CHRISTIE BIGELOW

Head Instructor

Hi, My name is Christie Bigelow.  I grew up in Clarkston, MI with a strong passion for everything horses. 

In 1992 I got a great opportunity to go to Wellington to work and ride with a very competitive, top hunter barn.  While in Florida I was lucky and met a group that worked for Leslie Burr-Lenehan (now Howard).  Leslie was part of the gold winning USA team at the 1984 LA Olympic Games and the silver winning team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.  When they offered me a job to come and work with them, it was a dream come true.  I was able to learn the “behind the scenes” work that goes on when competing at that level and meet and listen to some of the best trainers on a daily basis.  I was able to start riding Leslie’s horses and move on to the highest level in both the hunters and jumpers.  I was offered a position on the Eastern end of Long Island managing a busy show, training and riding farm, after which I went on to own my own barn to manage and train out of.  I helped to rebrand the facility and develop a leading training boarding facility. In 2002 I made the tough decision to come back home to Michigan.  While my main focus started in the hunter/jumper world, I began focusing more on Dressage when I bought a horse named Rhythm.  He was much more suited to Dressage than jumping.  I was thankful that I had instructors early on that put a strong emphasis on flatwork.  I now have a few students that have branched out into eventing. My training purpose is to create soft, willing, confident horses with soft, willing, and confident riders.  I believe in the words of George Morris “Everytime you ride, you are training”.  So, ride the way you want your horse to go.  

HANNAH SKAGGS

Barn Manager

Hannah has been riding and working with horses for over 20 years. Although she started out riding western as a kid, she quickly found a love for jumping and never looked back! Her main areas of focus have been on hunters, jumpers, dressage and 3-day eventing. She continues to ride and compete today! In addition to her own riding, Hannah loves working with students of all ages. Nothing makes her happier than watching her students achieve a new goal! In addition to her equine career, Hannah is a registered dietitian. She enjoys helping riders improve their nutrition and fitness level in order to optimize their performance and prevent injuries.