I am getting my PhD in DC and as of July 1st will be looking for a place to keep my 1.45m High AO gelding and possibly a hunter (AA/AO gelding). I am looking for someone who will keep a close eye on them because I will only make it out there 2-3 times a week, I want to keep the jumper on full training (FLAT WORK ONLY) so that he is fit to jump and show with me. The hunter can just hang and get ridden when I come out. Looking for a capable trainer, doesn’t have to be anyone super famous as both horses are very straightforward and I have been showing in the 1.40 for years, just has to be capable of teaching/supervising someone jumping big fences and give decent advice. Open to full care but not a requirement as long as I can trust the trainers groom to look over the horse everyday for injury/missing shoes. Prefer someone who does not leave for 6 m to FL because I will be here year round for 5 yrs and I would like to horse show some but not looking for someone who is away on the road every other week unless they have a capable trainer/rider at home, also indoor is a must. Open to any farm within ~ 1 hr of DC, luckily my schedule allows me to go at times were there isn’t any traffic. Trustworthy, responsible, drama free trainers only. Suggestions? I am new to the area and there are so many options I don’t know where to start!!
High-level programs are likely to be gone to Florida for the winter, unfortunately, and their head trainers are usually on the road quite a bit (at least regionally) during the spring/summer/fall. I happen to know of two possibilities but no indoor at either facility. What’s your budget?
The budget is relatively flexible, and I am ok if people are gone a lot as long as there is a capable rider/trainer at home. Open to look at places with no indoor but would have to move the horses for the bad weather.
Where are you doing your PhD? An hour from College Park, for instance, is very different from an hour from Georgetown. One puts you only in MD, the other opens up VA options.
Depending on where you are in DC, Caves Farm in Owings Mills should be roughly an hour without traffic and is a beautiful facility, huge indoor, great care, great head and assistant trainer.
Also look at Rolling Acres. Mary Lisa and Ashley both very experienced riders. While they go to FL, I believe they have a trainer who stays back so the program runs year round for the clients that stay home. Another to consider may be Kama Godek in VA.
There are plenty of trainers around here, as others have mentioned all depends on where in DC you will actually be better. Unless you get out to the barn avoiding rush hour (which is a pretty short window) plan on an hour plus.
Tiffany Catledge/Allforit Farm in Hamilton, VA. Consummate professional that checks all of your boxes.
12 out of 10 recommend Rachel Kennedy in Brookville, MD. Could not recommend her more. She is about an hour on the dot from NW D.C.
Rachel has many adult ammys, hunters and jumpers and a grand-prix horse herself.
Let me know if you would like her number, I currently have my 3-year-old with her and my SO has their A/O horse.
I don’t think Rachel has an indoor and the OP says that’s a must.
and she goes to Fl and maybe Vermont?
Clairvaux in Leesburg, VA. I’ve boarded here for two years and haven’t had a single complaint. Phenomenal care, excellent training (my boy is currently rehabbing from surgery so he’s in full training and holy cow I love the results so far!), and the people are wonderful.
Terri is heading down to Ocala next week and will be gone for two weeks, but is usually close to home the rest of the year. Feel free to PM me if you have questions!
Another suggestion would be Bel Mont Farm in Waterford va. It will be under an hour on low traffic times (especially if you take the toll road). Dorna has shown through GP and they have a beautiful facility with an indoor of decent size, which can be hard to find around here.
they travel to more local rated shows but I don’t believe they leave to go south.
She doesn’t personally, but her neighbor right next door does and allows Rachel to use it.
As for Florida, Rachel is only going down for 4 weeks this year. Unclear about next year, but she does have a couple of clients that don’t go to Florida.
And no Vermont, I’ve known Rachel for a few years now and she hasn’t gone to Vermont in any of those years.
Another thing to maybe take into consideration is if you do find a barn in Virginia, depending on the time of day, some toll roads from DC out or reverse are based on volume which means sometimes ridiculous tolls chances are the OP won’t be affected but I sure wouldn’t want to face at $30 toll on 66 lol
If your ok with an eventing farm, try Broad Shadow Farms in Leesburg. It’s great care with a stunning indoor, they have an eventer that does lessons. Plus her trainer comes our regularly.
Also worth noting: in the DC area, “rush hour” is very expansive. I’d consider it from 5:30-9:30 am in the morning, and from 3:30-7:30 in the evening. And also Saturday and Sunday afternoons. It can be harder to time missing traffic than you might expect.
Plus, several key roads are one way only during rush hour (reversing as appropriate). So you may be counting on a reverse commute (i.e. driving out to the barn during morning rush hour in) only to discover that the roads you would normally take are flowing against you.
Much of it really depends on where in DC the OP is living - if they’re in NW /Foggy Bottom, Georrgetown/Glover Park/Tenley areas then MD or VA is doable. If Capitol Hill area then over on that side of MD would be better commute.
Thank you guys! I live in Georgetown and I’m strongly considering Rachel’s for the good weather at least! I have been living here for a year and I keep my horse in MD but its not the perfect situation trainer-wise. I go out to the barn sundays and one or two week days where I usually reverse commute and the traffic is not that bad.
