Wind Song Farms is pleased to host these excellent trainers:

Nancy M. Smith

Nancy has a classical background in Dressage and has been very successful training multiple horses to the Grand Prix Level. She has been a member of the United States Dressage Bronze Medal Team at the North American Championships as well as the Alternate for the Pan American Games. Several horses ridden and trained by Nancy have been long listed for the Olympics and World championships with Nancy in the irons.

Contact Nancy at nsmith2132@aol.com or call 352-406-3099

Matt McLaughlin

Matt studied dressage and haute école primarily under USDF Hall of Fame member Chuck Grant and has honed his skills as a performer, trainer, and clinician in venues worldwide. A former Head Trainer for the International Touring Unit of Lipizzaner Stallions and a recipient of the USDF bronze and silver medals.

Contact Matt at info@matt-mclaughlin.com or call 407-957-4587

Kimberly Nelson

Kimberly is a graduate of the prestigious Al-Marah Apprentice Program in Tucson, Arizona and formerly Head Trainer at Arabian Nights Dinner Theater. Kimberly is adept at teaching all aspects of horsemanship. She predominantly uses the art of dressage to help riders and their horses communicate better. Kimberly provides instruction to clients of all ages and ability levels.

Contact Kimberly at kimberlyanenels@yahoo.com or call 407-361-5535

As the founder of Equisential, Inc. Nancy continues to offer quality training packages tailored to fit the needs of both horse and rider. With an established career training and teaching dressage Nancy knows how to help many horses and riders that are struggling to reach their goals. She travels extensively throughout the United States giving weekend clinics and shows the Florida circuit with her Assistant Trainer, Mary Anne Milleman and students. Visit Nancy’s website, Equisentialinc.com to learn more and follow her pursuits up close and personal. Also, read Nancy’s monthly articles and blog!

Nancy has had a life with horses that has been enriched by the opportunity to work with some of the greatest dressage masters of all time. She continues to apply her knowledge in all aspects of horsemanship to help others realize their dreams as well as hers of becoming a member of the United States Equestrian Team. She earned her USET emblem as a member of the 1989 North American Dressage Championship Bronze Medal Team and more recently as the alternate team member for the 1999 Pan American Games.

Matt McLaughlin’s dedication to the training of horse and rider is based on his system of horsemanship that integrates classical principles of dressage, the requirements of today’s competitive dressage, and Natural Horsemanship techniques. Matt McLaughlin studied primarily under Chuck Grant, USDF Hall of Fame member and recognized father of American dressage. As a working student he not only furthered his dressage riding skills, but also learned the art of training horses in haute école for exhibition performances.

Matt spent the next seven years as the Principal Rider, Head Rider, and eventually Head Trainer for an international touring horse show where he trained as many as 16 stallions and riders for the daily performances all over North America, Europe, and Australia as well as performing his own high-energy solo acts. He has successfully trained horses through Grand Prix Dressage that have gone on to compete nationally and internationally, as well as, multiple horses finished in haute école including Capriole, Courbette, and Levade. In 2006, he was the recipient of the USDF Bronze & Silver Medals. In 2010, he started the USDF “L” education program as a first step in becoming a USDF judge. Currently based in Florida, Matt is competing on the Florida show circuit. In addition, Matt travels throughout North America and Europe as a clinician and lectures and performs at exhibition venues with his Andalusian haute école and dressage acts.

Kimberly is a graduate of the prestigious Al-Marah Apprentice Program in Tucson, Arizona. She was honored to be hired on as Assistant Trainer for Al-Marah Arabian Farms at the young age of nineteen, where she trained for three more years under Harold Bright.

Subsequently, Kimberly worked at the popular Arabian Nights Dinner Attraction in Orlando, Florida for twelve years. She worked her way up from Assistant Trainer to Head Trainer and Vice President of Entertainment. During her years with Arabian Nights, Kimberly trained and performed in dressage, saddle seat, high school, western riding, reining, liberty and bridleless and bareback riding. As Head Trainer, Kimberly successfully ran a show with dangerous, edge-of-your-seat stunts safely for years. Her dedication to safety makes her stand out above others.

For the past three years, Kimberly has been developing her own riding and training programs, providing instruction to clients of all ages and ability levels. While most of her clients are adults anxious to improve their relationships with their own horses, she is popular with riders of all ages. Kimberly has proven especially proficient at helping younger riders achieve their potential. With three children of her own, Kimberly fully understands what it takes to teach children to ride. While Kimberly is adept at teaching all aspects of horsemanship, she predominantly uses the art of dressage to help riders and their horses communicate better. Kimberly can be reached at 407-361-5535 for lesson scheduling.