Lakin Khamis

Lakin Khamis
Mentor ~ Senior Instructor ~ Guide

Lakin moved to the upstate of South Carolina in 2020, after calling Indiana her home for 25 years. She was a horse-obsessed little girl and never outgrew her love of horses. Lakin began taking lessons at the age of 8 at an English Eventing Stable in Greenwood, IN, Dan Hobyn Stables. Her time at this barn solidified her love for horses and she knew she had to have one of her own one day. At the age of 13, she changed disciplines and began riding Western at a family friend’s farm. It was here that she met her “heart-horse”, April, and owned her for 15 years.

Lakin attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Health and a Bachelor of Environmental Science Degree in Environmental Health. While she was in college, she donated April to Mourning Dove Therapeutic Riding in Zionsville, IN. After college, Lakin began volunteering at Mourning Dove and found a new love of teaching students to ride horses and create relationships with them. In 2019, she went through the PATH, Intl. Mentorship Program under Elizabeth Coit to become a Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructor. Lakin has since paid it forward by mentoring others in this deeply intensive process.

Lakin believes that the foundation to create a lasting relationship with a horse starts with time spent with them on the ground. She considers the time spent grooming and performing ground-work is invaluable and it allows the horse to trust the person working with them.

Lakin is excited to work with students of all different ages and experience at Bramblewood. She hopes to help her students discover more about themselves and their abilities and have fun while doing so.