Sandra is a nationally Certified High Performance Dressage Coach and Coach Developer for Equestrian Canada. She is a PATH Int'l Master Instructor, CANTRA Instructor, and an FEI Grand Prix rider. She is also a certified STOTT Pilates Instructor.
Sandra has been certified through Equestrian Canada since 1994. In that time she has successfully developed able bodied and para equestrian athletes from the grassroots to seasoned competitors.
Since 2001 Sandra has travelled both independently and with the Canadian team to international competitions including; 2 Paralympic Games, 3 World Championships, 4 European Championships, and numerous other CPEDI's around the world. In 2008 Sandra was awarded the Horse Council BC Coach of the Year and in 2012 the Equine Canada ProChaps Coaching Award. In 2024 she completed her High Performance Coaching and Technical Leadership Graduate Certificate at the School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia.
Among Sandra's coaching accomplishments is the development of senior members of the Canadian Para Equestrian Team in preparation for the 2004 and 2008 Paralympic Games; including one of her long time students Lauren Barwick who won a gold and silver medal in Beijing. Her students have also represented Canada at the North American Junior Young Rider Championships and she is currently working with riders towards the 2027 Pan American Games.
Using her knowledge of dressage and Pilates together with her understanding of horse/ rider biomechanics, Sandra has created a unique program that allows her to incorporate; dressage lessons, mounted lunge lessons and Pilates workouts. The results are progressive training plans specific to each horse and rider that support long term athlete development.
The Fit To Ride Pilates for Equestrians Program is designed to address individual rider needs. The workouts incorporate total body fitness, flexibility and coordination with a focus on core strength and stability. It has proven to be effective in helping riders develop an independent seat with better balance and therefore more effective communication with their horses.
From the onset of her riding career, Sandra has had the opportunity to train with professional coaches who gave her a solid foundation of dressage principles and a clear understanding of the dressage training scale and its application to different horses. Canadian Olympian Leslie Reid, her long-time coach has been the most influential person in Sandra's career and with whom she continues to train regularly.
Sandra has been involved with therapeutic riding and para equestrian since 1991. In 2001 she became the youngest PATH Int'l (formerly NARHA) Master Instructor in North America. PATH Int'l Master Instructors are the leading professionals in therapeutic riding in North America. In her capacity as chairperson for The PATH Int'l Certification Committee, Sandra was involved in developing the onsite workshop and certification program for Instructors. As Lead Faculty and Evaluator for this process she trained and evaluated hundreds of riders and instructors across North America. Sandra now offers an online service which evaluates and provides feedback to improve horse and rider performance.