian Center hosts two dressage schooling shows every year (one NMDA show), as well as frequent clinics with instructors from around New Mexico, including Ginger Gaffney, Katrin Silva, Joan Bolton, James Riedeman, and Nicole Trousdale (a veteran hunter-jumper competitor from Colorado).
Katherine welcomes beginners, returning adults, and students from around the world. "We want to share our love of horses and our reverence as their human partners with people who wish to visit Taos, or live here and learn to become better riders."
