our fabulous Trainer
pippa sowers, trainer
We feel truly privileged to have had Pippa Callanan as our trainer and friend.
Pippa’s formation was made with Master Philippe Karl in France. What began as weekly lessons, evolved into a daily formation as his apprentice from February 2020 - March 2022. There, she was able to watch the master ride every morning, receive daily lessons to develop her own young horses, and immerse herself in his methods and equitation. He gave her a progressive, effective and logical base that brings out the talent of all horses. He emphasized the importance of teaching the horse by way of his mind - verses merely developing the body; so when faced with resistances, the rider must decompose and explain, not force. He taught that one of the rider’s priorities must be to develop straightness, achieved by systematically adapting the work to the horse’s natural asymmetry at every stage of their development. He also taught - with outstanding depth and precision - fair and effective methods of the hands to correctly educate a horse’s mouth. Pippa was also given the privilege to learn from his horse, High Noon, while M. Karl was away at his clinic duties. This experience helped her feel first-hand the quality of the contact, balance, impulsion and calm that M. Karl creates in his education of horses. She considers learning from High Noon as one of the greatest gifts of her life. Philippe Karl’s technical acumen, insight, sense of justice and love of horses leaves an indelible mark, so naturally he has become the primary influence of her life with horses. She continues her studies with him in the Ecole de Légèreté at Bordeaux.
After many years working with Bettina, Pippa was encouraged to go to France to assist Ross Harper-Lewis start young lusitanos at her breeding farm outside of Lussat, France. Ross was a long-time student at Nuno Oliveira’s and one of the first civilian women into the Portuguese Calvary School at Malfra. The training there was intensive, and included everything from ground work with foals, backing horses for the first time and riding school masters who could teach feel.
Pippa’s journey began when she was exposed to classical dressage from Bettina Drummond in 2002. Attending clinics with Bettina for a total of eight years (2002-2008 & 2017-2019), she experienced the feel and lightness only possible through tactful horsemanship.
One of the most important aspects of Pippa’s work is how she strives to connect to and understand the interior life of the horse: how they think, feel and learn. This part of her education was deeply influenced by Clay Wright. Her studies with Clay were intensive from 2012 - 2019, during which time he helped her “see” horses. During their time together, they explored everything from haltering a weanling for her first time, to building trust in emotionally traumatized horses, to schooling piaffe, passage and canter pirouettes on upper-level horses.
pippa.callanan@gmail.com
Pippa’s formation was made with Master Philippe Karl in France. What began as weekly lessons, evolved into a daily formation as his apprentice from February 2020 - March 2022. There, she was able to watch the master ride every morning, receive daily lessons to develop her own young horses, and immerse herself in his methods and equitation. He gave her a progressive, effective and logical base that brings out the talent of all horses. He emphasized the importance of teaching the horse by way of his mind - verses merely developing the body; so when faced with resistances, the rider must decompose and explain, not force. He taught that one of the rider’s priorities must be to develop straightness, achieved by systematically adapting the work to the horse’s natural asymmetry at every stage of their development. He also taught - with outstanding depth and precision - fair and effective methods of the hands to correctly educate a horse’s mouth. Pippa was also given the privilege to learn from his horse, High Noon, while M. Karl was away at his clinic duties. This experience helped her feel first-hand the quality of the contact, balance, impulsion and calm that M. Karl creates in his education of horses. She considers learning from High Noon as one of the greatest gifts of her life. Philippe Karl’s technical acumen, insight, sense of justice and love of horses leaves an indelible mark, so naturally he has become the primary influence of her life with horses. She continues her studies with him in the Ecole de Légèreté at Bordeaux.
After many years working with Bettina, Pippa was encouraged to go to France to assist Ross Harper-Lewis start young lusitanos at her breeding farm outside of Lussat, France. Ross was a long-time student at Nuno Oliveira’s and one of the first civilian women into the Portuguese Calvary School at Malfra. The training there was intensive, and included everything from ground work with foals, backing horses for the first time and riding school masters who could teach feel.
Pippa’s journey began when she was exposed to classical dressage from Bettina Drummond in 2002. Attending clinics with Bettina for a total of eight years (2002-2008 & 2017-2019), she experienced the feel and lightness only possible through tactful horsemanship.
One of the most important aspects of Pippa’s work is how she strives to connect to and understand the interior life of the horse: how they think, feel and learn. This part of her education was deeply influenced by Clay Wright. Her studies with Clay were intensive from 2012 - 2019, during which time he helped her “see” horses. During their time together, they explored everything from haltering a weanling for her first time, to building trust in emotionally traumatized horses, to schooling piaffe, passage and canter pirouettes on upper-level horses.
pippa.callanan@gmail.com