Shannon Pratt-Phillips, PhD, received her Master of Science from the University of Kentucky and her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Guelph, focusing on equine nutrition and exercise physiology. Pratt-Phillips joined the faculty at North Carolina State University in 2006, where she currently teaches equine nutrition in the Department of Animal Science. She is the director of the Distance Education Animal Science Programs, which includes the Master of Animal Science program, and her field of research focuses on glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, obesity, and laminitis prevention and management in horses. She is also the owner of Phillips Equine Nutritional Services, a consulting service.
The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.
A student of Lendon Gray in college, Lauren competed three times at the North American Young Rider Championships, earning Team Bronze in 2003, and Team Gold in 2005, placing as high as fifth individually. She was also successful in the U25 ranks, qualifying three horses for the National Championships, including one made completely from scratch, all before her 25th birthday.
With a semester while in college spent working for 3 time Olympic Gold Medalist Monica Theodorescu and her Olympian father Georg, Lauren knew horses were more than just her passion – they were to be her career. Upon graduating from Sarah Lawrence College with studies in Public Policy and Urban Planning, Lauren spent a year as a working student for several exceptional trainers, including Olympic Bronze Medalist Carol Lavell, before setting up her own business in Marshall, Virginia in the fall of 2007.
Lauren currently rides with Olympic Bronze Medalist Allison Brock.
In addition to riding and training, Lauren has become a popular social media figure. She is an extremely popular blogger for national equestrian magazine The Chronicle Of The Horse, and writes regularly for magazines like Dressage Today and Practical Horseman. She also has an avid following on Facebook and Twitter, and is particularly gifted at promoting her sponsors in creative ways, through marketing campaigns both online and at her Virginia and Florida locations.
The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.
Other info (brief):
Join the Tuscon Dressage Club and Virtual Horse Sport, with their online horse show and fund-raiser. High Score Ribbons and Prizes. Optional Class ribbons through 3rd place, Virtual Ribbons through 9th place. Privacy Option..keep your ride safe. Recieve your results instantly by your email or review your ride online with judges comments under your account. VirtualHorseSport.com offers a seasonal championship. more info...
Ori is a brilliant structural therapist who has a deep knowledge of anatomy, how muscle structure affects movement, and how to specific interventions can help athletes engage in their sport to the best of their ability. She has worked with athletes in many disciplines for the past 36 years including but not only: runners, bicyclists, swimmers, etc. In addition, she worked with CrossFit athletes and developed a program called “Muscle Maintenance” combining yoga, flossing, and rolling to release fascial and muscle tension. Recently she has worked closely with Jane Karol in the equestrian world. Together they have focused on helping riders become aware of how they use their body when they are feeling tension or weakness and how that affects both their development and the movement of their horse. A particular focus is how the body changes with age and how one can strengthen necessary muscles so that people of all ages can continue to grow their knowledge and skill in dressage. Thus, Ori will focus on how the body works at all ages, how it changes with age and how we can learn to build awareness and strength in relation to those changes.
When Jane and Ori work together with a rider Ori will cue the rider on how to engage certain muscles, breathe diaphragmatically to engage the core. At the same time Jane guides the rider to affect the techniques of dressage. The combination has shown clear improvement not only in the rider but the horse as well.
Ori will present a summarization of her work and together Jane and Ori will discuss how they use Ori’s knowledge to help riders of any age or level feel more balanced, stronger and more connected to their horses.
The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.
Hope Cooper and her groom, Josie Zeeb, traveled to Verden, Germany this summer with O Romeo S (Ollie) to compete in the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses. They scored 83.40% on the first day, putting them in 12th place out of 40 entrants and qualified them for Saturday’s large final—a rare accomplishment for a U.S. pair at the world young horse championships. At the finals they finished 12th on a score of 82.40%. Josie and Hope will join us to share the prep and management needed to bringing this young horse overseas to such success. A specific focus will be on Hope’s training philosophy and Josie’s handling techniques on the ground.
Josie's love for horses became clear at an early age and that drove her to join 4H where she expanded her knowledge and made many great friends. Her interest in horses brought her to Bear Spot Farm where she is passionate about her work caring for the horses and hopes to gain more knowledge and experience. “I've loved horses all my life and being at Bear Spot has really opened my eyes to how unique every horse is and how it takes a little listening to really understand these amazing animals”. When not at Bear spot she enjoys spending her time hanging out with her cat Beckett, going on bike rides and working on projects for the Guatemala aid fund where she is the Vice President.
The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.
Dressage horses work hard, and as riders, you are often the first to notice when something just doesn’t feel quite right—maybe a stiffness, unevenness, or a change in attitude. This is the time we should take action to support our horses. In this talk, Dr. Fred Nostrant will explain how acupuncture and chiropractic therapies can help support comfort, soundness, and ease of movement in the dressage horse.
Using clear, real-world examples, Dr. Nostrant will break down how these therapies work, when they’re most useful, and how they fit alongside regular veterinary care, training, and farriery. The focus will be on helping riders recognize subtle signs of discomfort and understand how addressing small issues early can help keep horses feeling good and enjoying their work.
This session is designed to give riders a better understanding of what these therapies can (and can’t) do, and how they can be thoughtfully incorporated into a horse’s regular care to help keep them comfortable, happy, and performing at their best.
The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.
Session facilitated by NEDA's Director of Competitions, Kari Cincotta.
The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.
Laurian Pope is an equine and human bodyworker specializing in Myofascial Release and Craniosacral Release. A lifetime horse enthusiast, Laurian has spent nearly three decades both in and out of the saddle, amassing horsemanship skills that lend themselves to success in her bodywork practice. Those skills, combined with numerous professional certifications and an innate calming energy, allow Laurian to excel in her field, where her paramount goal is to help horses and riders feel their absolute best.
Laurian serves horses and riders of all levels and disciplines, from the grassroots through upper level competitors. Laurian is comfortable working with all genders, breeds, personalities, and collaborates with clients to help them achieve their best through bodywork.
Laurian believes that if we take the time to listen and treat our bodies, and that of our equine partners, the result is the ability to spend more time doing what we love and less time fighting with a restricted form.
Laurian has competed through Preliminary level Eventing, and is a member of both Norfolk Hunt (MA) and Aiken Hounds (SC). Through her time eventing and foxhunting, Laurian learned how a flexible and balanced system can greatly improve the performance and quality of life of our equine partners. With this innate understanding of both human and equine kinesthetics, she decided to become a bodyworker for horses and riders.
Laurian’s transition from equestrian to bodyworker began when she met her mentor, Sharon Taylor, a renowned Equine Physical Therapist in the New England area. After two years of shadowing Sharon, Laurian became certified in Equine Manual Therapy. Additional accreditation was achieved at Cortiva Institute for Massage Therapy. Upon completion, Laurian became a licensed therapist for humans in both Massachusetts and South Carolina. In 2013, Laurian received her National Certification, after which she started her business, Freedom of Movement, which has grown exponentially ever since. Laurian has a tireless commitment to continuing education—she is constantly furthering her human and equine bodywork education through all available modalities. She most recently completed her expert level Myofascial Release certification in October of 2023.
The NEDA Know How webinar series runs every Thursday evening from 7:30pm-8:30pm in January, February, and March. NEDA members can access previously recorded sessions under the "multimedia" dropdown in their member portal.
Other info (brief):
Join the Tuscon Dressage Club and Virtual Horse Sport, with their online horse show and fund-raiser. High Score Ribbons and Prizes. Optional Class ribbons through 3rd place, Virtual Ribbons through 9th place. Privacy Option..keep your ride safe. Recieve your results instantly by your email or review your ride online with judges comments under your account. VirtualHorseSport.com offers a seasonal championship. more info...
Other info (brief):
Join Tuscon Dressage Club and Virtual Horse Sport for their onine horse show and fund raiser. This show brings Nicole Chastain Price who is not only a USEF dressage judge, but a working equitation and western dressage judge, opening the door for other disciplines to compete online. This show is the 3rd to the last show before VHS Championship winners are annouced. more info...
