Meet Our Trainer
Rebecca Atwater
Rebecca Atwater has been a professional horse trainer in Santa Barbara since 1995. She has a deep love for horses and her extensive experience and skills allow her to customize training programs to fit you — and your horses’ — individual needs. Many of her clients call her, “The Happiness Director,” as she focuses on safety, fun and enthusiastically supports each rider on achieving their individual riding goals.
Rebecca Atwater is a third generation Santa Barbara resident. Rebecca was born in Paris, France and went to elementary school on a tiny island off the west coast of France called Ile de Re. She attended Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles and then graduated from UCSB with a degree in Biology in 1995. Rebecca has been passionate about horses since early childhood and enjoys learning everything possible about the equine tradition. While at UCSB, Rebecca aspired to be a large animal vet and worked extensively with local large animal veterinarians. However, Rebecca soon realized horse training and sharing her love for horses with others was her true calling and she started her program Santa Barbara Stables.
After taking a year off to get back to her roots in France where she gave riding clinics and rode race horses, Rebecca found her new home at Hilltop. Here, she caters to a small, select group of riders giving lots of personal attention to each horse and rider. Rebecca enjoys instilling confidence in her horses and riders and having much fun while achieving each rider’s personal riding goals.
Rebecca continues to pursue her own riding goals and attend clinics and lessons from masters such as grand prix rider Richard Spooner, judge Dale Peterson and Olympic Coach Daniel Stewart and World Cup rider Bernie Traurig. Rebecca stays open minded and is always thirsting to learn more about the magnificent animals that she is so blessed to work with.
To learn more about Rebecca, read news articles and view videos in the Media section.
