ABOUT US

MARK PITMAN

Mark Pitman was born with racing in his blood. His father, Richard Pitman, was a top National Hunt jockey turned racing commentator and his mother, Jenny, is arguably the greatest female trainer in history. Jenny has a full set of Grand National titles including winning the Aintree showpiece – twice! She also won two Cheltenham Gold Cup’s, the Hennessey Gold Cup and the King George VI Gold Cup amongst many other races.

Mark worked for the legendary David Nicholson for three years before moving onto the fifteen times champion trainer Martin Pipe. He later became first jockey to his mother, Jenny, and the two of them had many top class victories including the ultimate prize of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1991.  He was top jockey at the prestigious Aintree festival in 1990 and rode around 300 hundred winners before retiring at the age of 26.

Mark became Assistant Trainer for 3 years to his mother, Jenny, during which time the big race successes continued. Mark then took out his own Trainer’s license in 1996 and having started with just five horses he made an immediate impact when his first runner was a winner. The yard continued to grow and so did the winners.  He trained National Hunt and Flat horses during his 9 year career and trained over 220 winners including winners at the Cheltenham Festival and all the top tracks in the country.

Mark's vast experience in pre-training, therapy, rehabilitation, and starting youngsters utilises his skills and extensive knowledge in preparing racehorses to the best of their ability through the fabulous facilities at our Centre.

KAREN BOURDON

Karen has run a successful Equine Rehabilitation and Therapy Centre for nearly 20 years. She has ridden since childhood and worked with horses for many years. She has experience in horseracing, dressage, showjumping and eventing. She held her amateur flat licence and has evented her own horses, has bred racehorses and also assists in starting youngsters and schooling problem horses.

Karen rode out for the Household Cavalry for 11 years at Knightsbridge barracks for the Household division and the Blues & Royals 1 Troop. At the time she was the longest serving civilian rider exercising one or two horses per day before work.

She set up a successful Equine Therapy and Rehabilitation Centre which specialises in complementary therapies alongside conventional treatments. She specialises in Essential Oil Therapy and produces a range of natural topical remedies for all types of injuries and skin conditions and Karen works with many Vets and Institutions and is a director of Integrate CPD, a company which trains Vets in the use of herbal medicine.