Meet the Team!
Kristin, Owner & Instructor (she/her)
Kristin Praly, Owner Operator of Horse Sense Education and Advocacy and Executive Director of Horse Sense Education and Advocacy Nonprofit, has over 40 years of experience with horses in nearly all the capacities horses find themselves working within human life.
Growing up in Saratoga, California, she was fortunate enough to spend all her free time at the many local stables. By the age of 12 Kristin mucked many a stall to raise enough money to pay for half her first horse. A Morgan Quarter horse mare was the first horse the family looked at. “We drove to a horse trader in Morgan Hill. It was winter and she was the prettiest in the line-up. I remember hoping she was the one for sale. Turns out the first thing that pretty horse did was bite me."
Lesson #1: "Do not judge a horse by its color!”
Kristin didn’t say a word about being bitten, hopped on and went for a fun ride. You guessed it. Her dad bought the horse. Kristin named the nameless horse Pepper for her personality. As it turns out, this mare wouldn't allow anyone else to touch her without Kristin present.
"I find that I like to listen to what's being presented to me by the horse. I have since learned that many people cannot connect with horses on the same level that I have always just assumed was natural. "
Katelyn, Diamond Heart Ranchette (she/her)
Katelyn has been surrounded by horses her entire life, gaining experience in Vaulting, Pony Club, Gymkhanas, 4-H, Carriage Driving at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, parades, and various equine community service events.
She began teaching at 15 and believes the greatest reward as an instructor is when a student’s love for horses matches the horse’s enjoyment—when everything just clicks and feels natural.
Her greatest joy comes from seeing her students ride better than she does. Katelyn is dedicated to helping people reach their full potential with confidence and skill.
She is currently studying Criminal Justice with the goal of serving and supporting her community in meaningful ways.
Rachel, Instructor (she/her)
Rachel has been part of the Horse Sense community for many years, growing up in the program before stepping into a teaching role as a teen. She has a deep love for horses and a passion for helping young riders build confidence and connection.
Her experience includes competing in Gymkhanas, Play Days, Obstacle Challenges, and participating in community equine events. While she enjoys all aspects of horsemanship, trail riding and exploring equine therapy are among her favorite pursuits.
Rachel is currently attending San Jose State University, where she’s studying to become an elementary school teacher.
Emily, Scheduling Coordinator & Program Support (she/her)
Emily handles the day-to-day scheduling and communication for Horse Sense, working remotely from Florida. With a background in social work and a strong belief in the power of connection, she helps things run smoothly behind the scenes. Emily is dedicated to making sure students, families, and horses all have the support they need to thrive.
Genevieve, Volunteer Coordinator & Instructor
Genevieve Jones is a copywriter, volunteer coordinator, and educator with a deep passion for equine connection and youth development. She first fell in love with horses as a child growing up on Orcas Island, Washington. After returning to the barn in adulthood, she has remained dedicated ever since. Genevieve is currently pursuing a degree in organizational psychology while gaining hands-on experience in education and nonprofit service. She brings a calm, safety-first approach to teaching, believing that students thrive when given the space to explore, make mistakes, and build confidence at their own pace. As a mother of two, she understands firsthand how powerful horsemanship can be in shaping strong, self-aware young people.
About the Owner
The Rest of the Story...
Kristin and her BLM Mustang Twilight
Horse sense is a development of intuition when someone is willing to listen.
"I was always willing to listen to what my horse was trying to convey. This means that the horse has a say on how they feel about what is taking place between us in any given moment. I never thought riding was about controlling an animal, but with an animal. Riding for me was always about figuring out how to communicate so the horse understood what I was asking. When my horse eagerly or willing complied with my asking, that's when I’d have a GREAT riding day."
Since then Kristin has always looked for better ways to communicate with animals. She is driven to understand what facilitates that communication.
She taught horseback riding and Managed Stallions while attending U.C. Davis and is currently lucky enough to pass on her knowledge to her equally horse crazy teenage daughter Katelyn.
Kristin has been in the horse industry throughout all the changes of theory and styles. She endeavers to stay informed with current industry theories. Her style of working with the animals has the decided focus of understanding the animal and working with the basic concept of ‘walk a mile in the other’s shoe.’
"In order to work with an animal you have to apply yourself and not make the animal do all the work. You have to really want to communicate in a way they understand; otherwise the relationship is very one-sided, frustrating, and not very fun.”
Today Kristin helps people with the many problems they encounter with their equine pals. She helps people realize that horses are more than willing to work with people if the people communicate clearly. Her work isn’t easy. The first step is the hardest. People have to be willing to start on a clean slate and open mind. They have to be willing to live a different way with their ponies and horses. Sometimes, they have to be willing to undo many layers of bad experiences in order to lay the building blocks for a new trust with their animal. “The hardest part for any human is to openly admit they are at the heart of their relationship issue. But I promise everyone this: When you do, you open the door to a world seen through new eyes.”
Kristin’s job is to help the person understand what it means to be equine and help people and their companions find that joyful feeling of being together.