Equitation Trainers in Northern VA

[springgreypony]

Thank you all for the replies; I greatly appreciate it.

@gottagrey

As mentioned previously it would be helpful if the OP or their friend would provide more info as to location and what their equitation goals are.

As far as location, they are moving to the Middleburg area. The daughter is currently showing in some lower level Eq classes such as the 3’ medals and limit equitation, but is looking for a trainer that will help bring her up to the 3’6 BigEq. As far as finals, she would love to go to all of the big name finals, but does not know if that would be possible. However, if the trainer has connections and or experience bringing kids to those finals, that would be lovely. She has a horse of her own currently and may sell him for a different horse depending on how everything goes, so she would be on some sort of training board at the barn.

Thanks so much for everyone who has shared their knowledge.

[Mayaty02]

@springgreypony

Thank you all for the replies; I greatly appreciate it.

As far as location, they are moving to the Middleburg area. The daughter is currently showing in some lower level Eq classes such as the 3’ medals and limit equitation, but is looking for a trainer that will help bring her up to the 3’6 BigEq. As far as finals, she would live to go to all of the big name finals, but does not know if that would be possible. However, if the trainer has connections and or experience bringing kids to those finals, that would be lovely. She has a horse of her own currently and may sell him for a different horse depending on how everything goes, so she would be on some sort of training board at the barn.

Thanks so much for everyone who has shared their knowledge.

Lots of good trainers who have eq kids but I don’t consider them “eq trainers” in the Middleburg Area. Tom Brennan is in Round Hill, Denise Perry, Jonelle Mullen come to mind.

[staceymc]

Another question I would ask, is how much money can your friends afford to spend? Will the kid always have only one horse and need to make that horse last? There are certain trainers in the area I would not recommend, solely based on the fact that they’re hard on horses. You need a LOT of saddle time to progress up the levels, especially quickly. But for a kid who can only afford one horse, going with a trainer who does multiple hour long flat/jumping lessons a week, plus showing twice a month (or more) is would not be my recommendation.

Feel free to PM me if you’d like. I’ve been in Virginia for decades and ridden with, or have good friends who have ridden with, all the trainers mentioned. I am happy to give you more details in private about specific trainers.

[Bent_Hickory]

@staceymc

Feel free to PM me if you’d like. I’ve been in Virginia for decades and ridden with, or have good friends who have ridden with, all the trainers mentioned. I am happy to give you more details in private about specific trainers.

Ditto, though my daughters are the riders. And my youngest was moderately successful in the nat’l BigEQ last year.

[VirginiaBred]

[B]Dale Crittenberger

Let me know if you need his contact information.[/B]

[gottagrey]

@Bent Hickory

Yes, that’s why I said “Virginia/Maryland”. Considering that folks are mentioning Pam and Kim, do you really think that any of these are really that far out of line? :no:

Your post said that you were surprised that the MD trainers you suggested weren’t mentioned - I was just saying that was because the OP asked for NoVa trainers. And yes, having commuted for over 10 years from Tysons Corner to Darnestown, MD (home and barn) I can pretty much attest that a commute to some of the trainers mentioned like Street Moore or Sam Schaeffer (who are at least an hour from me in MD!) would be a hike. It was not uncommon for my commute home to be 2 hrs (and 45 minutes to work)… Rush hour starts earlier now and if it’s not an accident or breakdown there seems to always be construction someplace, I also said that others like Alan Lohman and the Guanciale’s would be doable.

NoVa encompasses a large area so some think if NoVa as Middleburg/Aldie/Leesburg, others think more Arlington, Alexandria, parts of Fairfax.For those living in Arlington/Alexandria quite often Maryland barns are a better option. This area is great for horses but commuting can present it’s challenges.

[chunky_munky]

With the clarification of location the close ons with he most Big EQ resume would be Sloane Coles and Jonelle Mullen.

[CAPS_Horses]

While we are mainly focused on jumpers, we do have 3 riders going to USET Talent Search finals this year, all riders and horses who have come up through our barn… and we are one of the closest training stables outside of the city for a commuter. www.show-jumper.com