Empirical Equestrian- Issy Cless

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United States
Sherborn, MA
Empirical Equestrian- Issy Cless

Using science-based training & horse care to create fulfilling partnerships between horse and rider She draws from 3 areas of expertise:

1.

Issy’s training approach treats every horse and rider as an individual, and combines elements of classical dressage, centered riding, natural horsemanship, and positive reinforcement/clicker training. She has years of experience working with horses needing either physical or mental rehabilitation including OTTBs and rescue horses. In addition to working with many privately owned horses, she has w

orked for New Vocations thoroughbred adoption program, the MSPCA’s equine program, and currently New England Equine Rescue North. She enjoys sharing this background with her lesson students and teaching them how to be horse trainers and physical therapists, not just riders.

2. She has a classical education with upper level eventing, dressage, and jumper trainers, and has achieved multiple regional and national awards in eventing through Training level for top placings, and has competed successfully through the Preliminary level. She has trained multiple horses from the ground up through Novice level eventing and 2nd level dressage movements, and is comfortable schooling 3rd level dressage. She enjoys coaching her advanced students in lower level eventing and dressage.

3. She has a Master’s degree in Biology specializing in animal behavior and welfare, so her training philosophy is based in science and not just hear-say. She is a continuing student of equine behavior and animal learning, and shares this background with her lesson students.

11/09/2025

Proud to know these riders and horses: and Merlin and and Ranger competed in the Versatile Horse and Rider competition at .

They’ve been training hard for months at home and showcased their skills and adaptability on the big stage — er, arena — this weekend. The course was incredibly complex and difficult, designed to test horse and rider athleticism, harmony, trust, horsemanship, and perhaps hardest of all, keeping their cool in a crazy environment with EDM🎵, bright lights🤩, hundreds of cheering spectators🗣️, and more🎈.

Brianna and Merlin broke the top ten!!! 🏅 Coming in 9th place out of an INCREDIBLY competitive field of 26.

Congrats Bri and Jillian! 👏🏼💜👏🏼💙👏🏼

10/31/2025

Happy spooky season to all who celebrate! Flashback to Laddie and Ranger being the cutest ghosties last year 👻👻 (and maybe the only ones who would have tolerated our silly ideas)

10/09/2025

We had the pleasure of hosting Lucile Bump for a clinic. Morning of seminar and questions, followed by mounted lessons. Riders and ponies were rockstars and learned so much from Lucile and Traci 🙌🦄

09/18/2025

FREE LUNCH! ...with your audit of our Centered Riding clinic with Lucile Bump 😉 Audit fee gets you Lucile's 2-hour seminar, complimentary lunch, and unlimited auditing all day long. The value of this clinic can't be beat.

Limited riding spots still available, contact Jillian Kaplan for availability.

08/05/2025

This guy is beloved in my lesson program, and has been so fun to produce, but it is really time to find him a new home. Just turned 6, shire/tb cross with some Labrador retriever thrown in. 17 hh but the perfect size for anyone, not too wide to make smaller riders uncomfortable. Clean X-rays. Asking 2️⃣5️⃣K Resume includes:

*winning both of his dressage classes at intro and training level and receiving high score of the day for all classes.
*schooling all 2nd level movements with tons of ability to move up the levels
*the best canter and gallop I’ve ever ridden on a draft cross
*Loves the beach, Foxhunting, and trails with friends
*Great for trailering and well behaved off property
*Started in driving and excellent for longlining
*Jumping 2’6 courses with super rhythm and comfortable jump, forgiving of bad distances and different riders
*Always keeps all 4 feet on the ground. Safe as can be but fun for a more experienced rider who likes a horse they don’t have to kick all the time and who works well off of the seat
*Solid ground manners, no vices
*Schooling water, banks and ditches and would make an excellent lower level eventer with a bit more experience
*Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, total ham!

07/01/2025

We have 3 awesome, safe horses available for partial lease in Sherborn at a facility with an outdoor arena, acres of fields and trails to ride out on and a friendly adult-based community. We do eventing and dressage but don’t care what your riding background is. Come enjoy the therapeutic effects of being around happy horses doing horse things in a natural environment! Also a couple lesson openings for teens or adults on weekday evenings!

06/17/2025

Now with additional schooling in lateral movements and over fences, and clean X-rays, Captain is ready for show season 2025 in your discipline of choice!

Captain is a stunning, in-your-pocket 6 y/o 16.3hh Shire x TB gelding ready for his next home.

Captain is a naturally beautiful and flashy mover with an uphill canter. He has developed a lovely trot lengthen and is confirmed in shoulder-in, renvers, and travers, making him a promising upper-level dressage prospect.

Well started over fences as well, Captain is sensible and willing with all types of fillers, ditches, banks, water, and terrain. He is schooling up to 2’6” (with plenty of scope for more) and has an excellent gallop, making him a great eventing prospect as well.

He has two wins in a dressage show, competed in a 3-phase, has been foxhunting and to the beach, on the trails in groups and solo, trailers well, ties, and is excellent off-property.

Captain is not your typical draft cross—he is forward and sensitive, not a kick ride. But, he is SAFE. He has had multiple adult amateurs ride him in lessons, and is a barn favorite. He has good brakes, responds well to your seat, and has never had a buck, bolt, or rear. He wants to be friends with every person, horse, or animal he meets – a gentle giant. He is mid-low in the pecking order and gets along with everyone.

Though Captain has a great brain, he is still young, so would benefit from a confident rider to help bring him along. He looks to his rider for reassurance when hacking solo or when faced with something new.

Captain is offered at 25,000 obo in Sherborn, MA.
Short local trials considered.
On-farm lease-to-own also a possibility.

04/25/2025

We believe that Friends, (Free-choice) Forage, and Freedom are basic equine rights, at all times of year. All of the studies on equine health and welfare demonstrate that nothing can replace these 3Fs. So many horse owners spend tons of money on supplements, fancy gadgets, extra veterinary maintenance, and training for their horses trying to fix various issues, but fail to consider if these basic needs are being met. While these additional expenditures can help some horses even more, many minor physical and behavioral “problems” are fixed or greatly alleviated by simply providing the horse with species-appropriate care.

On a personal note, I gave up a very lucrative business operation to move to a location less suited to a business but where I could better meet the horses’ needs. This has not been easy, but I do not regret it. The physical and behavioral improvements in the horses are remarkable. I am grateful to all of my clients who have stuck with me long enough to see the changes and benefit from the therapeutic effects of riding, working with, and just being around truly happy horses.

04/14/2025

We asked AI to turn our herd into humans 😂 MUST swipe to the end. Which was the best horse-to-human transformation?

03/26/2025

It’s a good feeling when the (big) babies are so eager to get back to work after winter off that they come over and watch entire training sessions with the other horses and compete over who gets to go next.

Having a break/lighter period of work is so important for them both physically and mentally!

03/24/2025

It's officially Spring, but this weather has us mentally in Winter 🥶 The last of our Winter Learning Series sessions are OPEN!!!! Bring a friend to one of our low-cost, low-pressure clinics -- no horse required! (In-hand clinics will use Empirical Equestrian horses)

Monday 3/24: Dealing with Spooking, $40 pp
SIGN UP HERE https://forms.gle/9awoMjAd95u7xGrP8

Thursday 3/27: Horse Trivia Night #2, $25 pp
SIGN UP HERE https://forms.gle/MJV8yvz5bW3otDvG8

Saturday 3/29: How to Lunge & Long Line, $50 pp
SIGN UP HERE https://forms.gle/MJV8yvz5bW3otDvG8

Sunday 3/30: Liberty Work 101, $50 pp
SIGN UP HERE https://forms.gle/MJV8yvz5bW3otDvG8

Monday 3/31: Horse Trivia Night #3, $25 pp
SIGN UP HERE https://forms.gle/MJV8yvz5bW3otDvG8

* $5 discount to Empirical Equestrian community
** Signing up is reserving your spot; no-shows or cancellations will still be charged

03/17/2025

Our next round of “Winter Learning” sessions are open NOW! Sessions are 1-2 hours, and may be seminar style, in hand (with our horses), or a mix of both. Grab a friend and head to Sherborn for a fun, affordable, and low-pressure clinic with Issy before show season starts up.

Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeB2wE8Go571e4CkiNmBqIL6MwNcQU31pceagxQN_oT4T20AQ/viewform

3/19 Wednesday: TRIVIA! $25 per person, winner gets prize

3/22 Saturday: Troubleshooting “Problem Behaviors” $50 pp

3/23 Sunday: Trailering and Loading, $50 pp

3/24 Monday: Dealing with Spooking, $40 pp

Address

Sherborn, MA

Website

https://www.equinenow.com/farm/empirical-equestrian.htm

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