Kathy Priest
Dressage Rider, Trainer and Instructor

Life Beyond Horses

Family time is a priority to Kathy and her husband Gary. A successful equine veterinarian, Gary has his own surgery and is the vet for all 100+ horses at Woodspring Farm. Son David graduated from Columbia University with a Pre-Med degree. David has also recently taken up roping and has his own roping horse at the farm—the only Quarter Horse on the farm. Daughter Katie attends Vanderbilt University.

In addition to the Quarter Horse and the warmbloods, Woodspring Farm is home to many thoroughbreds. Kathy enjoys being part of the process of all the pieces that go into developing a successful racehorse. She has experience starting the youngsters and breaking them, but she especially enjoys her time with the foals.

“I enjoy what I am doing right now which is looking out one of my windows at five foals romping in the field with their mothers—our newest babies. I enjoy raising athletes and foaling them out and getting them ready for the sales or the race track. I love developing these horses.”

If she couldn’t have horses in her life, Kathy admits she would have done something artistic. “I would be an interior designer or something artistic. I love antiques, beautiful rugs and nice furniture. I also always thought that at some point I would go to a third world country with the peace corp.” She admits she has two friends who share a common goal with her. “We always talk about someday running a tiki hut on a beach somewhere in the Caribbean when we are too old to ride.”

Short of walking on the beach barefoot sipping an umbrella drink out of a coconut, Kathy says she wouldn’t change anything. “I have a barn full of nice owners and horses. I’ve got great young horses coming along. I’d like to be in the same place five years from now.”