Instructors

Chandra McNamara

Chandra McNamara has a genuine approach and intuitive skill at communicating with both horses and riders. She is well known and respected within the local horse community for her skills, experience and passion for working with both horses and people. Chandra has been called a “horse whisperer” and can work with the most difficult animals and manage any challenge a rider may have.

Chandra is an Equine Canada Certified Coach and has completed the National Coaching Certification Program. She is certified in Equine Facility Management (Okanagan College), Equine Artificial Insemination (Colorado State University), and holds a diploma in Business Administration (KamEd Institution). Chandra’s other training is Super Host, Foodsafe, Serving it Right and St. John Ambulance First Aid.

Chandra’s volunteer and related experience includes plenty of horse and human interaction. Chandra has taught to Pony Club and 4H children. She has been the Kelowna host for Master Horseman Peter Campbell’s clinics for the past 14 years. She has volunteered at the Kelowna Riding Club shows. She has been Treasurer for the Powell River Trail Riders Club. Chandra also manages her home stables, Woodland Stables, in Kelowna, BC.

Cory Nichols

Cory Nichols has 20+ years experience riding and training horses. She has also worked in veterinary medicine for 18 years. While living in California she had the opportunity to train under Gerhard Politz for 8 years. Gerhard Politz is an FEI Coach with accreditations in both Europe and the US. She also had the pleasure of riding with Olympic rider Steffen Peters. Cory owns a wonderful Hanoverian gelding that she showed extensively, and who is now retired and at home with Cory. Cory works part-time in a small Kelowna animal veterinary hospital which allows her to purse her love of teaching horsemanship and riding to other equine enthusiasts.

Gillian Renner

Gillian first began riding 12 years ago and never looked back. She has pursued riding with passion and dedication, eventually becoming an apprentice to Chandra McNamara and assisting with the development of young horses under saddle. As a working student Gillian has mentored to become a riding coach and is currently working on her Equine Canada Certification.

Having owned horses since the age of 13, Gillian has gained experience with a variety of different horses from the older more experienced horse to the younger, green horse. Gillian enjoys working with all types of horses, from schooling the experienced horse, putting more miles on a green horse or working with a troubled horse. The variety of horses that Gillian has worked with has helped develop her riding skills as well as her understanding of the importance of solid ground work and training.