Our Team
Meet the Team
At Thurleigh Equestrian Centre, we are proud to have a dedicated team of professionals who bring together expertise in equine care, rider coaching, and inclusive education. Every member of our team shares a commitment to the wellbeing of both horses and people, and to creating a calm, supportive learning environment for all.
Alternative Provision Manager
Lis Cooper
Lis is our alternative provision manager and also one of our wonderful teachers
With over 20 years' of teaching experience; working with learners of all ages and abilities, she’s taught everything from Science to PE to English, in classrooms, outdoor settings and 1:1 sessions. She brings warmth, creativity and understanding to every lesson.
A qualified teacher (SCITT PGCE) Lis has extensive training in areas such as Adverse Childhood Experiences, Trauma-Informed Practice, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and behaviour de-escalation. She’s known for her dynamic approach, deep empathy and ability to meet each learner exactly where they are.
Lis is also neurodivergent (ASD and ADHD) and is a parent to neurodivergent children, so she knows, personally, what life can be like behind closed doors. This understanding fuels her passion for creating an environment where young people who find life difficult can grow into the best version of themselves.
When she’s not teaching, you’ll find her with the horses she’s loved all her life, knowing first-hand how deeply therapeutic they can be, far beyond the saddle.
Lis doesn’t just teach; she cares, connects and champions every learner who walks through our gates.
Teacher
Louise
Louise’s journey to Progressive Strides combines horses, teaching and a commitment to supporting young people with SEND.
Growing up riding and spending her early years with Oakley West Pony Club, Louise went on to gain a wide range of equestrian qualifications, including her AI and competed to a high level, all experiences that shape her work today
Louise studied at Exeter University, graduating with a BA Ed (Hons) in Teaching, specialising in Physical Education and Mathematics. She spent many happy years in mainstream education, eventually leading a department, before leaving the classroom in 2015
In 2004, Louise travelled to India, where she spent two years studying Ayurveda and training as a qualified yoga teacher. This time had a lasting impact on her approach, deepening her understanding of wellbeing, mindfulness, regulation and the powerful connection between mind and body
Through her own experience of ADHD, Louise developed a strong passion for supporting children with SEND. In 2015, she set up her own tutoring business, teaching Maths and English and working closely with SEND learners and their families, supporting diagnostic journeys, developing practical learning strategies and helping with EHCP applications and reviews.
Louise describes her role at Progressive Strides as her dream job, bringing together her lifelong love of horses with her passion for teaching, wellbeing and empowering young people to thrive
We’re so proud to have Louise as part of our wonderful Progressive Strides team.
Director / Owner of Thurleigh Equestrian Centre
Beth Maloney
Beth heads up the team here at Thurleigh and we couldn't be in a safer, more experienced pair of hands.
Beth has loved horses from a very young age but at 12 years old she finally got her first pony, Holly, a sweet Welsh Section A.
What followed was a teenage whirlwind of cross-country adventures, unruly TB cross horses and a growing passion that led Beth to train under legendary Olympian Jennie Loriston-Clarke at Catherston Stud.
With a degree in Equine Studies, British Horse Society qualifications and years working as a dressage rider and instructor, Beth found her heart horse, Blackie, a KWPN gelding who journeyed with her for almost three decades.
Beth’s career also took her into Further and Higher Education, where she built and led Equine Departments across the UK, wrote equine textbooks, founded the global home-study company Horses & Courses, and even served as non-exec director for participation at the British Equestrian Federation, playing a role in both the London and Rio Olympics.
In 2012, Beth made the leap back to where her heart truly belonged and bought Thurleigh Equestrian Centre.
Since then, she’s poured every bit of her experience into creating a welcoming, educational and inspiring environment for horses and people of all ages and abilities.
Today Beth leads with passion, kindness and an unshakeable belief in how horses can change people’s lives.
Teaching Assistant
Angela
Angela has been around horses for as long as she can remember. She grew up on a livestock farm and started out with mini Shetland ponies that she broke to harness herself. By the age of 13 she had already backed her own mare and was working through her BHS stages and NVQ equine qualifications.
Since then, horses have always been part of her life. Her heart horse was “Scotchie,” a 16.3hh chestnut Trakehner gelding, and today she shares her time with Nero, her palomino German Warmblood.
Angela’s professional experience in the equine world is extensive. She spent four years as an Equine Instructor Technician at Shuttleworth College, where she supported yard management, supervised students and taught practical equine skills across different levels. She also spent seven years managing Home Farm Stables and worked as Yard Manager at Holme Park Stud Livery Yard. Alongside her work with us, she runs Angelford Equestrian Behavioural and Bodywork Therapy, helping horses with behavioural and physical challenges.
​
Angela describes herself as neurodivergent, identifying with ADHD and possibly autism. Her own experiences of feeling like an outsider, combined with years of behavioural work with horses, have shaped her ability to understand and support young people who may struggle to fit into traditional environments.
​
She brings empathy, patience and deep understanding to everything she does at Progressive Strides, helping young people feel safe, understood and able to thrive.
Experienced SEND Educators
Our Alternative Provision is led by highly qualified SEND/SEMH teachers and experienced teaching assistants with extensive backgrounds in working with young people who have SEND and SEMH needs. Our teaching staff bring experience from both mainstream and specialist equine settings, and are trained in trauma-informed practice, emotional regulation strategies, and person-centred support. Their approach is rooted in empathy, structure and consistency — helping learners feel safe, respected and able to succeed.
Skilled Grooms and Horse Care Professionals
Our yard is managed by a team of experienced grooms who are passionate about horse
welfare and horsemanship. They provide consistent, high-quality care to our horses and are
integral to maintaining the calm, organised atmosphere of the yard. With a wealth of
knowledge in equine behaviour and wellbeing, they ensure every horse is healthy,
comfortable, and supported in their work. Their attention to detail, knowledge of equine
behaviour, and commitment to best practice ensure that our horses remain happy, healthy,
and well-prepared for work.
Collaborative and Values-Led
As a team, we work closely together, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice, and
supporting each other to deliver the best possible experience for every horse and every
person who comes through our gates.