Kira Steines-Mason, USDF Silver & Bronze Medalist
Head Trainer/Manager
“We take a wholistic approach to training, instruction and horse care,” says Kira. “This helps you develop your young horses to become sound schoolmasters and to maintain your solid senior horses’ performance. We always have our eye on the highest levels, so no matter where you start, every step will help you get there!”
Kira is currently showing Intermediaire I and schooling Grand Prix. She has horses and riders in training at all levels. Building ‘throughness’ and positive horse-rider relationships with both adults and youth are her specialties. She has overall responsibility for training, instruction, and horse care at Cricket Hill.
FEI dressage skills developed in FL, NJ, NY, Germany. Kira was Assistant Trainer/Barn Manager for international FEI trainer and U.S. Dressage Team member Shelly Francis at her operations in FL and Germany. Kira schooled horses and taught students through FEI while working with Shelly.
Prior to that, she trained regularly with U.S. Olympian Robert Dover in both NJ and FL, responsible for the daily care and maintenance of international dressage horses. During this time, she moved the entity to FL, back to NJ and spent a summer in Germany riding with Todd Flettrich and Hubertus Schmidt.
An inspired instructor. Kira brings both her enthusiasm and caring for horses and riders to every session. Informed by her experience with high level dressage horses, she knows what it takes to make a happy, sound, successful partnership at any level. Her vivid analogies help both adult and youth riders to develop their feel and their horses’ throughness, connecting riders’ bodies and minds to their equine partners and making progress through the upper levels possible. Kira is available for Virtual Instruction.
Active continuing education. Cricket Hill regularly hosts clinics with Beth Baumert. Beth has a keen understanding of the both the physical and mental dynamics of the horse/rider partnership, and her approach fits well with Kira’s program. Cricket Hill also hosts a series of clinics with Rob Waine, longtime student of Carl Hester. Kira trains regularly with Vera Kessels and Christopher Hickey. Kira reads extensively about dressage, always seeking ways to improve her own teaching and training, and happily shares her extensive library. This year, she is participating in the USDF Instructor/Trainer Development Program with an eye toward certification at 4th level.
Firm foundation in jumping. Kira has competed in Eventing through Preliminary Level, having started out as a Working Student in that discipline. She trains horses and teaches students for eventing as well as hunting. Kira teaches jumping at Cricket Hill up to 4’.
Kira started her career in Wisconsin, as Instructor/Stable Manager where she trained and taught about 20 horse-rider pairs for six years. She also ran the local chapter of Pony Club, teaching 9-18 year olds and training their horses for Eventing and through 2nd Level Dressage.
Erin Feiner, USDF Bronze Medalist
Instructor, Trainer’s Assistant
Erin is a product of our Youth Program, steeped in Cricket Hill’s teaching, training, and horse care methodologies. She instructs both adults and children.
Erin was awarded her USDF Bronze Medal last year, with Kira’s coaching and showing various horses from Cricket Hill. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Equine Management this past year and was a leading rider on her school’s Intercollegiate Dressage Team, achieving 6th in the nation in her division.
“I’m so happy to be teaching along with Kira and the Academy Schoolmasters I know so well! It was a privilege for me to be able to learn with such well-trained, fun partners. And now, I realize how satisfying it is for me to be able to pass along what I’ve learned and see students grow!”
Erin rides and schools the Academy horses in between lessons to keep their training and minds refreshed, with emphasis on straightness, throughness and connection. She works to advance the skills of those horses still developing their capabilities, to make them even better Schoolmasters. Her current project is Gabriel, a Belgian x Academy horse, whom Erin will show this year for the first time. She also assists Kira with teaching Boarders and training their horses.