In the horse world, people wear many hats.  Team Knollwood is no different.

We’d like to introduce you to some of the additional tasks the school barn staff have added to their teaching activities.

Nancy is a Knollwood institution.

She teaches lessons on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

In addition to teaching, her other areas of expertise include maintaining the health of the school horses, including working with Matt our vet, scheduling farrier visits, and keeping daily watch over them.

She also helps Matt with the show barn and uses her vet skills in taking care of sick horses at the farm.

Nancy also manages delivery of feed for all the barns here at Knollwood. She works closely with Merton Feed to ensure that show feed is delivered to the show barn with perfect timing for travel plans, and makes sure our horses are always well fed.

She also works with local hay farms to keep the lofts full of delicious hay. She knows many many things about hay crops and can make sure horses get the right stuff.

Nancy keeps the farm landscape looking great, keeping tabs on the lawns, the plant beds, and seasonal decorations.

When the show barn is on the road, Nancy lends a hand working horses.

Ann teaches lessons on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

In addition to teaching weekly lessons, the former retail executive oversees the lesson program.

She develops staff instructors with meetings and riding sessions to help us all teach the same skills the same way.

She brings new Knollwood Kids into the academy program and helps them improve their riding skills. She also teaches four weeks of academy camps each summer to teach the academy riders new skills and to develop friendships at the barn.

With the help of amazing parents and our team of instructors, Ann manages the three annual in-barn shows. She assigns horses, splits classes into evenly matched sets of riders, and arranges the schedule based on current entries.

Ann creates Knollwood’s social media presence with the help of enthusiastic Knollwood Kids who are always up for photo time.

 

Courtney teaches lessons on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

This former elementary ed teacher and UPHA Challenge Cup National Champion brings a wealth of different experience to our teaching team.

In addition to her teaching days, Courtney is also in charge of scheduling our always moving lesson schedule. She schedules new riders into enrolled private lesson spots after they complete Welcome to Knollwood.

Courtney also assists Carol with instructing some of our advanced academy riders and some show barn riders.

Courtney is in charge of Woodwear, and creates merchandise assortments for each season. She also sources awards for our in-barn shows and high point awards.

She also oversees our summer camp program and has created a dynamic handbook for our camp instructors.

Courtney’s organizational skills are a godsend to her fellow instructors.

Brenda teaches on Mondays and Tuesdays, the busiest teaching days of the week.

In addition to teaching, Brenda is the master of helper scheduling. She schedules weekly helpers during the school year, summer riding school, and our monthly mini camps.

Also a former elementary ed teacher, Brenda works closely with parents to figure out schedules, school loads, and what works best for each helper.

Molly teaches lessons on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays.

In addition to teaching her regularly scheduled lessons, Molly is also our mini camp instructor.

When not at Knollwood, Molly works with autistic kids. She brings her patience, positivity, and enthusiasm to her riding instruction. Her mini camps are a ball, and many of the riders enroll in our lesson program after a few hours with Molly.

 

 

Our Admin Team

They're just amazing.

Jane, Marnia, Michelle, Michelle, Pam, and Wendy are there to welcome to you, to answer questions, to help relay messages, and to answer many, many questions. Richmond also helps.

They also have many different life experiences from administration, education, to working in the health care industry.

They're all Knollwood Moms in one way or another, and can help you with just about everything.

If they can't answer a question, they sure know who can.

 

If you have a question, or would like to learn more about any of our additional areas of expertise, please reach out. We’d love to hear from you.

What’s Coming Up?

Enrollment Meetings

From now until December 10

All families currently enrolled in our lesson program meet with their instructor to discuss their enrollment plans for 2026.

Academy riders will have sitdown meetings while we plan camps and shows, and these meetings are available to anyone who’d like to talk.

Staff instructors will meet with their families before or after a lesson.

All paperwork is due on December 15.

Adopt a Family

From now until November 27, you can support a local family in need. We’ve adopted a family of three children headed by a single mom who’s battling cancer.

Wish lists will go up on Thursday. Please sign up to donate items to make their holidays a little brighter.

While adults aren’t usually included in the wish lists, the agency added some gifts for the mom for this family.

Knockouts will gather on November 29 to wrap the gifts.

Academy Parent Meeting

This Saturday

5:00 PM

We’re looking forward to telling an interested group of parents why we love academy showing.

If you’d like to join and haven’t yet, please sign up in the school barn lounge, or call the barn and leave a message with an admin.

 

The UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show

November 10-15

Kansas City, Missouri

The show horses are leaving shortly, and the performances start on Monday.

Team Knollwood will be there competing against the best horses and riders in the last of the 2025 equitation finals.

 

 After a successful first year showing out of the academy division, Maddie and Averie are showing in the UPHA Challenge Cup final for walk trot riders.

Later in the show, Maddie will show in the 10 and under WTC equitation class to prepare for next year.

Leighton and Teddy are riding in the UPHA Challenge Cup Final for riders 13 and under. This team has been working hard all season and has enjoyed lots of success.

Richie, Maiya, Brooklyn, Natalie, and Shaye will be showing in the UPHA Challenge Cup for riders aged 14-17. 21 of the best riders in the country are currently entered in the event which features multiple phases.

These five Knollwood Kids will also be competing in the USEF Medal Final, possibly the most prestigious of them all.

The Royal is going to be fantastic competition, and you can purchase the live feed here.

We’ll update with results regularly as well.

 

Academy Demo Night

Saturday, November 22

5:30 PM

Parents who have attended the November 8 meeting are invited to join us for a get together of demonstrations by members of our academy team. Riders will be fully outfitted and riding academy horses to show what the judge is looking for, and to learn why we love academy showing so much.

Academy kids are parents will be on hand to answer questions as well.

You can sign up in the school barn lounge.

Thanksgiving Day

November 27

We’ll be closed on Thursday, November 27.

Your instructor will arrange a makeup.

 

Horse of the Year Election

December 1-31

December is the time to renew your Knockout dues, or to join for the first time.

When you join or renew your membership to our youth club, you’ll receive a ballot for our School Horse of the Year election.

The horses are still giving campaign speeches in the pasture, and we’ll reveal the primary results shortly.

Who will wear the crown that’s been sitting on Fred’s head for 2025?

 

Knockout Holiday Party and Election

December 13

6:00 PM

All Knockouts are invited to join fellow club members for a holiday celebration and election of club officers for 2026.

The evening includes a team scavenger hunt, pizza dinner, speeches and the election, and an optional gift exchange.

If you’re not yet a member, we’d love to have you. Please talk to your instructor to join the fun, and to enjoy the party. Plus, you’ll get a horse of the year ballot!

 

 

Holiday Closures

December 24, 25, 31, and January 1

We will not be holding lessons on these holidays, and your accounts will be credited.

 

 

Saddle Rental Due

Month of January

Academy riders who are renting saddles, please remember to pay your rental fee to the owner of the saddle.

 

 

See you soon at the barn, or at the in gate.