“...I envy and recommend her to anybody who has this Olympic dream.” Michael Poulin
Katie Poag, an FEI Dressage competitor and trainer, has created a business in Charleston, South Carolina, providing the highest quality of instruction and training to the community of riders and horses. She has earned her USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals, won multiple Regional and CBLM Championships, and competed at the North American Young Riders Championships three times with team and individual placings. Since 2007 she has been a member of the Young Dressage Horse Trainers Symposium started by Scott Hassler, the US Young Horse Head Coach.
Katie’s ability to understand and train horses is remarkable and inspiring. She can help riders reach their goals whether they are beginners on a lunge line developing their balance, amateurs moving up to conquer the next level, or young riders qualifying for the North American Young Riders Championships.
She currently trains with Michael Poulin, an international competitor, trainer, FEI “I” Judge, Team Bronze Medalist for the US in the 1992 Olympics, director of many dressage foundations, and developer of educational programs. He is also an examiner for the USDF Instructor Certification Program. Together Katie and Michael have a seamless understanding like no other. Michael supports and even pushes Katie toward her goals, which include competing in the Olympics.
“This is Katie’s complete resume and I have read and can attest that it is true. After working with Katie for several years and after observing physical and mental abilities that are rare at the Olympic level; noting that she has all of these qualities, I envy and recommend her to anybody who has this Olympic dream.”
Michael Poulin
Katie developed a love and determination for riding at an early age. Her father, Pace Poag, died suddenly when she was 6 years old and horseback riding lessons helped to keep her mind off the loss of her father. By age 12, Katie’s focus was dressage. It soon became her passion.
Her early years of training were well developed by Tami Batts, Stacey Hastings and Michael Poulin. She has been able to clinic with many top people such as Volker Morits, Carol Grant, Betsy Steiner, Robert Dover, Hokan Thorn, Gunner Osterguard, Kay Meredith, Linda Zang, Shay Walsh, Jessica Ransehousen and others. After graduating college with a BFA in Photography, Katie had the opportunity to live and work at Klaus Balkenhol’s farm in Rosendahl, Germany. She worked for Betsy Rebar Sell, the 1999 US Team Gold Medalist at the Pan Am Games, while Betsy trained with Klaus Balkenhol. The experience was eye opening, educational and unforgettable. There were horses to ride and Olympic riders to watch. US top riders Debbie McDonald, Gunter Sidel and George Williams came over to train toward the end of Katie’s time in Germany.
Katie resides and trains out of Harmony Stables, a family owned farm that is one of the few quality training facilities in the Charleston area for the discipline of dressage. With an international airport 12 miles away and a small local airport just down the road, owners, sponsors and clinicians have easy access to the property.
Katie applies her experiences, natural feel and education to her training and teaching. All of her own horses have been trained from the beginning levels to FEI. She currently has a six year old, with grand prix potential, moving up. Rembrandt, a Friesian owned by Diane LeFevre, has also been brought along from training level to Grand Prix, and competed at Devon.
Not only does Katie compete through the levels, she is successful with creating and competing in freestyles. She enjoys working with the horses and her students to choreograph and connect movements to fun and inspiring music. During the season Katie and students compete throughout their region and neighboring states earning qualifying scores and year end points. As they move through the levels, Katie’s students say that they feel and appreciate her hard work and dedication in supporting them reach their goals, whether small or big.
In Katie’s words, “I have always found dressage fun, enlightening, challenging and fulfilling, and I want my students and horses to have the same experiences of enjoyment and satisfaction. To me, dressage is a sport that is both exquisite and humbling, and I want to continue this ultimate communication between horse and rider.”
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