We Are Family
England's Equestrian, February 2008

Kuchina Johnson, 41, is a fully registered equine and canine trainer, who along with her husband Sam (41) is responsible for overseeing all the maintenance of the yard and keeping the vehicles on the move.

Kuchina specialises in giving displays, but she has also provided animals for television, including appearing several times herself. In addition she has been the subject of many articles in various publications.

"When my husband Sam and I had our children we raised them to train horses, just as I had been. Aged three, they each started riding and performing for the public soon afterwards. My dad, Brassy Searle, and mum Phoebe, had brought me and my nine brothers and sisters up around Dad's business as a horse and dog trainer."

Frank, 21, is the stunt rider of the family while Kuchina jnr, 13, is an up and coming display rider who is sponsored by Equilibra 500 along with her 9 yr old sister Phoebe. The oldest member of the team is their granddad, Brassy, 79.

They have many breeds of horses on the yard including Spanish, Portuguese and French. The dogs used in the displays are all related except for one lurcher called Woody.

"We are not sexist in any way," said Kuchina."The team consists of stallions, mares and geldings, who all live, travel and train together. Horses have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be, not what you nag them to be and I've found this usually goes for people too."

Kuchina's day starts the same as many of yours will by getting breakfast for the family, feeding the horses, feeding and walking the puppies and dogs and then dropping the youngest children off at school.

After that, most of us would welcome a nice cuppa, but that's when Kuchina's work really starts.

It's back to the yard and the real work begins. First in for work is Nico, a young stallion, who is 3/4 quarters of the way through his training. Nico was imported from Spain when he was three and is a purebred Spanish horse. Kuchina practices his established moves, such as the half pass and the ever so elegant Piaffe. "He has to go through all the moves that he knows well," Kuchina explains, "and then finish the lesson with a move that he is learning, changing a leg every step."

Next is Chardonnay, a young palomino mare, who is in training to be one of the Bodicea horses. The Legend of Bodicea is a real tear-jerker of a display. The emphasis of the display is on the historical side of things - horses at war providing a profound reminder that the blood of horses as well as of humans was shed.

Being a war horse Chardonnay has to be fit, fast and have a fantastic aim so she can stamp on the Roman's head, which in her case is a balloon containing fake blood. She will go through the whole display and then play dead. She then gets a feed while Kuchina has a well-reserved tea break.

"My favourite," Kuchina says," is the ten year-old gelding, Chico. He knows his job inside out and is a joy to work with. He is so well trained, I only have to think of canter, pirouettes and it's done. He's totally committed to his rider whether it be me, Kuchina Jnr, Phoebe, Frank or even Brassy!"

As you can tell they all think the world of this horse!

On next to Mucho Denerio, a very vain Portuguese bull-fighting horse who loves to be looked at. He is a very good dancing horse and also drives to single, pair and team and, along with Eclipse, a four year-old home bred mare, pulls a chariot.

By now it's 1 o'clock and time to go in for lunch. For the next couple hours Kuchina grapples with the house work, returns any outstanding calls and makes a start on any paperwork that needs doing.

"Then it's off to pick up the children from school," she says. "Once home, it's time for tea, then they have to do their chores and homework. Once that's all done - light permitting, I'll give them a riding lesson."

Excitement reigns in the family at the moment as they are in the process of having a 3.5 tonne horsebox specifically built for their display horses and the dogs.

To book Kuchina for your show, please call 01420 478106.