Welcome to The EquiCan Academy

With more than 20 years of experience building and successfully running businesses, alongside a professional career in healthcare, coaching and equestrian education, Emma brings a unique combination of scientific knowledge, clinical experience, business expertise and real-world equestrian understanding to her role as a mentor.

As a CEO, business mentor, Doctor of Chiropractic and BSc (Hons) graduate in Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Emma has spent her career learning how to understand complex information, identify what really matters and turn it into clear, practical strategies that people can actually use.

Her professional and equestrian qualifications have continued to develop alongside one another. Emma has qualified as an Equine Lameness Expert, Level 1 Equestrian Coach, Child Sports Coach and Veterinary Biomechanics Expert, giving her a broad understanding of both horse and rider and the relationship between them.

Emma's particular strength is her ability to take complicated subjects and break them down into simple, digestible lessons. Her background in clinical science and biomechanics means she can look at problems analytically, while her experience as a coach allows her to translate that knowledge into practical information that riders can understand and apply.

Her approach isn't about overwhelming riders with technical terminology or making subjects more complicated than they need to be. Instead, Emma focuses on helping riders understand the why behind what they are doing. Once a rider understands the reasoning behind a technique, movement or training principle, they are far better equipped to apply it confidently and make good decisions for themselves and their horse.

Unlike many equestrian educators, Emma is also an amateur rider herself. She isn't trying to present herself as an international professional rider, and that is an important part of what makes her perspective so relatable.

She understands what it is like to learn, to have questions, to sometimes feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available and to work towards improving your riding while managing everything else life demands.

As a mother, wife, business owner, CEO and amateur rider, Emma understands the reality of wearing multiple hats. Finding time for horses, family, work and personal development isn't always easy, and she knows that most riders have busy lives outside the stable as well.

Her experience running multiple successful businesses over the last 20 years has also given Emma a valuable understanding of strategy, planning and progression. She knows that achieving meaningful results rarely happens by simply working harder. It requires understanding where you are starting, knowing where you want to go, creating a clear plan and then breaking that plan down into achievable steps.

She brings this same strategic thinking to equestrian education.

Her UKCC Level 1 Equestrian Coaching qualification has provided a formal foundation in coaching, allowing Emma to combine her extensive scientific and professional knowledge with practical coaching principles and an understanding of how riders learn.

Emma is also the author of Falls Prevention and Recovery: The Ultimate Guide for Equestrians and has written numerous articles for health magazines and publications across the UK. Her passion is not simply to provide information, but to make that information accessible, relevant and useful for everyday riders.

Her clinical background gives her another important perspective. As a Doctor of Chiropractic and biomechanics expert, Emma understands the importance of how the human body moves, how the rider interacts with the horse and how seemingly small changes can influence balance, stability, comfort and performance.

Combined with her equine knowledge, this allows her to look at the whole horse-and-rider partnership, rather than viewing the rider or horse in isolation.

Emma believes that knowledge is one of the most powerful tools a rider can have. When riders understand what is happening, why it is happening and what they can do about it, they become more confident, informed and capable of making better decisions.

And importantly, Emma believes these principles apply to every rider.

Whether your goal is to enjoy safe and confident hacking, develop your core riding skills, improve your dressage, jump competitively or ultimately work towards Grand Prix, the fundamental principles of good horsemanship, rider balance, biomechanics, communication and horse welfare remain the same.

You don't need to be an elite rider to benefit from expert knowledge. You need that knowledge explained in a way that makes sense to you.

That is at the heart of Emma's approach.

“My mission is to help as many riders around the world to feel empowered, confident and informed. Knowledge and understanding of horses, combined with strong core riding skills, can make all the difference to your success with your horse — whether that means hacking safely and confidently or progressing towards Grand Prix dressage. The principles are exactly the same.”

Emma's role within EquiCan is therefore not simply to show you what to do. It is to help you understand what, why and how ; giving you the knowledge, structure and confidence to make better decisions throughout your equestrian journey.

With a lifetime dedicated to horses, Debby Lush brings an exceptional depth of knowledge and experience to her role as a mentor. Her career combines elite competition, judging, coaching, scientific education and years of working with horses of all types, making her uniquely placed to help riders understand and improve their training.

A BSc (Hons) graduate in Animal Physiology, Debby has developed her knowledge of horses from both a scientific and practical perspective. Throughout her career, she has ridden and trained all manner of horses, including specialising in retraining horses with problems. This experience has given her an invaluable understanding of how different horses learn, develop and respond to training, as well as the importance of adapting an approach to suit the individual horse and rider.

Debby's own competitive career has taken her to the very highest levels of dressage. She has successfully competed up to and including Grand Prix, riding a variety of horses, and has represented the UK internationally at Small Tour level. Her experience of producing horses for competition means she understands first-hand the dedication, patience, technical skill and preparation required to progress successfully through the levels.

Today, Debby is a List 1 Dressage Judge, having risen through the judging ranks over many years. She now judges at all levels up to and including National Championships, giving her a unique perspective on what separates a good performance from an exceptional one.

This judging experience is an invaluable part of Debby's mentoring. She understands not only what riders need to do to improve their horses, but also what judges are looking for in the arena. She can help riders understand how their training translates into competition performance, where marks are gained and lost, and how small improvements in accuracy, balance, harmony and presentation can make a significant difference.

Alongside her riding and judging career, Debby is an experienced and passionate coach. She has dedicated years to helping riders develop their understanding, improve their technique and build stronger partnerships with their horses. Her approach is rooted in practical experience, recognising that every horse and rider combination is different and that successful training needs to be progressive, sympathetic and purposeful.

Debby's knowledge has also reached far beyond the competition arena. For 10 years she was the Dressage Expert for HORSE magazine, answering readers' questions and writing features to help riders understand the principles of training and improve their own riding.

She is also the author of three books: The Building Blocks of Training, The Successful Dressage Competitor and 100+ School Exercises for Dressage. Through her writing, Debby has shared her knowledge and experience with riders across a wide range of abilities, making complex training concepts accessible and practical.

Her experience isn't limited to dressage either. Debby has successfully competed in show jumping, eventing, side-saddle equitation and hunter classes, giving her a broad understanding of horses and riders across multiple disciplines.

This breadth of experience is what makes Debby such an exceptional mentor. She has been the competitor, the trainer, the coach, the judge and the author. She understands the sport from multiple perspectives and can help riders see not only what they need to improve, but why it matters and how to achieve it.

Whether you are building your foundations, preparing for competition or working towards the higher levels of dressage, Debby brings decades of experience to help you develop your riding, your training and your understanding of the horse.

You aren't simply learning dressage from a rider. You're learning from someone who has spent a lifetime riding, training, judging, coaching and studying horses and who understands what it takes to help both horse and rider reach their full potential.

Nikki Meggison BSc Hons Independent Equine Nutritionist

Nikki Meggison is a UK based, Independent Equine Nutritionist who graduated from Bishop Burton in July 2016 with a BSc Hons in Equine Science and started her own nutrition consultancy and weighbridge service in November 2016. Based in Nidderdale, Nr Harrogate, North Yorkshire, her in person consultations cover from the North of England right up to the Scottish Highlands. She also offers remote consultations with clients all over the UK, Ireland and in other countries throughout the world. 

Nikki has given guest lectures to university degree students, talks to riding clubs and yards and has written articles for national magazines. She is passionate about equine health and welfare and has ridden and owned horses for over 40 years.

Contact details

https://www.equine-nutritionist.co.uk/

07791 583636

nikki@equine-nutritionist.co.uk