Our Philosophy
We offer an encouraging and kind environment where we teach not only the “how”, but the “why” and how it applies to hunters, jumpers, and equitation. Our teaching style is rooted in traditional hunt seat equitation with an emphasis in understanding the basics to establish a strong foundation. Guen’s keen eye for detail and incorporation of technical exercises, challenges riders to use their foundation to promote success in and out of the ring.
Horsemanship is a huge part of our program, ensuring the horse’s health and wellbeing are top priority. Our horsemanship lessons include not only horse care and management, but groundwork. Groundwork is offered as both mounted and unmounted lessons to better understand riding theory, our horse’s confirmation and way of going, and strengthens our partnership with our horse.
We encourage our riders to attend clinics, participate in horse shows, and join our excursions to try other disciplines.
Guenevere holden
HEAD TRAINER
Gehache (pronounced hay-ah-chay) was the name of Guen’s grandfather’s polo team. A legacy that has spanned several generations where the men of the family participated on the family polo team, and the women in the sport of hunter/jumpers. Guen’s love for horses started before she could even walk. Most of her childhood was spent on her family’s ranch in Santa Barbara where she rode polo ponies on the fields and along the beautiful California beaches. Guen’s hunter/jumper career started at Foxfield Riding Academy where she learned a solid foundation with a focus on good horsemanship. As a young teen she moved to Elvenstar Farm to ride under the guidance of top trainer Jim Hagman, where she further expanded fundamentals of the sport and riding theory. She had a successful junior career on the regional circuit as well as her high school’s IEL show team, and IHSA at Pepperdine University. She has been teaching in the Austin area for over ten years and has served the community as a judge on the local circuits.