Copyright © Sonnenhof Equestrian Center
2025 PROGRAMS:
DAILY: 8:15-9:00 a.m.
STBL Pilates for Rider Drop-In Zoom class (Kirsten Gray is USDF Bronze & Silver Medalist and ASFA Certified Pilates Instructor and PEMF equine and human certified) - explore your seat.
www.stbl4riders.com. Email stbl4riders@gmail.com to receive the link or order from our library to work out on your own time!
------
2025 CLINICS & SHOWS:
APRIL19, 1:30 - 3:30:
Tiffany DeMartin / Delicious Pilates "The three-dimensional rider" Discover how your shoulder girdle, pelvis and feet work together, improving balance in the saddle
On-farm, unmounted (limited to 12 participants), no auditors, no zoom
JUNE 21&22: Working Equitation with Bree Sprik
(clinic outline to follow). Mounted, auditors $25 with prior signup, trailer-ins welcome
AUGUST 30&31 Working Equitation with Victor Manuel Sirvent Richarte (Spain / Germany)
(clinic outline to follow). Mounted, auditors $25 with prior signup, trailer-ins welcome
NOVEMBER 1&2 Working Equitation with Andrea Jaenisch (Germany)
This date will be confirmed shortly (clinic outline to follow). Mounted, auditors $25 with prior signup, trailer-ins welcome
Pre-register now! These clinics are already filling up!
May 18: Recognized Show at SHS
----
STBL4RIDERS Live class
At the farm:
Sundays noon (starting spring, weather permitting)
---
September 13 & 14, 2025, 1-4 p.m. ($185/d)
STBL4riders workout, PEMF, STBL4riders mounted, how horses think and learn, fear and apprehension, handling, energy between handler and horse...and so much more!
TO SIGN UP, email sonnenhofec@gmail.com or venmo $100 to @kirsten-gray-10 to hold your spot!
----
BASIC MASSAGE TECHNIQUES FOR YOUR HORSE (Hailey Schwartz)
----
KIDS BASIC BARN MANAGEMENT (for beginners)
----
Downloadable Links:
-------
Please inquire about
event prices!
Our
Magical
Farm
Sonnenhof Equestrian Center has been highly successfully in business for over twenty years under the name of Gray Friesian Farm and Sonnenhof.
As we continued to move towards a variety of breeds and included cross training, Eventing and Jumping to our disciplines, our core belief is still Dressage based on German Classical Principles.
Find out here, what the Germans do right!
1) Dressage as the core building block for horse and rider for all riding disciplines:
"Jumping is nothing other than Dressage over obstacles"
2) Daily, consistently applied Horsemanship
2) "Artgerechte Haltung" (Species appropriate horse keeping): Roaming in a herd
3) Believe in EDCUATION and EVOLUTION:
Our Trainers believe in continuing education, and all are students themselves. We work with Grand Prix Rider & Judge Heather Mason, organize many clinics for dressage riders, horse handling and groundwork as well as Working Equitation.
Sonnenhof Equestrian Center is working closely with:
www.stbl4riders.com
www.jannikegraydressage.com
7th Heaven Stables / Jannike Gray Dressage
Sara Vanecek Horsemanship
Grand Prix Equine
Eric Rook, Farrier
Brian Stuart, Equine Dentist
Riding Lessons in Easton, CT: Lesson Academy, Boarding, Training & Leases
OUR PHILOSOPHY
The balanced seat, which is the basis of Dressage is the foundation for Horse and Rider of every discipline. Riding Lessons in Easton
Young horses will build balance and strength through dressage, then move on to poles, cross rails, jumps and XC jumps.
Novice riders will build balance and strength through dressage, then move on to poles, cross rails, jumps and XC jumps if they desire.
Notice the similarities between young horse and novice riders?
As both move on in their development, jumping and dressage are NOT exclusive to one another - they need each other!
~~~
We use dressage exercises, Hangbahn Training (Hill Work), poles, cavalletti, trot jumps, free jumping or jumping gymnastics to develop rhythm, precision and coordination.
Many Top German riders, like Ingrid Klimke and Franke Sloothaak, base their entire training on dressage and jumping gymnastic. They show the higher jumps mainly during events, and believe: “small jumps – great results”, but they train 'athletic circuits', just as we do!
Dressage training including small jumps and cavalleti will help the young horse to develop trust and feel for their body and fine tune balance and contact for the rider. Every horse and rider should know lateral work, and every horse and rider should be able jump a log.
It has been proven that Dressage builds hind end muscle in the horse. For the rider, Dressage builds confidence and balance. Balance is necessary for fine and effective riding.
Our horses are encouraged to experiment with their bodies during the work. Finding new muscles requires us trainers to be resourceful to find ways to encourage the horse using them, and then to strengthen them. We realize that not everyone has the 'perfect' horse, but we can help bring him to his fullest potential!