Beginners - English

Honorable Horsemanship

Melissa is a CHA certified instructor in both English and Western disciplines. She has had a lifelong love for horses. Melissa started riding in Southern California. After taking time away from horses to start a family, Melissa has been training and showing locally in Hunter/Jumpers.

Melissa specializes in working with youth beginner riders; fostering an environment to learn strong horsemanship skills while remaining safe and having fun.

Intermediate/Advanced - Dressage

Raised in England, Liz brings a unique blend of riding techniques to her teaching. She has a broad spectrum of experience from Pony Club, trail riding and cross country to skills acquired in Southern Africa where she built The Pines Riding Center. Here she held camps and equestrian events, and expanded her programming to include vaulting, endurance riding and therapeutic riding.

Upon moving to the US Liz continued to follow her personal passions of dressage, therapeutic riding and equestrian vaulting on the west Coast. Liz trained with prominent Olympic riders and trainers, starting horses and developing them up to the Grand Prix level. She taught dressage to Hunter and Show Jumpers and eventing competitors to improve their flat work for over twenty years. In recent years Liz deepened her involvement in therapeutic riding. As Director of Equine Services at Hearts & Horses, she combine her talents of training and teaching to expand the herd and mentor instructors.

Her chief passion remains Classical Dressage, which she interweaves into all her teaching.

Hunter/Jumper 2’6” and above

Blue Star Farms

Kristin Jacob focuses on the training and development of horse and rider for competition on the “A/AA” Hunter/Jumper circuit. Horses are Kristin’s greatest passion, and from an early age she has competed on the Hunter/Jumper circuit through the Grand Prix level on the West Coast. Kristin has both piloted and coached multiple horses and riders to USEF Horse of the Year and CHJA Year-End awards and championships. Kristin is a USHJA Trainer Certification Program certified trainer.

The unique Blue Star Farms program that Kristin has developed focuses on fostering a willing partnership between horse and rider, with emphasis on good horsemanship and the fundamental elements of the American Forward Riding System. It is Kristin’s goal to methodically build confidence, trust, and communication between horse and rider. Although Kristin’s riders enjoy considerable show ring success, they additionally enjoy rewarding relationships with their horses outside the show ring because of the importance she places on educating her riders in horse care, horse welfare, and horse handling.

Kristin is open to working with any horse and rider but especially welcomes those who have ambitions to compete on the “A/AA” Hunter/Jumper circuit.