Amanda Clase, Ph.D.
Instructor

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Amanda Clase, Ph.D. began riding horses when she was 13. She began competing in stadium jumping on an Arabian/Thoroughbred cross and had advanced to dressage and eventing by her later teens.  By the age of 17 she was competing in three day events on her own horse and training and competing for another horse owner.

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In 1989 Amanda took a hiatus from horseback riding to earn her Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of Central Florida followed by a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Colorado. Her scientific career has included a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Health in Hamilton, Montana followed by entry into the U.S. Department of Defense where she currently serves as a senior scientific advisor for Life Sciences.

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Throughout her early riding career, Amanda’s exposure to equine and canine training and management consisted of “old school” aversive methods. Knowing there had to be a better way to build a successful relationship with her animal companions, Amanda dedicated herself to learning and implementing positive training techniques ultimately completing the diploma in Canine Behavior Science and Technology from CASI. She has continued to develop and enhance her skills in animal behavior with a variety of animals to include dogs, cats and horses. She regularly rescues American Pit Bull Terriers from a variety of backgrounds including dogs confiscated from dog fighting busts and places them in loving pet homes. Three of her own pit bulls have successfully worked as therapy dogs at a variety of hospitals, schools and retirement communities.

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Amanda currently has two rescue horses that came to her with no prior training that she is training for pleasure riding and dressage. She is also training an off the track thoroughbred that has required retraining from his racing days and two older trail horses.