Who is Kate Rice?
That’s such a tough question to answer… But here goes! I’m a 37 year old woman who has gone down many interesting paths in her life! I trust that things happen for reasons. Steve Jobs puts it eloquently in his Stanford speech, “Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
What’s my story right now?
Right now, I live in MA and I just had a baby! I am so excited to start this amazing parenting journey with my boyfriend and our dog!
I do a bunch of different things to afford life:
I am a freelance horse trainer and rider (see my Onyva Show Stables web site). I have my own clients, and I help out some professional friends when they need help riding and teaching at home or at shows. It’s great!
I tutor a little, mostly in French but also in Spanish, History, and English.
I am the founder of a product called Stable Secretary – see the Stable Secretary web site. Stable Secretary is software in the “Cloud” that makes barn management easier. It lets you store and access horse health records and service records for all of the horses in your stable, and it helps you do a bunch of other Equine Business related tasks. I released the first version in January, and it’s been very well-accepted and welcomed so far. It’s a great feeling to know that you’re helping people!
What’s my background?
I’ve done a lot during my 37 years – here goes a quick chronological summary:
I started riding in NH when I was about 4 or 5. I rode English and Saddle Seat – my specialties were trail class and costume class. Fun!!!!
When I was 6, I moved to France for 5 years, to a suburb of Paris called St.Germain-en-Laye. It was pretty awesome. I took riding lessons there, too. I was pretty small for a 6 year old, but the local riding schools only had horses. It was exciting (my poor Mom was terrified!)! My Dad had to put the saddle on for me because I couldn’t reach. We eventually found a Pony Club when I was in 4th grade.
Then I moved to NJ for 6th grade. I rode at The Ridge, with Nona Garson, and showed in short stirrup and children’s pony hunter. It was a blast!!!! We had a great group of kids, and we all had so much fun together.
A year later, I moved to MA. I rode with Peter Wylde and showed in the junior hunters and the equitation. I learned a TON, had lots of fun, and made amazing friends on the show circuit.
I had the best horse ever: Redsox.
After high school, I went off to Dartmouth College in Hanover NH. I experienced “normal life”, and I also did do the Intercollegiate Equestrian Team. Again, I met lifelong friends, learned a lot (academic and other), and had some really fun times!
After college, I tried to be a “normal” person for few years – in Cambridge MA and in Washington DC. I worked for a software company and a web development company. It was interesting, had regular hours, and weekends off… What a novelty! I again learned a lot, met some great friends, and got some good life experience
Eventually, the horses drew me back in. I ended up working at WEF for one winter during college, working as a rider/assistant for one summer during college, and then really started back in as a part-time pony rider while I was getting a Masters of Teaching at Simmons College. Once I got my Masters, I went to work full time for a trainer in Northern VA.
With the exception of 2 years teaching High School French and Spanish in Arlington VA, I’ve been back at the horses ever since. I’ve had the amazing fortune to work for some of the best in the industry (Thank You to Sandy Ferrell and Peter Wylde). I’ve been lucky enough to spend lots of winters in Wellington FL where I’ve learned the best from the best. And I’m so grateful to have made great personal and working relationships with some of the best people I’ll ever meet.
What do I want to do?
My main concern is to be happy and to enjoy life. To me, I suppose that means being involved in and passionate about one or more activities – whether it’s your job, your family, your hobby, or whatever motivates you to get up in the morning and do your best.
