Mike grew up in Essex and as a boy was a keen member of the Pony Club whose first love was showjumping and eventing it was in these disciplines that he represented the branch. After leaving school there was only one path for him and he followed it via a tough apprenticeship with Shirley Cook breaking youngsters. Mike gained his BHSI teaching certificate whilst serving a spell at Bob Garrett’s Aldborough Hall E.C. as competition rider. Having also worked as showjumping rider to Lady Brookeborough in Ireland, he took the step of going it alone setting up a yard in the beautiful grounds of Hubbards Hall.

It was from here that he decided to launch his eventing career on the lovely grey horse Watch Out, unfortunately the horse had different ideas his heart was not in eventing, so Mike had to turn his hand to training him for dressage and with the help of Eric Theilgaard and Lyndsey Hudson. n`ee Bunting Mike trained and competed Watch Out to Intermediare 1 with great success, and this in turn has helped him in training many more horses and riders for the dressage arena.