About Tanya Sundlie

Tanya Sundlie was born in Sherwood Park, Alberta, and started riding at the age of three. She joined the Pony Club at the age of six. Ever since she was little she loved everything about horses. She spent hours with her best friend: a Shetland/Welsh pony named Princess. When Tanya was young her passion was jumping, but as she got older she came to realize that solid dressage basics were important to every discipline, and began taking dressage lessons. Even now Tanya has not quite decided what she loves most. She has been successful in the hunter ring, jumper ring, eventing, and dressage.

Tanya riding Rhapsody

Tanya began teaching when she was thirteen for the Strathcona Pony Club, but it was never something she saw herself pursuing as a career. During her teens she spent summers as a working student for Heidi Shultz and then Sharon Markel-Beatie. She completed her HA level in Pony Club, and was a member until she was 21.    It was during her second year of university that Tanya first started teaching as a job to help pay for tuition. She soon discovered how much she enjoyed it, and it was an area she really excelled in. In 1999, Tanya completed her Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Alberta. She still didn't plan to continue teaching and

Tanya, eight years old, riding Sam at her first show.

training full time, as she had big ambitions to join the corporate world. Dreams change, however, and Tanya's did as she started to realize how much she had grown to love teaching riding lessons. After teaching on a regular basis to help pay for school, Tanya had aquired some fantastic students whose loyalty and love of riding inspired her to follow her gift. Tanya is now teaching, training, and coaching full time out of Sherwood Park, and travels to shows throughout Alberta with many of her dedicated students. Her love of teaching is evident to all around her, and to quote her directly, "I'm so lucky to have found a job doing something I enjoy. How many people get to go to work every day and do what they love most?"

Tanya has been teaching out of Shadyvale Equestrian Centre since 1998. She recieved her CEF Level 1 certification in 2001. Tanya has a lot of experience in training and showing horses of all kinds, and in many different disciplines. She specializes in bringing novice or intermediate riders to be responsible horse owners and competitive riders. Tanya's versatility is reflected in her students as well: she has students who compete in eventing, dressage, and the hunter circuit, and many of them ride and/or compete in more than one discipline just as she does.

Philosophy: I believe in focusing on good basics, and teaching through encouragement to build confidence in both the horse and rider. As a teacher, I believe it is very important to stay positive, even during the times when every step forward is followed by a step back. After all, the most important thing in riding is to have fun with your horse!

Tanya riding Alcatraz

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