Chastain Horse Park Academy serves beginner through advanced level lesson students, starting as young as 3-years-old. Send an e-mail to lessons@chastainhorsepark.org including name, age, experience, availability for lessons, address, and contact information (home phone, cell phone, e-mail address.) Chastain Horse Park Academy instructors have attained a national instructor certification and/or competitive success, and have their own fee structures, lesson schedules, and billing policies. Most lessons range from $65-$130.
An annual on-grounds horse show is held each fall the first Saturday in October. Some Academy horses may be taken off-site to horse shows when leased for that purpose. Occasionally, an Academy horse may be offered for partial lease to an intermediate level student, or a boarder may offer a horse for partial lease based on the recommendation of an instructor. Chastain Horse Park Academy hosts several Interscholastic Equestrian Association teams, including a facility-based team.
Head Trainer, Chastain Horse Park
Limited space available.
Interviewing intermediate and advanced hunter equitation riders interested in achieving technical excellence in an enjoyable setting.
Leasing, owning, and showing available.
Leasing, owning, and showing available.
Donna is the Head Trainer at Chastain Horse Park. Originally from Atlanta, Donna has been riding and competing for 40 years. She was trained in this country and abroad by several Olympic Team members. In the 70s she kept horses at Chastain Horse Park. At a young age, she began showing and teaching for Kay Norment, a long listed member of the US Olympic Dressage Team. She was a long term student of Charles DeKunffy, a renowned trainer and author of the DeKunffy system. She showed horses for Red Frazier, well known for his conformation hunters, and a judge at Madison Square Gardens for many years. She was a manager of training and sales for at Vermonts Huntingdon Farm, owned by three Olympic team members in the Perkins family. She trained with Sally Swift and Carol Lavell, as well as training for two years in Germany under Thelma Brundle, coach of the Austrian Olympic team. In the 80s she developed a large local business producing many successful horses and riders, among them Dru Anne Paulk and Krissy Wilson Thompson. In the late 80s, she showed successfully throughout the country and developed a stable of show horses in Philadelphia, and owned, developed and sold horses that were placed in the top stables of Andre Dignella, Judy Richter, and George Morris. She trained the top Small Green Pony in the country, Rainbow Connection. She currently develops horses and riders showing with the GHJA, and is married to Blake Cooper, owner of Cooper Music. She is also a NARHA certified instructor.
Therapeutic lessons; beginner hunter equitation lessons; Little Bits lessons for riders 4 and up.
Potential Openings: limited slots Tues-Thurs before 2:00 PM for young children and adults.
Will check wait list to fill openings.
Potential Openings: limited slots Tues-Thurs before 2:00 PM for young children and adults.
Will check wait list to fill openings.
Amy Austin is a NARHA Advanced Instructor and NARHA faculty/evaluator, and serves as the Therapeutic Programs Head Instructor. In addition, she teaches beginner lessons for children and adults in the traditional school program. She has limited room beginner riders in the traditional program.
Amy grew up in the Atlanta area and has a lifetime of experience with horses. Her riding career began at age 7, and by age 8, she had her first horse and was competing in Western pleasure and equitation at the local level. At 12, she was introduced to gaited horses and spent her junior riding years riding and competing at the national level across the Southeast in Saddleseat equitation and three gaited show pleasure classes on Saddlebreds, Morgans, and Arabians. Amy qualified numerous times to compete at Madison Square Garden in NHS Good Hands, Saddleseat Equitation, and The UPHA Challenge Cup, and was also frequently the winner of the high point end of the year awards for the local breed chapters for the horses she rode. She was president of the local 4-H club her last 2 years, as well as riding under the tutelage of one of the top Saddleseat instructors, Alison Walsh. Her amateur riding years were spent riding and training her own horses for competition at the national level, where she was very successful.
With a demanding college schedule, she stopped showing and began teaching part time for herself, often taking on riders with slight handicaps, successfully educating many children and helping them find horses of their own. After graduating from college with a degree in Biology and a career in Chemistry, she decided to return to her first love of horses and teaching. She attended a NARHA instructor certification course in Texas and gained her NARHA Advanced Instructor certification. She has been teaching at Chastain since 2000.
Therapeutic lessons; beginner hunter equitation lessons.
Potential Openings: usually Tues, Thurs, Fri.
Becky is a NARHA-certified instructor providing educational programs, Horses for Heroes programs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout outings, and individual riding lessons at Chastain Horse Park. Becky specializes in riding instruction for children with learning differences. Becky rode on the Ball State University Equestrian Team while working on her Elementary Education degree in 1992. After moving to Atlanta, she continued riding and participating in local shows, mostly in the hunt seat discipline, and received her Masters of Education from Georgia State. Introduced to the sport of endurance riding in 2005, she competed on her Arabian Sport Horse gelding among top international riders in 2011, completing her first 100 mile endurance ride in 11 hours at the Biltmore Estate, placing 5th “Best Condition” and 8th overall.
Potential Openings: usually Tues, Thurs, Fri.
Becky is a NARHA-certified instructor providing educational programs, Horses for Heroes programs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout outings, and individual riding lessons at Chastain Horse Park. Becky specializes in riding instruction for children with learning differences. Becky rode on the Ball State University Equestrian Team while working on her Elementary Education degree in 1992. After moving to Atlanta, she continued riding and participating in local shows, mostly in the hunt seat discipline, and received her Masters of Education from Georgia State. Introduced to the sport of endurance riding in 2005, she competed on her Arabian Sport Horse gelding among top international riders in 2011, completing her first 100 mile endurance ride in 11 hours at the Biltmore Estate, placing 5th “Best Condition” and 8th overall.
Hunter Equitation Lessons
Summer Camp Director
Interscholastic Equestrian Association Coach
Summer Camp Director
Interscholastic Equestrian Association Coach
A rider since the age of five, Katie Herman trained in the classic George Morris method of riding. Katie competed at local and national levels with great success, among them:
- Gold and Bronze medal winner at the Georgia State Games for High Jumper, 1994
- GHJA Year End Champion 15-17 Equitation, 1995 -1997
- GHJA Year End Champion Children's Hunter, 1996 -1997
- GHJA Sportsmanship Award, 1997
- Regional qualifier for the Medal/Maclay, 1997
Intermediate and Advanced students only, interested in leasing/purchasing horse to show.
Must have prior experience and be able to tack horse independently.
Adults who can ride before 2pm; children after 3pm.
Jill began riding at the age of 4 and started showing shortly there after. She grew up in South Florida and showed on the SFHJA circuit until she left for college. She began with a small pony and sold her junior horse when she was 18 years old. She excelled in equitation and was frequently end of the year champion in her age division. During this time, she trained under Margie Goldstein, Jan Francis, and Karen and Rita Flynn. She also took part in clinics given by George Morris, Rodney Jenkins, and Trudy Maxwell.
Post college she worked in the corporate world both in New York City and Miami. Shortly after moving to Atlanta, she began her equestrian career again. She is now teaching Hunter Jumper lessons and training clients horses full time. She brings her students to both rated and local shows between the months of March and November. She enjoys teaching intermediate to advanced level students. She is also a NARHA certified instructor.
Therapeutic Program lessons. Limited beginner riding lessons.
Potential Openings Mondays and Sundays.
Claire grew up in Central Florida on a working ranch where her parents raised beef cattle. She had her first pony at age 4 and rode Western, working cattle and living in a rural area where swimming horses in lakes and riding on beaches were common. After graduating from Florida State and moving to Atlanta, she starting riding English, showing in local hunter-jumper shows and dabbling in dressage, and found her true love of riding cross country and foxhunting. After retiring her own horses to Florida in 2006, she began volunteering at Chastain Horse Park, and Therapeutic Riding became a passion. Claire obtained her PATH Instructor Certification in 2009, and serves as Secretary of PATH-GA, the state association. She has completed initial training and testing for Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning certification, with plans to earn that designation by 2012.
Hunter Equitation Lessons, Monday - Sunday, beginner through advanced students. Also students interested in leasing or purchasing horses to show. Ages 4 and up.
Elizabeth has had a lifetime of experience with horses. She grew up in Atlanta and began riding at 7 years old. As a young amateur, she showed hunters throughout the southeast on the A-circuit with Flintridge Farms for most of her childhood.
Elizabeth has continued to have horses as a major part of her life. After college and a career in sales, she now teaches full time. She has attended numerous clinics with top clinicians; fox-hunted, competed in horse trials, owned a boarding facility and continued to show hunters. She owns three horses, a 5-year-old Thoroughbred, a miniature and a 39-year old retired Polo Pony.
Elizabeth trains full time at Chastain Horse Park and shows students at the local level. She teaches the hunter seat riding fundamentals. Her program is based on providing a safe and enjoyable learning environment with horses for children and adults. She believes work with horses will develop and strengthen life skills such as leadership, focus, team playing, confidence, physical activity, friendships and fun. She trains beginners through experienced riders, from 3 years old to 59 years old. She is also a NARHA certified instructor.
Elizabeth has had a lifetime of experience with horses. She grew up in Atlanta and began riding at 7 years old. As a young amateur, she showed hunters throughout the southeast on the A-circuit with Flintridge Farms for most of her childhood.
Elizabeth has continued to have horses as a major part of her life. After college and a career in sales, she now teaches full time. She has attended numerous clinics with top clinicians; fox-hunted, competed in horse trials, owned a boarding facility and continued to show hunters. She owns three horses, a 5-year-old Thoroughbred, a miniature and a 39-year old retired Polo Pony.
Elizabeth trains full time at Chastain Horse Park and shows students at the local level. She teaches the hunter seat riding fundamentals. Her program is based on providing a safe and enjoyable learning environment with horses for children and adults. She believes work with horses will develop and strengthen life skills such as leadership, focus, team playing, confidence, physical activity, friendships and fun. She trains beginners through experienced riders, from 3 years old to 59 years old. She is also a NARHA certified instructor.
Hunter Equitation Lessons; leasing or showing.
Potential openings Monday evening, Tues/Thurs afternoons, and Tues-Thurs mornings
Potential openings Monday evening, Tues/Thurs afternoons, and Tues-Thurs mornings
Missy Stewart started riding at six years of age, receiving most of her training as a junior rider under Janet Salem. She was a member of the successful Virginia Intermont intercollegiate equestrian team, and furthered her equestrian skills as an equine studies/psychology major.
Missy teaches young riders, taking them from the beginner level to the advanced level. Her students compete both locally and at the A level. She is also a NARHA certified instructor.