05/21/2026
On a day when I’m feeling a little defeated, God must have know I needed a little encouragement.
Today, one of the kids I teach brought me a writing assignment that she did at school about the barn. She emphasized everything she loves about Daybreak Farm 🥰 and then shortly after one of my adult students sent me an unexpected testimonial.
…I guess I’ll keep at this a little bit longer 😝
“I came to Laura Pratt with a lifetime of occasional trail rides under my belt — some out West, none of them particularly technical — and the quiet assumption that I basically knew what I was doing. Laura changed that, gently and completely.
Under her guidance, I discovered how much I didn't know about truly communicating with a horse. One of her favorite reminders has become one of mine: "One of you may freak out — and it's never your turn." That single idea captures her philosophy perfectly. Laura teaches from the horse's perspective. As someone with a background in ballroom dance, I recognized immediately that riding is like dancing — each partner has a job to do — that how you ask matters as much as what you ask, and there needs to be a clear leader.
I started lessons with her at 56, a solid beginner with a little fear mixed in. After a year of lessons with her — arena work and trail riding at Daybreak — I recently rode a horse that was beyond me when I first walked through her gate. I didn't just manage that horse — I rode her well, and more than anything, I genuinely enjoyed it. Laura said afterward, "That horse hasn't changed. You have." I felt genuinely proud of that.
The progress I've made is a direct reflection of Laura's ability to look beyond leg cues and meet each student exactly where they are — guiding them toward the best possible version of their riding self. Her facility is beautifully cared for, her standards for safety are unwavering, and the environment she's built at Daybreak is one where any rider, at any level, is welcomed and supported.
As someone who dreamed of riding horses as a little girl, I am so grateful to have found a trainer who honors that journey — the skill-building, the occasional fear, and the very real emotional work that comes with learning horses and, along the way, a little bit about yourself.
Laura Pratt is, in my honest opinion, a true horse and people whisperer. If you are on the fence about making it happen, I highly recommend her. Whatever it takes to get on her schedule — it's worth it.”
Liane Martinelli, W Topsham VT
