Our Instructors
We look forward to getting to know you.
Pippa Hodge
Coach and Physiotherapist
Co-Founder of Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association
Pippa is a CanTRA Coach and Examiner and a Registered Physiotherapist specializing in Clinical Hippotherapy.
Julie Matjiw
Intermediate Instructor
Julie has been involved showing and training horses for most of her life. She has been with VTEA since 1996 and is currently a CanTRA II certified instructor.
Talented in all areas of horsemanship, Julie’s particular gift is understanding the non-verbal communication between horse and human. Julie has achieved Rider Level 5 Equine Canada Status, and is certified in Equine Massage.
Kim Yawney
Basic Instructor
Kim came to VTEA as a volunteer in August 2008 and in October was hired on as Office Coordinator. In 2010 she started with fill-in teaching for the instructors, got her certification in 2013, and continues to teach now.
Kim has horses of her own and knows how therapeutic they are to her life. The best part of her job is seeing the bright eyes, smiles, confidence and self-esteem that horses bring to riders.