# dressage/jumping/hunter trainer in PA



## kiltsrhott (Mar 11, 2012)

So, I've been taking lessons from the same riding instructor/trainer for 13 years. She's a great instructor, and has taught me well, but my path is changing. She is more of a jack-of-all-trades trainer. She teaches both English, and western, but I think her style leans more towards the stock-type hunters which was fine when I was showing appaloosas, but the horse I have now is a sport horse, and I want to take some lessons with a stronger English focus. I have taken a few dressage lessons from a USEF instructor and I loved the fresh perspective, but this instructor has relocated to FL. I want to do jumping, hunters, and a bit of dressage with my mare. I don't intend to be super competitive at anything, but I want to at least bring out my horse's full potential and refine my own riding skills further. For this, I feel like I need a different instructor. I want an instructor that will travel to where my horse lives for lessons at least a few times per year. Does anyone know where I might find an instructor like this in south central Pennsylvania? Or perhaps some good online databases that might give me a better place to start? My google searches haven't given me much to work with...


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## hunterjumper1998 (Feb 8, 2013)

Hmm... south central? Like, the York-Lancaster-Harrisburgish area? I don't know that many trainers that travel, but there was a database that I was looking at a while back. I'll try to find it for you in a second! 
I live in the York-Harrisburg area and I know how tough it is finding trainers around here...
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## hunterjumper1998 (Feb 8, 2013)

Most horse-for-sale sites like Equinenow.com and Horsetopia.com have them, but I don't know if you tried those yet.
Horseback Riding Lessons in York, Pennsylvania. Horse Riding Lessons in York, PA. Riding Instructors in York County, PA. 
I think this is the one I was looking at. 
And sometimes they post on Craigslist, but you need to be EXTREMELY careful on there. You get what you pay for!
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## kiltsrhott (Mar 11, 2012)

Yes, that is the exact area. If you could link me to something useful I would be eternally grateful! Is that the CRC fence in the background of your avatar?


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## kiltsrhott (Mar 11, 2012)

Thanks for the link! I will peruse it. Hopefully I can find someone good in there!


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## hunterjumper1998 (Feb 8, 2013)

Haha yup! I only got there a few times this year because I've mainly been doing hunter/jumper shows with my crazy Haflinger but I did do their last gaming show. I love their Wednesday schooling shows though! 
Like I said, I don't know that many reputable trainers around here because I just started "really" riding about two years ago, just trail rode before then, but I'll see what I can come up with 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## hunterjumper1998 (Feb 8, 2013)

But be VERY careful! I don't know if Shady Dell Stables is on that list, but if you see it and are considering it, PM me please... it's in Thomasville but I can give you a review on that...
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## kiltsrhott (Mar 11, 2012)

Haha! Small world! Ursula and I did the whole Sunday series there this year. It was our first year really showing, and it's a good place to get the horse out and around the pen. I hope to do some hunter shows next year, and maybe even some over the winter. Where do you go for those? Like I said, my instructor is a bit on the western/mixed discipline end of things so I've always done the CRC type things and not the real hunter stuff. I think I've done one Bridge Acres show and that's about it for full on English shows.


Al-Jannah and Wynnwood look classy. I might consider them pending pricing and willingness for the coaches to travel. Stephanie Waltz might work too? Any opinions on them?


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## hunterjumper1998 (Feb 8, 2013)

Aww! I think I was at a show in May or June or something. I was on MF Let's Get Rocked for one show for his english debut, but he was sold (congrats Rock!) in July. 
I know where you're coming from with multi-discipline trainers: I ride with Mikell Farm Performance Horses and I couldn't be happier anywhere else! But I'll have to leave when I go away for college in about 3 years :'(
But I can help you with shows! There aren't many good "schooling" shows in the winter, but there is a series I'm going to called Jack Frost Jubilee. It has EVERYTHING! That'll be fun. Google it and it's at Crescendo Training Centre in Ephrata. Swan Lake has their winter series, but that's more of a higher-end show. I haven't been to Bridge Acres yet but I really, really want to next year, if I can. 
For summer series:
Wellsville English Affaire hunter series. I love that place!
Shadowbrook at Gettysburg
Quentin Riding Club in Lebanon- they have a bunch of classes and it's really nice there. Definitely going back next year
Swan Lake- they have shows year-round
Windswept Acres at Stonetown- they do strictly jumpers and they're over in Reading, but it's very laid back and I had a blast
Twin Brooks- like a Columbia, but they have jumping as well. It's in Harrisburg
Not a series, but Keystone International Livestock Expo has an open show at the end of September. It's big, some of the H/J classes had more than 20 riders and the pleasure flats had upwards of 40, but still an excellent experience. It's at the Farm Show complex!
Look in the Equine Marketer and their website. They have many, many shows by month and that's where I found most of these! I'll try to think of more and put some more out there for ya!


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## hunterjumper1998 (Feb 8, 2013)

I don't know them. I can give you Shady Dell Stables, but I don't know if they send out trainers. I think Mikell Farm goes to your house but you have to pay extra & she's all-discipline, but absolutely fabulous. I haven't really ventured out much through trainers... XD but I can probably help with any issues you have with training and stuff through PM if you want for now. I know a lot about difficult, stubborn greenies!!!


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## kiltsrhott (Mar 11, 2012)

Wow thanks! That's a lot of good info! I actually really wanted to take Urs to the draft show at KILE this year. Sadly, it was on a Friday and I couldn't take off work.

Quentin is nice. I agree! The show grounds is less than 10 min away from where my horse lives. I do feel like they had more saddle seat shows than hunter shows this year. I hope they have more hunt stuff next year.

I will certainly look into the Jack Frost Jubilee! The class list looks like a lot of fun!

If you've been to a few of the CRC shows then we may have met. However, I did miss one CRC sunday show this year. If you don't remember a huge, black draft cross, then I probably wasn't there.


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## hunterjumper1998 (Feb 8, 2013)

I don't remember... last Sunday show I was at was in May with my trainer's horse. But I did do several Wednesday shows this year. I have the crazy fat Haflinger with the head sticking straight up with the really long mane and I rode a paint saddle horse with a french braid. He has a halfblue/halfbrown eye. Ring a bell at all?
Ursula sounds familiar, though. What's her show name?
Glad I could help! I just started getting back on HorseForum after a long break and I feel like I've missed so much!
Hope to see you there at Jack Frost! I'm the crazy Haffy... that's going nuts way over there and then falling asleep LOL!


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## kiltsrhott (Mar 11, 2012)

Unfortunately that doesn't ring a bell. They sound like a couple of lovely horses though! It may have been the May show that I missed. I've been showing Ursula just as "Ursula". She's unregistered and I think her barn name is unique enough for showing right now. I may think up something creative eventually, but that's it for now.

If you've been doing the Wednesday evening shows, my mom has been bringing her black and white gypsy vanner gelding (LS King's Ransom) for my riding instructor's daughter to show. So you may have seen a naughty gypsy gelding in the arena.

Thanks for the training advice offer. Ursula, though green, is not overly stubborn. I think it's me that needs more training at this point! Though if you have any tips on how to get a flighty horse over a fear of clippers without getting killed, any advice would be greatly appreciated.  We also haven't been able to overcome our fear of rope gates in obstacle trail. We always go last for trail because we destroy it! Though by the end of the season we managed to master CRC's super scary bridge!


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## hunterjumper1998 (Feb 8, 2013)

Yep, I've seen the Gypsy! Very beautiful!
Hmm, I've never worked with a horse that's scared of clippers like that, but when I wasn't sure about my Haflinger I mimicked the sound of the clippers. You might want to mock-clip your horse and just run them over where you want to clip without them on, then mimick the sound while mock-clipping. Try to get to the root of the problem. Try that, do it for like 2 minutes after you ride or while you're feeding and just get her used to the fact that the sound isn't scary and won't hurt her. Then after she's completely comfortable with that turn it on but don't clip. If she's accepting the clippers when they're on, then you mayclip. But take it slowly!
My Haffy loves the super scary bridge LOL I did choice trail at their last gaming show and she had a blast with it. That was our very first time working with trail obstacles and I pinned second, miraculously. Hm.
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## Flashboy2011 (Apr 2, 2012)

I have done horse training and Jumping lessons. I live in Mechanicsburg, PA and own a horse who is located in Harrisburg. Where abouts is your horse? I could possibly travel there.


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## kiltsrhott (Mar 11, 2012)

HunterJumper1998, thanks for the tips! I have already tried leaving the clippers running near her while she eats. It kinda worked. And I can touch her with them on her back. That's just not the area I need to clip. Ursula is my bearded lady and she needs a shave. Sadly, she won't let the clippers touch her jaw while they are on. The key is probably just more patience. I have, however, not tried to mimick the sound with my voice while pretending to clip. That might help. I will give it a shot! xD

Congrats on your placing in trail! It's not easy stuff.. at least not if you have a spooky nut like my mare! lol.

Flashboy2011, thanks for the offer! I'm looking for an instructor that can teach a more advanced rider. I have been riding for 13 years, have experience with green horses on the flat, and have competed over fences up to 3'6". However, it has been quite a few years since I've jumped regularly, since I was away at school and my current project was too young. I have not started a horse over fences before. I need instruction on the finite details of my own form since I've had some much time off, as well as exercises to improve the form of an inexperienced horse. I was hoping for an instructor with some significant experience and a good reputation to help me pull everything together. If you think you fit this bill, please PM me!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Phillip Dutton Eventing But I'm not sure if he's in your area. My trainer (I'm in MD) gave him very good feedback as being a coach (and yeah, I know he *is *a great rider :wink: ). (I bet he probably not cheap too)

Personally I'd love to take a lesson with him myself!


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