About Elizabeth

Elizabeth grew up mucking stalls to ride locally for Joanna and Duschka Fowler of Brackenhollow Stables, and achieved her C3 Dressage (1st level) in 2011, and C2 Traditional (Novice) and HB in 2010 through the United States Pony Club with her childhood draft-cross horse, Duckie. Elizabeth competed in USPC nationals from 2008-2012 in both Dressage and Quiz (horse management), landing in the top 10 individual each year. Her early  training was heavily influenced by local and international eventing and dressage experts including Jeremy Beale, Kim and Dietrich von Hopfgarten, Robin Hahn, Nick Holmes-Smith, and many others.

 

While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology & Animal Science at Washington State University (2016), Elizabeth took on the role as head instructor for the Paradise Creek Pony Club in Pullman. With this base of students and horses, Elizabeth formed a small local training program, which she leveraged during this time to support her continuing riding education and local showing throughout college. Elizabeth gained experience with everything from seasoned show horses, ranch horses, difficult “problem,” and green horses, and everything in between, and systematically increasing rideability and training by addressing correct horse management, and capitalizing on the unique resources available to each pair or individual horse and rider. Later while obtaining her M.S. in Developmental Psychology & Translational Neuroscience from Penn State University (2021), Elizabeth continued to ride and train in the heart of East Coast horse country, before ultimately deciding to pursue horses full-time (sorry mom and dad!). Thus began her shift from the world of eventing to dressage, though she will still occasionally hop over a x-rail or small log on a reliable mount.

 

Elizabeth’s long-term goal is to become an international Grand Prix dressage trainer and explore ways to create a positive impact on the sport and PNW equestrian community. She is currently working toward obtaining her scores for the USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals, and growing her local training business, Elizabeth Youatt Equestrian. She currently trains at Cedar Meadow Farm in Maltby, WA, working as an assistant trainer for Kimberly Mitchell. She also works closely with Alyssa Pitts as barn manager/working student, learning the ropes of the industry from some of the best in the area. She is currently taking on her own training clients at Cedar Meadow as well. She also teaches the Rainy Riders Pony Club, based at the Mercer Island Saddle Club, and continues to be an active instructor and examiner for the local Pony Clubs.

 

In her training, she aims to instill correct basics and facilitate a love for the sport, and a strong appreciation for our equine partners and equestrian community. Elizabeth is excited to continue to grow her skills and business, and for the opportunity to learn from and continue to develop relationships with the horses, riders, and equestrian community in the PNW.