Natalya Slipchenko
USDF Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medalist
How it began and how it's going:
Natalya started riding at the age of 6 when her immigrant parents accidentally stopped by a riding stable. Within a few years she had convinced the instructor and boarders to let her ride every single horse on the property. After a few moves across the country, she found a barn where she was able to show in the local Hunter/Jumper circuit. She also showed in the county and state 4H during her highschool years. She helped run summer camps, teaching children how to ride, and spending the long summer days at the barn, always around horses. When she began college, she became a working student for Jennifer Conour and entered the world of dressage. During the summers she worked every day at the barn, and during the school year she would drive over an hour 3-4 days a week after class or on the weekends to be able to continue riding, learning, and working. After completing two Bachelor’s of Science degrees in Animal Science and Agribusiness from Purdue University, she moved to Davis, California to complete her Master of Science degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics from UC Davis. Since moving here, she has started slowly building her business and clientele. She runs a boutique training and coaching business with a select few clients and horses that keep her busy outside of school. She is also the current coach of the UC Davis Dressage Team
Experience & Achievements:
During her time as a working student Natalya has competed at US Dressage Finals at Training level through Grand Prix on a multitude of different horses. She has extensive experience in showing and riding all ages, temperaments, and breeds of horses. Natalya has never said no to finding success on any horse.
Natalya is not only a bronze, silver, and gold medalist, but she has also obtained her bronze, silver, and gold freestyle bars and thus has been awarded the USDF 2021 Diamond Achievement Award. For this award, her name has been engraved on the USDF Diamond Achievement plaque housed at USDF.
Philosophy:
Her philosophy is to understand each horse individually, and to tailor her style and approach to each horse in order to unlock their potential and help them learn to be happy partners for their owners or to help them find confidence in their job. She gears the same philosophy toward her students, and searches for the best way to help them achieve their individual goals.
She believes in always learning and improving her riding, and thus consistently trains with Kasey Perry-Glass, and clinics with Jeremy Steinberg.
She is passionate about helping equestrians who are enthusiastic about their own and their horse’s progress and are engaged and willing to work hard toward their goals.
Riding Accomplishments:
2021
USDF Diamond Achievement
Dressage Horse of the Year, Training Level: 5th (Leonardo Z)
2019
USDF Gold Medal
USDF Gold Freestyle Bar
USDF Silver Freestyle Bar
Champion Grand Prix AA, Region 2 Championships (Lloron)
5th Grand Prix Freestyle Open, Region 2 Championships (Lloron)
7th Third Level Freestyle, Region 2 Championships (Ravella)
7th Grand Prix Freestyle AA, Dressage Finals (Lloron)
8th Fourth Level Freestyle Open, Region 2 Championships (FHF Pequin)
9th Intermediate I Freestyle AA, Dressage Finals (Windchaser)
AA Musical Freestyle Year End Award, Grand Prix: 8th (Lloron)
2018
USDF Bronze Medal
USDF Silver Medal
USDF Bronze Freestyle Bar
Champion KWPN Materiale 3YO Filly (Karieta Texel)
4th Training Level AA, Region 2 Championships (Drain’s Marlo Tommy)
4th Third Level AA, Region 2 Championships (Ravella)
5th Fourth Level AA, Region 2 Championships (Windchaser)
5th Third Level Freestyle Open, Region 2 Championships (Windchaser)
9th Fourth Level Freestyle Open, Region 2 Championships (Windchaser)
9th Third Level Freestyle AA, Dressage Finals (Windchaser)
10th Third Level Freestyle Open, Region 2 Championships (Ravella)
10th First Level Freestyle Open, Region 2 Championships (Drain’s Marlo Tommy)
2017
Champion First Level Freestyle, Region 2 Championships (Ravella)
3rd First Level Jr/Yr, Region 2 Championships (Ravella)
4th Training Level Jr/Yr, Region 2 Championships (Ravella)
7th First Level Freestyle Open, Dressage Finals (Windchaser)
10th Second Level Freestyle Open, Dressage Finals (Windchaser)
2013
3rd IHJA Children’s Medal, IHJA Medal Finals
2012
Champion Equitation Over Fences, Indiana State Fair
Reserve Hunter Over Fences, Indiana State Fair
