Trainer Spotlight - Philippa Melski

"Some may get a horse to do what they want, but real horse people work to achieve that magical flow where horse and rider dance together." - Philippa

At Flipside, we have several team members who help make our world go round — grooms, assistants, sponsors, partners, horse care practitioners, and trainers. For this blog, we’re going to shine a spotlight on Flipside’s owner and head trainer, Philippa Melski, who’s better known by her barn name “Flip”. Read below to learn more about how horses came into her life and why she’s stuck with it all these years later.

How did you get your start with horses?

As a young girl, I wanted riding lessons for my birthday, which brought me to Tile Valley Farm with my childhood best friend, Megan Garcia. Our trainer and her mother, Leslie Bierly, ran a small, hands‑on program with a strong family feel. When we weren’t in lessons, we were racing our horses and ponies up and down the neighbor’s airstrip, building jumps in the trails, teaching our ponies to jump the creek, or swimming in whatever mud puddle or pond we could find. “Snowy River Pass” was a trail where we’d gallop full tilt with zero fear. We horse‑showed in the summers, but nothing like the scale of today’s show circuits and Finals. We rode racetrack rejects, horses bred on the farm, or pack horses from my dad’s string. We helped start the babies and developed a few into successful show horses. Megan and I braided our own horses, and we even ran a small braiding business starting at 15 — we made $10,000 the summer we were 16, which was a fortune back then. 

Our riding education was raw, unfiltered, and hands-on. I wouldn’t change a thing. The skills I have today come directly from growing up in that environment. 

What inspired you to turn professional and start Flipside?

Two years into college, I ended up taking a riding job simply as a way to just keep riding. I never set out to become a professional; it all just fell into place. My second job is where I really started gaining meaningful experience in the ring. I was attending the University of Oregon full-time and working for Mike Gallaway. That job was a turning point. I had a full string of horses to ride and show, and Mike always made sure I had one really nice hunter and a grand prix horse to compete. It was the kind of opportunity that gives you real mileage: show-ring experience, teaching, hauling horses, managing parts of a program, all of it. That period shaped me as a rider and as a professional.

What does Flipside offer today?

I focus on hunters, jumpers, and equitation, and I have all kinds of riders in my program these days — true barn rats, kids who ride once a week, and others who lesson two or three days a week. Most of us show — from a little to quite a bit. No matter their schedule, I try to foster that barn rat mentality, because the best way to learn is simply to be there. I love to see the kids working, helping, watching, and absorbing everything around them. That’s how I grew up — at the barn every chance I got — and I believe that kind of immersion builds real horsemanship in a way nothing else can. It's also very important and a requirement to be a supportive teammate and team player in my program. One team, one dream!

Do you follow a specific training philosophy?

My training philosophy is simple: apply realistic and fair pressure, listen to the horse, and build a routine that makes them feel safe. Horses thrive on consistency, clarity, and security. I hate that they spend so much of their lives in stalls, so I keep them out as much as possible. I believe they are aware of far more than most people realize — they communicate through body language, energy, and intention. At their core, horses are inherently good. 

I believe experience shapes who we are. Horses that are categorized as "difficult" have either been shaped through bad experiences or have physical discomfort, which is up to me to figure out. It's very rewarding to help what may seem like broken horses, and to provide them a happy life as a show horse or someone's special companion.

Over the years, I’ve also come to believe that the universe sends us the horse we need to grow — not necessarily the one we thought we wanted. I hear people talk about having the “wrong horse,” but the older I get, the more I think the “wrong horse” is often the right one for what you need to learn at that time. Expectations today have gotten big — sometimes unrealistically big — and when goals aren’t grounded in reality, the pressure often lands on the horse and trainer. I’m not ok with that. I like setting goals, but they have to be paired with honest conversations about what it actually takes to achieve them. Comparing yourself to riders on Instagram and setting goals based on curated snapshots is a recipe for frustration and disappointment. Horses need to be our protected partners above our riding goals. 

As a professional rider, do you have any personal goals?

It’s really about continuing to grow — as a horsewoman, a rider, and a coach. From Jeff Cook to Ray Texel, I've always found it important to keep learning from the masters. That, combined with the support from my partners and sponsors, makes my journey as a professional rider possible.

This year, my goals are to finish our barn, help produce some really good riders and horses, and to sell some talented horses — but only to great homes. I’ve also really enjoyed doing more imports and sales this past year with my partners at Eyckenhoeve in Belgium. It’s been a fun and rewarding part of the business to have access to some phenomenal horses.

What does a typical day look like?

I head to the first barn about 8:30/9:00 am with a stop at Starbucks. I ride about six horses a day and teach whenever I’m in town (not at a horse show or shopping for horses). I usually ride and teach until about 6:00 pm. And of course, I’m on the phone day and night handling questions, issues, sales, pep talks, team or horse management, research, and everything in between.

What’s your favorite part of your position?

My favorite part of my role is being a leader to the horses — being in charge of people is my least favorite. I love my team. I have an army behind me: my husband Shane, my main assistant trainer Kristen, my barn managers, and my riders. None of what we do would be possible without them. 

The hardest part of my job is feeling like I’m not giving enough time to everyone who depends on me: the horses, my employees, my students, their parents, our investors — all while being a mom. That constant pull in every direction is the part no one sees from the outside. The worst moments are when I have to deliver bad news about a horse that’s hurt or needs vet work, or if a client chooses not to follow my recommendation. I am the horse’s voice, and I hear them. That responsibility weighs on me more than anything else. 

Even with that extra weight, the reason I love it is that I can see my vision through and ensure it’s a program I believe in, while working with the horses I love and the numerous special people that bring it all together. This is my chosen life, and I can’t imagine it any other way.

Do you have a special horse?

My favorite horse of all time is “Lulu” (Filoucha), owned by my dear friend Buffy. Lulu has taught me more about life than I could ever fit into words. She’s taken me around countless grand prixs, carried me through hard times, and given me more experience, patience, and perspective than any human ever has. She’s a queen in every sense of the word! And while Lulu sits at the very top, I’ve been lucky to have many others who have shaped me, challenged me, and left their mark. Each one has added something to my life and my horsemanship journey.

Do you have hobbies outside of horses?

Honestly, I don’t have much time — or much desire — for anything outside the barn. I try to get to yoga as often as I can, mostly for my mind and to keep my body in shape to ride. Both matter equally for the horses. Keeping myself strong, centered, and balanced is part of taking good care of the horses, too.

Can you name a surprising fact about you?

My name, Philippa, is a feminine Greek name that means “lover of horses” or “friend of horses.” Hard to get more fitting than that! I also love learning about personalities and the different ways people see the world. I’m an INFP/J, which probably explains a lot — the intuition, the empathy, the way I read energy in both horses and people. I also try to get everyone around me to take the Myers-Briggs or another personality test. Understanding how others process life has always fascinated me, and it shows up in how I teach, communicate, and run my program.

Any famous quotes that inspire you?

One of my favorite quotes is from Buck Brannaman: “The horse is a mirror to your soul… and sometimes you may not like what you see.” The older I get, the more gratitude I have for the horses in my life. They’ve shaped me in ways I never expected — not just as a rider or a trainer, but as a human being. I grow because of them, and I get to witness other people grow through them, too. That’s one of the greatest privileges of this job. Horses are the healers and the teachers. They reflect back exactly what we bring to them — our energy, our intentions, our fears, our honesty. And if we’re willing to listen, they make us better.

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would you do?

I’d start a horse‑healing center for people who need it — right after finishing the farm we’re building. I’ve always believed horses are healers, and the idea of creating a place where people can heal, connect, and be supported by these animals feels like the ultimate dream project.  And yes … maybe there would be another fabulous hunter and a grand prix horse in the mix, too.