Chestnut Hill Stables continues to respond to CDC and NY State guidelines on safety protocols to minimize the risk of Covid-19 transmission
Chestnut Hill Stables is a small and welcoming riding school offering thoughtful and personalized instruction on a variety of school horses in a beautiful countryside setting.
lesson program
Whether you want to build strength and skill, are looking to compete, or simply want to enjoy time in the saddle with confidence.
Lessons may be private or semi-private, on school horses or your own horse (we welcome you to trailer in). Lessons are taught in the outdoor or indoor arenas, as well as in the practice cross-country area or the cross country field.
Originally trained in England, Chestnut Hill Stables’ instructor Trina French continues in a tradition that teaches knowledge of the horse from the ground up.
Lessons with Trina are tailored to each student’s abilities, goals, and interest. She offers an excellent program for beginner and returning students as well as training and coaching for the competing rider.
The dressage seat is taught to all students from the very start providing a great foundation for all equestrian endeavors from the casual rider to the serious competitor.
Students groom and tack their horses before each lesson as well as care for their horse after. Coupled with riding instruction these activities form a solid foundation on which to build connection between the horse and rider.
Trina specializes in using time on the lunge line to develop strength and balance. Especially useful in starting the new rider, the lunge line lesson is beneficial for any equestrian.
LESSONS:
- Can be scheduled for half, three-quarter, or one-hour long
- Private & small groups
- Learn to jump
- Dressage & cross-country
- Lunge lessons a specialty
- Teaching daily, except Thursdays
New to riding? May we recommend this excellent article from US Equestrian about helmets.
Eventing & SHowing
Trina's passion for riding, teaching, and sport comes with a focus on eventing — the 3-phase competition that includes dressage, cross-country and stadium jumping.
Trina coaches riders at beginner-novice level and up, training at the farm’s onsite facilities as well as at nearby cross-country courses including CS&W Farm and Fitches Corner’s.
Regularly lessoning students have options to attend local schooling shows, hunter paces, and sponsored trail rides. Arrangements may be made for trailering school horses to these activities with Trina providing trailering as well as coaching.
Training Board
There are a limited number of spaces for training boarders.
Training boarders must commit to a minimum of three riding lessons and/or schooling sessions per week with Trina French in addition to the cost of board. Each training package will be customized for horse and rider. The training cost depends on the specific package — please contact Trina directly for more information.
The boarding includes:
- 24/7 grass turnout with run-in shed — individual or with another horse if suitable.
- Use of a 12 x 12 stall for grooming, tacking, etc.
- Expert care including twice daily feeds, hay, blanketing, fly spray, and minor medical.
- Full use of facility’s indoor and outdoor rings, plus ability to ride out on 80 acres of field and wooded trails.
About the Farm
Chestnut Hill Stables is located in Tivoli, New York on Whitton North Farm.
Located at 430 Kerley Corners Road in Tivoli, Chestnut Hill is centrally located, between Routes 9 and 9G. It is easy to find and only minutes away from Rhinebeck, Hudson, and Kingston. Set on 86 acres of rolling fields and natural woods the facilities include:
- a large indoor arena with state-of-the-art dust-free footing — attached to the barn for best weather protection
- a 30×60 meter outdoor sand ring
- 20 acres of fields with jumps for schooling and basic cross-country
- a fenced jumping field designed to start the beginner
- heated tack room