I was born in Switzerland in 1973 and am a certified Human Resources Manager. I relocated to Scotland in May 2007, and really enjoy living North of Inverness, on the Black Isle.

I started my riding career on a school horse called "Jessica" when I was appx 10 years old. She was a bay mare and I loved her dearly. In the first years I went regurarly once a week to the nearest riding school and had a group lesson. My parents also let me go to Elgg to spend 2 weeks every summer with Paul Weiers (used to ride for Switzerland - show jumping) stables for a riding holiday. Those 2 weeks were really tough! 14 days of stable management, riding (dressage, jumping, hacks, voltige), theory and tack cleaning. It was exhausting, but I learned a lot during those "holidays".

After I finished my professional education I went off to America from 1994 to 1996. I could not stay without horses for that long and shortly after I arrived there I had a lovely grey TB on loan. Almost every day I'd spend a couple of hours with "Mickey" until he was sold. It broke my heart, but he moved on into a loving new home. 

As soon as I got back to Switzerland I tried to find another horse to share and a friend offered me one of her horses for twice a week. "Wadonga" was 20 years old in 1996, but she did not know that. She still felt like a 3yr old. "Wadonga" was a show jumper in her younger years and was ridden by Willi Melliger (Swiss show jumper). Unfortunately "Wadonga" died when she was 21 because of very bad laminities while in foal.

After that, I decided to take lessons on school horses and not to share a horse again... but not for long. Soon a beautiful grey Trakehner gelding by the name of "Sherry" came along. He was a hot blooded and very well educated gentleman and I rode him a few years until I decided its time to own a horse.

In February 2001 I was surfing the internet and found a picture of a beautiful black andalucian stallion... and he was for sale! I made an appointment with the horse dealer in France and went there to see HIM (Carbonero) the following weekend. I instantly fell in love with this beautiful horse and bought him. Three weeks later he arrived in Switzerland and was gelded. Today I might not have gelded him, but at that time this was not an issue. We had a difficult start with him being a 4 year old, not well handled "stallion". But together we found our way and improved ever since.

In the first years after Carbonero arrived, we played our way up the PNH leader and almost reached Level 3 before I decided its better for me and my horse to do more dressage work. At this time of our dressage career Andrea Mumenthaler (Switzerland) stepped into our lifes and tought us how to ride properly . Andrea had trained with Pedro d'Ameida (Portugal) for many years and shared her knowledge with me. From 2003 to 2005 we worked together and achieved a lot in this time. We started our first L-Kur, but unfortunately Andrea had to stop teaching, because her family was growing.

But I was lucky as another Pedro student, Claudia Zand (Switzerland), started to give lessons as well! During 2006 and 2007 I had lessons with her and we worked towards medium/advanced level! Claudia is also influenced by Bent Branderup (Denmark).

In the years since I have had Carbonero I've also ridden in clinics with Pedro d'Almeida (Portugal), Richard Hinrichs (Germany) and Ruth Giffels (Germany). And I have trained Nero various show tricks by visiting and organising clinics with Peter Pfister (Germany).

In November 2007 I heard about a wild Shetland colt that's looking for a new home. I actually did not plan on getting another horse, or a pony at all! But I went to see him and decided he will be a great little friend for Carbonero. We were not able to catch this little guy at all and it was quiet a challenge to bring him to his new home. But we made it and after a lot of TLC and natural horsemanship he turned into a great little pony within a few weeks! Kairos (Showname Berlouwin Geler) is a registered black Shetland, born in June 2006.