Joanna has over 20 years of animal experience, and is a life-long equestrian. She received her first pony at the age of 7 and spent every possible minute of her childhood riding Sugarfoot. As a neighbor describes it, “Every time I looked out the window Joanna was flying through the air… but she always got back on.†Years later, pony thoroughly tamed, she scraped together all her savings and bought her first horse: a bay Thoroughbred mare named Royal Image.... (read more) She then proceeded to amass a collection of predominately blue ribbons and championships on the Suffolk Horse Show Association circuit, and also participated in 4-H Camps at Wakefield’s Airfield 4-H Center and the Virginia Horse Center. She recently lost her 19 year old off-track Thoroughbred, Gambler but continues her connections with horses through her client’s animals. Beginning at the age of 15, Joanna worked for various stables at multiple levels, from stall cleaning to horse training, and by the age of 19 was the Business and Barn Manager of Lighthorse Farm, LLC, located outside of Harrisonburg, VA. While employed at LHF, she received the highest certifications possible for her age for Barn Management and Hunt Seat Instruction through the American Riding Instructors Association. 

Joanna attended the College of William and Mary for one year, and later graduated Magna cum laude with Distinction from James Madison University with a degree in Biological Anthropology, and has a strong interest in both human and animal behavior. To that end, she has been an active volunteer with Therapy Dogs International since 2011, and has made over 100 documented visits with Kassie TDIA, a 10 year old New Zealand Heading Dog. Since 2013, she has also been volunteering with The Horses Helping Heroes Project (HHHP), an equine-assisted therapy group for Wounded Warriors. Joanna is a graduate student in the Limited-Residency Master of Science in Counseling Psychology program at Prescott College in Arizona. Her coursework includes a concentration in equine-assisted mental health and she currently serves as the Path International certified Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning For HHHP.
Joanna is knowledgeable and experienced in the following areas: farm and stable management, horse and dog training, horse showing, grooming (to include show preparation, body clipping, and braiding), veterinary care, and behavioral issues. She has both personal and professional experience with small-large animal veterinary care, including oral, injectable (IM/IV), and topical medications, bandaging, rehabilitation of injuries, and dietary management. Joanna has worked in two separate veterinary offices for a total of over 4 years, and has a considerable working knowledge of common illnesses, symptoms, and treatments, as well as quick and easy access to both large and small animal veterinarians. She is capable of mending fences, using farm machinery, and calling for help within her considerable network of contractors, mechanics, and animal experts when needed. She has cared for horses, cattle, llama, alpaca, goats, swine, poultry, saltwater and freshwater fish, birds, reptiles, and pocket pets. References available upon request.