Marnie’s Biography


Marnie Hutcheson spent her early years on stage, performing in classical ballet, musical theater, folk singing and opera. She performed and taught dance in major cities in the United States and Canada for over 10 years. In the late 1970’s Marnie worked with US Olympic skating coach, Don Laws, and Olympic choreographer Riki Harris, training Olympians, and elite skaters and gymnasts in the US and Canada.

Today, Marnie Hutcheson holds a degree in Structural Engineering and helps corporations like IBM, and Microsoft develop and launch Internet technologies. She is an internationally published author and speaker in the areas of Internet Development, Project Management, Quality Assurance and Systems Administration.
Marnie creates technical courseware and trains students around the world for Microsoft Corporation. Many of her articles are available online across the Internet and her new book, Software Testing Fundamentals is available in bookstores.

Marnie Hutcheson has been studying and training horses for over 20 years.  During those years, she has competed successfully from the saddle in Western, Endurance, Trail, Hunters, and Dressage.  She began driving a carriage in 1995 with her Arab Saddle bred cross, The Kid.   

They successfully competed their way to the Advanced level of Combined Driving and in 1998 won a place on the USET Long List.  Their list of accomplishments is long, some of the highlights include; 4th  place in the USA at the Festival of Champions in 1999, and 1st place in the Western Regional championship in 2000.  Marnie and The Kid were selected to represent the USA at the 2000 World Singles Championships.  Marnie is one of only two people ever to qualify two horses for the USET Long List in the same year, she did so in 2001 and 2002.

Marnie is known for the special rapport she has with her horses and ponies and has championed several causes on their behalf.  Marnie and her daughter Vel Boyd lobbied for and served on the committee to develop the Very Small Equine Divisions in the United States, giving miniature horses and small ponies divisions suited to their abilities.  Most recently, Marnie invented the Equilib Marathon Pad (patent pending) to protect the single horse from the carriage shafts in the Marathon. 

Students appreciate Marnie’s humor and her expressive and articulate teaching methods. Marnie studies with several internationally ranked drivers, including Michael Freund and Chester Weber, and with Bill Woods in ridden Dressage. Marnie lives and trains at her home Shady Grove Training Center in Ocala Florida.

Click here to contact us at Shady Grove Training Center by email.
Or in the US call 352.207.6520