The Follyfoot Family

Natasha Grof

Nicole was highly recommended to me several years ago and I have been privileged to call her my coach ever since. Nicole is extremely knowledgeable in all aspects equine. Her deep understanding of horse anatomy, biomechanics and psychology coupled with her encouraging, supportive and kind nature sets her apart in her field. Nicole has been invaluable in helping me understand the gaps in my mare’s training. She takes the time to educate me so that I not only better understand my mare and her needs, but also how my riding impacts my mare’s movement and response to my aids. Whether you are new to riding or an experienced rider yourself, you will be hard pressed to find a better, more well rounded coach. I can’t recommend Nicole highly enough!

Leanne Farkas

It is rare to find a barn that feels like family. Becoming a part of the Follyfoot farm has given me a safe space to learn, laugh, grow and make life-long connections that have shaped me into the skilled rider and individual that I am today. Nicole provides an exceptional level of guidance and commitment to her clients unlike any other trainer I have experienced, as she prioritizes the development of meaningful, quality connections with all of her students. Her mentorship throughout my time as a competitive event rider has fostered my self-confidence, resilience and determination which continues to lead me throughout my life today. The Follyfoot community will always feel like family to me!

Elizabeth Litton

After a steady program of coaching under Nicole I am finding my joy has come back. I feel solid and confident in my steadily improving skills. I am happily jumping courses again and I am starting to work on a range of other nuances in my riding.

Sarah Clark

Nicole creates a positive and supportive environment for students to become not only horseback riders but horsemen/women. She believes in asking why and encourages her students to participate in various learning opportunities. Nicole opened my eyes to the wider world of horses and has helped me to accomplish so much. I would not be the rider I am today without her.

I have gained so many friendships as a result of being a part of Follyfoot Farm and I always look forward to supporting other members at horse shows, clinics, and in developing their horses and riding abilities. Follyfoot Farm is a community and you can be sure that no matter what you do, there will be people there rooting for you on your journey.

Michelle Curry

Nicole has been my coach for over a decade now, and there is never a dull moment! She keeps things fun, while knowing just how far to push you (or your horse) out of your comfort zone to learn more each lesson! She is kind hearted, and amazing to help train green horses (or retraining horses learning a new discipline) because of her knowledge of equine learning theory. An overall fantastic woman, and coach!

Sydney Moore

I took lessons with Nicole at Follyfoot for about 5 years, and leased horses through Follyfoot for about 2 years. I heard about Follyfoot through the sibling of a close friend, back in 2009. At the time, my friend and I were new to riding and we started taking semi-private riding lessons together with Nicole. Nicole is an excellent coach and a wonderful person. Her passion for horses and riding was contagious, and she helped to spark my life long passion for all things horse related and guided me in building up a solid foundation of riding skills, horsemanship and understanding of horse care. Follyfoot was an incredibly welcoming and caring environment to learn in, and I am so grateful for all the skills, knowledge and connections I have built through riding with Nicole.

Sarah Lindstein

I have been riding with Nicole Gibby for close to a decade and she's taken my pony Mr. Oats and I from a difficult partnership to one that thrives both at home and at horse shows, horse camping, cross-country trips and others. It's a great feeling to be a horse show and have people recognize you because of how well you are doing!

Kat Pittroff

I've been riding with Nicole since 2012, and she is the best coach I've ever had. She knew when to push me to do better and she knew when to support me where I was at. She took me to my first horse show to my first event and everything in between. I also met my best friend while riding with Nicole, and I'm so thankful for all the opportunities we all had together. Nicole was always there for me outside of riding as well. There are so many wonderful things that have happened with Follyfoot Farm and I'm so grateful to be a part of this team.

Jane Stone

I have known Nicole for many years and have been impressed by her constant quest for knowledge in horsemanship. She is not content to know 'how' but also wants to know 'why'. The horse's welfare and trust is a huge priority with Nicole and for that reason she has had considerable success working with some difficult and sensitive horses. Her enthusiasm and energy added to her passion for horses will continue to ensure the success of Follyfoot Farm.

Seonaid Renwick

What can I say about Nicole ?

When she was still “starting out “ as a coach she would make the trip over by ferry to our isolated little Gulf Island to coach a passle of horse crazy kids all weekend. Nicole was more than a coach , she was, and still is, a dear friend who has the innate ability to bring out the very best in each of her students .

Katie Hannah

Nicole is an excellent coach to work with. She took me on as essentially an adult beginner who'd had a couple spills and was very nervous to return to riding. She believes in me a lot more than I believe in myself and has really helped me and my horse to blossom. Nicole has become a friend who teaches me riding, not just a coach. She's all about putting tools in your toolbox and expanding your knowledge. I'm so very glad I lucked out and started right off the bat with a great coach!

Loralee Burns

I am coming back to riding as an adult and Nicole has been great in helping me find joy and feel safe as I get back into the rhythm of riding. She is patient, kind and very knowledgeable. Nicole genuinely cares for her students and their horses and can design a flexible program based on individual horse and rider needs. She spends time going over basics and also adding in the 'why' behind what we are working on. I feel confident and look forward to building my skills with Nicole's guidance!