horseback riding lessons

Lula Langdon Becomes Student Assistant!

February 10, 2015 by Admin

Congratulations to Lula, our newest Student Assistant! A three-time member of Cricket Hill’s Youth Dressage Team, Lula has been riding for 6 years and now has her own sport horse Maddie. Lula is a very creative gal, whether for a costume class or Saddle Club project. This summer, Lula has volunteered to be the primary assistant for beginner rider camps. Thanks Lula!

The Student Assistant Program, a volunteer activity for students who want to take on more responsibility in caring for horses and helping younger riders, recognizes the progress our young riders make in developing horse handling skills and safe practices. It is a wonderful opportunity to give back to the Academy. Interested students should contact Jami or Kira.

Drill Team Headlines our 28th Annual BBQ!

August 30, 2014 by Admin

It was an amazing close order drill this year, with many intricate patterns. The seven riders voted to decide when they would walk or trot, and always with a mind to making the patterns work! The Drill Team, shown L to R, Mia Emy, Imogen Mewha, Lulu Levy, Coaches Jami and Kira, Lula Langdon, Erin Feiner, Sophia Emy, and Paris Levy presented to an appreciative crowd!

The food was delicious as always, and Linda Goldstein introduced her wonderful cheesecake to the Mia gets Golden Fork Award crowd. The annual awards included the passing of the Golden Fork to Mia Emy, the youngest recipient ever, for her unflagging energy and good nature as Super Groom at the Youth Dressage Festival! The award was passed on by Tasha Mitchell, who received it last year from John Langdon for her efforts at Youth Dressage Festival too!

Lulu Levy Named Student Assistant at Cricket Hill!

June 20, 2014 by Admin

Congratulations to Lulu Levy, Hillsdale, who has achieved the designation of Student Assistant! Lulu, 11, has been riding at Cricket Hill now for three years. She enjoys her lessons and Saddle Club, as well as her practice rides on Ricky, getting ready for her second trip to Lendon’s Youth Dressage Festival in August. Lulu was part of last year’s very successful team that placed 5th out of 57! Lulu also took the Centered Riding Clinic last April.

The Student Assistant Program at Cricket Hill recognizes the progress our young riders make as they develop their horse handling skills and safe practices. This is an elective program for students who volunteer to take on more responsibility in caring for horses and helping younger riders. It is a wonderful opportunity to give back to the Academy and prepare for horse ownership. Applicants are checked out on a series of skill and knowledge areas by Kira, our Head Trainer, and are tested on their understanding of the Cricket Hill Safety Workbook. When they pass, they sign an agreement along with their parents and Kira.

Through the snow, to the 2013 HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA we go!

December 15, 2013 by Admin

Roads were plowed, and we were ready, with cleared drives and plenty of parking. Parents and riders arrived bearing costumes and goodies for the pot-luck luncheon. Sue and Art provided liquid refreshments and the traditional warm mulled wine to aid the Holiday cheer.
On the Academy side of the barn, newly renovated and paved with rubber tiles, riders groomed and tacked up, ready for the Versatility Class. The course was a challenge: cones to weave through, poles to trot over, a 360* turn inside a square, an “L” to trot through, a small jump, dismounting, leading and remounting. Lula Langdon on Maddie took the blue ribbon for a flawless performance, Erin Feiner was 2nd on Sunshine and Karlee Bishop took a 3rd on Beau, shown below.

Erin and Karlee were one-two in the poles class. Games were next. First, everyone had to weave through the cones and blocks; up one side and down the other. Second was a team competition with a dash to pass off the “noodle”. Last but not least was the Christmas Present Race. Gaily wrapped gift bags were placed around the arena and the “Grinch Anna” on Bailey tried but failed to prevent anyone from getting their gift bag!

Musical Freestyles were next. Riders designed their pattern and chose their seasonal music. Weekly practice sessions were part of Saturday Saddle Club. Tasha Mitchell stepped in to ride with Erin Feiner; Erin’s partner and Paris Levy and her sister Lulu were stuck at home when the snowplow failed to clear her driveway. Lovely freestyle presentations were presented by Lula Langdon & her Maddie, Karlee Bishop, in costume, on Beau, Lyla Andrick riding Ricochez, Lila Fremont-Smith on the glittery “snowflake” POA Rascal, and Tasha Mitchell as a Christmas tree on Greta Garbo. Judge Laurie Inglis, Colebrook CT, was very impressed and awarded special Extravaganza rosettes to all.

The day was topped off with the Costume parade. Young Amelie Bore the Grinch rode Bridget, who was Max the Dog. Karlee Bishop was a Grinch too in a Santa suite with Beau in a lovely red drape with a snowy collar. Lila Fremont-Smith came as a snowflake and Rascal glittered with his snowflakes. Erin Feiner was a Hawaiian Santa with grass skirt and leis and Lula Langdon came as an Angel (with lit halo) on top of Maddie-the-Christmas tree complete with lights and presents. (Electrical work courtesy of Father John!)

Parents, friends and relatives watched from the boardwalk and occasionally went inside to partake of the wonderful food everyone brought. After all the horses had been untacked, groomed and fed, the riders all trooped in and had their lunch too.Thanks to Cricket Hill’s Jami Wallace for organizing a wonderful day!

Welcome Jami Wallace – Senior Instructor & Director of Academy Programs

October 25, 2013 by Admin

We are thrilled to add Jami’s wealth of experience to our Cricket Hill Team. Over the past 30 years, Jami has been the Head Trainer and Barn Manager in three different facilities, developing lesson programs for both adults and children in each and managing horse shows. She has worked with a wide range of breeds and disciplines, including Dressage, Eventing, Hunters, some Western.

Instructor and Educator. A Senior Instructor at Cricket Hill, Jami has been teaching riding lessons, giving clinics and instructing college undergraduates for years. As faculty at Post University, Jami teaches in the Equine Business Management program; specifically, Riding Instruction, Equine Event Planning, and Equine Business Ethics, the first course of this type in the country.

Centered Riding Instructor. Jami is certified as a Level III Instructor and Clinician, one of only 33 of the 1200 instructors worldwide. Centered Riding is an organized way of teaching riding, based on body awareness, human and equine anatomy, and horsemanship. Jami’s teaching will provide a firm basis for Cricket Hill”™s advanced dressage-based riding and training program under Kira”™s guidance, as it uses balance, body awareness, centering and imagery to achieve classical principles, while helping to improve the communications between horse, rider, and instructor. Recently, Jami was President of Centered Riding, Inc. and a Trustee. She has given clinics in many states, including Lendon’s Weekend Education Program for Dressage4Kids, which she will repeat in February 2014.

A Lifetime with Horses. Early in her career, Jami was a mounted Urban Park Ranger in New York City, and taught riding at Claremont Riding Academy in Manhattan. She has been a 4-H leader, trail association board member, and local Extension Council board member for 27 years. Recently, she worked with the USEF on the training of the U.S. Endurance Team.

We are fortunate to have someone join us whose career epitomizes what we believe at Cricket Hill: riding is a lifetime sport, we are always improving, and we learn from our great horses and instructors! In Jami”™s own words, “Learning to ride takes a long time. I’ve been doing it for nearly 50 years and am still learning how to be better. My teachers have been my horses and folks like Lockie Richards, Eric Horgan, Robert Dover, Kim Walnes, Dominique Barbier, all of whom have been patient and inspiring.” Jami arrived with her dog Manfred and her retired horse, Shoeless Joe Jackson. And you might see Jami in the garden, too, her favorite spare time activity!

Saddle Club’s September Kick-off a great success!

September 28, 2013 by Admin

Weather was balmy and spirits were high for the first meeting of the ’13-’14 season. Mounted lessons were great for the 11 Saddle Clubbers who attended September 28. But the unmounted lesson was a big hit too – how to read a horse’s vital signs! Below, Kira helps one student distinguish between a heart sound and a gut sound. The Syllabus for the year was handed out, interesting to parents too! (Click to enlarge.)