About Johanna Nattrass

​Johanna's story begins like most. Born to a horse-crazy mother, Johanna caught the horse-bug very early on.  Johanna and her parents immigrated from Germany, bought a couple acres, and soon after, bought their first horses. Johanna's childhood was spent on the backs of her equine companions, riding through the neighborhood with her mother and friends. One fateful summer, Johanna was sent off to horse-camp at 8 years old and introduced to jumping. It was at horse camp that Johanna fell in love with jumping and decided that she would spend the rest of her life dedicated to horses and pursuing her biggest passion.   ​

​

Over the next years, Johanna took on many working student positions, often finding herself retraining "problem horses" and working extensively with off-the-track Thoroughbreds. Johanna competed on the "A" circuit in Equitation, Hunters, and Show Jumping, winning many classes with her very own off-the-track Thoroughbred. Johanna rode in several clinics with George Morris, Bernie Traurig, and Susie Hutchinson. 

​

In 2011, Johanna took on a position working closely with young Swedish Warmblood stallions, many of which had just been started under saddle and were beginning their breeding careers. During this time, Johanna was presented with the opportunity to work under Olympian Duncan McFarland and Grand-Prix Showjump rider Helen McNaught at their Outwoods Farm. Under their guidance, Johanna conditioned horses for the HITS Circuit and rode sales horses for potential buyers.

​

In 2013, Johanna took advantage of her dual citizenship and moved to Germany where she was offered a job as a correctional rider, working with horses who were unrideable and problematic, helping them overcome traumas and re-enter the arena with newfound confidence and ability to carry all types of riders. She rode under tutelage of several German trainers, both in jumping and dressage. She obtained her Lunging Certificate, Basispass and RA-5 Certifications, qualifying her to compete in Germany in showjumping and dressage, where she consequently competed at local shows with her rehabilitated horses at the L level​.

​

In 2017, Johanna moved back to the United States and focused on dressage, riding for several competitive dressage trainers and taking part in clinics with Jan Ebeling and Christine Traurig.

​

Continually working with more and more horses which were burnt out, mentally unstable, injured and ill,​ Johanna decided it was best to exit the competition scene and dedicate herself to finding out why so many horses within the industry were struggling with mental and physical health and finding the key to overall prevention . 

​

Over the next year, Johanna dove into the works of Dr. Andrew McLean, Dr. Gerd Heuschmann, Philippe Karl, Anja Beran, and the likes, all in an effort to better understand  the psychology and biomechanics of horses and better approaches in order to help horses more. 

​

In 2019, Johanna took on another endeavor-- working on a breeding farm restoring whole groups of mentally and physically unhealthy horses back to health in body and mind. This experience connected more dots for Johanna and brought many answers full circle. These horses were making quicker than usual recoveries when importance was placed on freedom,  socialization, and foraging.​ 

 

Using everything she has learned, from trainjng methods to horse-husbandry, Johanna has become a true out-of-the-box thinker on behalf the horse. Looking at the horse as a whole picture, and working with them on a mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical level, Johanna has found that all ​horses can be easy and predictable and have the ability to retain information and progress faster than their less-fortunate equine peers being approached by human agendas, force and unnatural living standards. When we prioritize the horse's safety, comfort and happiness from a true horse-first standpoint, only then can we do right by the horse.

 

Determined to be the change she wants to see,  Johanna formed JN Equestrian LLC in August of 2025 to educate and open the door to a harmonious and peaceful existence with horses, whether hanging out in the field, out on the trail, or in the arena, on foot or in saddle. ​