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SIDELINESMAGAZINE | June 2026
r. Stefanie Mazer, PsyD, PSYPACT,
is a Licensed Psychologist with deep
expertise in both mental health and
the equestrian world. She provides traditional
psychotherapy, sport and performance psychology
for equestrians (in person and virtually), and Equine
Assisted Psychotherapy at her farm in Loxahatchee,
Florida. Her work blends evidence-based
psychological care with a nuanced understanding
of horse sport and culture, including
horse-and-rider dynamics,
parallel learning between
horse and athlete, and the
pressures faced by riders,
families and trainers.
Raised in Maryland,
Stefanie’s connection
to horses began early.
Some of her earliest
memories involve time
spent at racetracks with
her father and stopping to
greet roadside horses with her
mother. By age 4, she began formal
riding lessons at McDonogh School, where her
passion for horses deepened through a hands-on,
immersive barn upbringing typical of the 1980s.
“We did everything ourselves, no grooms, and
braiders only at major shows. I learned by being
present at the barn,” she recalled. “I was a barn rat,
spending as much time as possible with the horses
and in the barn or fields.”
LEARNING THE
EQUESTRIAN WORLD
At McDonogh School, Stefanie trained under
Street Moore. “He was an exceptional teacher, laid
back, and allowed us autonomy and independence
with guidance,” Stefanie said. “My friends and
I supported each other at shows, fostering a
collaborative and supportive environment and
a shared and meaningful experience of loving
horses, riding and competing year after year.”
Stefanie credits acclaimed trainer Karen Healy
for imparting the riding fundamentals that would
later inform her own teaching. “Karen’s approach
was transformative, equipping me with practical
knowledge to educate others.”
Her riding career continued through
college, and during her senior
year she acquired La Luna, a
4-year-old mare who would
profoundly influence her
life. Shortly after purchase,
La Luna suffered a
near-fatal injury at a
horse show. Despite a
poor prognosis, Stefanie
remained committed to
her recovery. Ultimately,
La Luna made a full return to
health and together they competed
successfully in multiple divisions.
La Luna’s legacy continues through her
daughter, Big Sky, now 18, and Big Sky’s offspring
Sunny, now 5. Big Sky was born during the
second half of Stefanie’s doctoral program with the
intention that she would one day work with people
in a therapeutic setting. “It has been such a joy and
privilege to share her with people suffering from
mental illness or people who are looking to grow, or
improve their relationship with themselves, or their
relationship with their spouse, or other important
people in their life,” Stefanie said.
After earning her Doctorate in Psychology in
2009, Stefanie pursued parallel careers in mental
health and high-level equestrian training through
Forget Me Not Farm in Wellington, Florida. Her
success as a trainer included being named South
Florida Trainer of the Year in 2014 and developing
multiple USEF Horse of the Year winners, Derby
champions, Pony Finals winners and horses and
riders excelling from leadline through Grand Prix
and U25 divisions. “Many of the horses I have trained
continue to achieve great things with new teams, as I
have stepped back from horse training to focus more
on my career as a psychologist,” Stefanie said.
A NEW FOCUS
Today, Dr. Mazer practices psychotherapy in
Wellington and offers telehealth services to clients
in 43 states through her Psypact credentials via
MindWise, Inc. She treats anxiety, depression,
relationship concerns and couples’ issues, and
supports competitive equestrians navigating
performance-related challenges. Her services
integrate clinical psychotherapy with sport
psychology interventions.
Clients may engage in traditional office-based
therapy or participate in sessions involving animals,
including Big Sky and a few retired show horses,
miniature horses, donkeys, alpacas, goats and
birds. “Depending on the clients’ needs, we may
incorporate horses or donkeys into sessions. For
couples, activities with the horses can help them
reenact and illuminate relationship dynamics that
they may not be aware of,” Stefanie explained. “For
individuals, horses can provide immediate, honest
feedback, serving as mirrors and live biofeedback for
clients to learn and grow from especially in terms of
nervous system work and autonomic shifts.”
For individuals and couples, working with
horses can reveal relational patterns, promote
nervous system regulation and provide immediate,
nonverbal feedback. Stefanie’s deep understanding
of the equestrian world positions her to address
issues common among competitive riders, such
as performance anxiety, perfectionism, burnout,
confidence disruptions, social comparison,
boundary-setting and relational stress within
barn and family systems. Evidence-based
approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,
mindfulness-based interventions, emotion
regulation and psychodynamic work are adapted to
the realities of equestrian life.
Stefanie finds her greatest fulfillment in
witnessing her clients’ growth and resilience—
especially when it’s alongside Big Sky. She
remains committed to supporting individuals
and couples through her private practice through
her private practice and farm-based therapeutic
work and hopes to offer future educational
opportunities for psychologists interested in
integrating horses into clinically grounded
mental health care.
DR. STEFANIE
MAZER
Licensed Psychologist, Real
Equestrian World Experience
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