Riding high

Photo: Deb DeKoff // Neighbors of Park City.

Wind tangled in her hair, hooves pounding the sand, and waves crashing nearby—this was Kate Lockhart’s idea of freedom as a young girl in Palos Verdes, California. Although she grew up near the ocean, she always felt a pull to something wilder, something quieter, something that smelled like leather and hay. Today, you’ll find her living in the rugged beauty of Kamas, Utah, running Garnet Spur Equestrian and leading the English riding program at High Star Ranch.

Kate’s journey started early. At just eight years old, she begged for riding lessons. Her father, a logical-minded immigrant, said yes—with a catch. “He told me I had to research everything,” Kate recalls with a smile. “So, I mapped out distances, called numbers in the Yellow Pages, and made him a plan.” He agreed—her father’s challenge set Kate on a path that would shape her future. 

By the age of ten Kate was already a standout, competing on the prestigious A Circuit and collecting championship ribbons up and down the West Coast. And while horses were her passion, she didn’t know they would ultimately become her career.

In 1988, she moved to Utah for college, earning degrees in human biology and exercise physiology, only to tuck them away and dive into a corporate career as a software programmer. Still, the horses never left her heart. “I’d go barn to barn asking if anyone needed help,” she says. “I had to keep my job because riding is expensive. But anytime I could ride, I jumped on the opportunity.”

Word of her natural talent spread. Soon, riders were seeking her out—not just for her technique, but for her overall approach and calm demeanor. “Maybe the horse wasn’t jumping, or the rider was anxious… whatever it was, I helped,” she says. After 30 years, she made the leap. Kate left corporate America behind and opened Garnet Spur Equestrian full time.

“It was the best decision of my life,” she says. “The barn is my sanctuary. In a world that’s so noisy, this is where I find peace. I’ve never raised my voice at a horse, or a human, while coaching.”

Her approach is rooted in the traditional English disciplines of Hunters, Jumpers, and Equitation—each requiring a subtle dance between horse and rider. For years she traveled as a freelance trainer. But in 2025, she accepted the role of Head English Trainer at High Star Ranch.

“High Star is a dream,” she says. “The Foreman family has built something special here. Now I have access to Western trainers, trail rides, even chuckwagons. Some of my students shift to Western if they don’t want to jump. Not everyone loves the adrenaline of flying over a jump—they want their horse’s hooves firmly planted on the ground.”

Her clients range from weekend riders to competitive hopefuls. “I train champions. I want to see you on a podium at the Olympics if that’s your goal,” she says. “But I also care about your emotional wellbeing. This sport is about more than precision—it’s about connection. You’re not working with a machine. You’re working with a living, feeling being.”

Kate doesn’t follow a cookie-cutter lesson plan. “Every rider is different. I feel their energy and if I do, so does the horse, so I shift the plan for the day.” she says. “Because the horses will pick up on it. They mirror us.” That intuition is part of what makes Kate one of the most unique trainers in the region. 

From personal experience, Kate knows if she needs support, the horses carry her. “I love my husband and daughters beyond words. But the bond with a horse is different,” she says softly. “When I’ve gone through heartbreak, it was a horse who knew. No words—just a head on my shoulder, a nudge, a breath. These giant, powerful animals offer this quiet, unspoken comfort. It’s sacred.”

In Kate Lockhart’s world, horses are more than just animals. They’re partners, healers, and teachers. Those fortunate enough to ride with her are offered a unique opportunity to reconnect, not only with the horse, but with themselves.