Photo by Collective Grace

Team Knollwood is excited to announce another new team for the 2025 show season.

 

In 2024, Brooklyn finished her junior equitation career aboard her big brassy mare Gamora.

Together, these two ladies won the 13 and Under Pleasure Equitation championships at both Midwest and Lexington.

They continued to win all three Junior Pleasure Equitation finals, the UPHA Pleasure Challenge Cup, the Pleasure Equitation Olympics, and the Saddle and Bridle Pleasure Equitation Medallion Final.

To finish out 2024. Brooklyn and Gamora were reserve National Champs in the UPHA Junior Challenge Cup final at the Royal.

As we announced earlier, beautiful Gamora was sold in the barn to new show rider Sophie who also grew up at the barn.

The Whitmore/Bonness family have leased the beautiful Isn’t She Something from the Duerr family. Known to all as Gigi, she is a sight.

Gigi is beautiful, full of energy and ambition, and is smart as a whip.

She enjoyed great success with the supremely talented Payton, who aged out last season.

Brooklyn grew up a Knollwood Kid, having enjoyed a highly successful academy career with the best lesson horses in the world.

She still manages the school barn every Friday, and enjoys her time in the Tuesday group where she serves as a mentor. You can find her helping at the Knollwood shows, and with our newest academy riders in Cedarburg.

Photo by Collective Grace

We can hardly wait to see these two talented ladies in the ring.

Good luck to all!

We Wisconsinites know about the 2 seasons in our state being winter and construction.

Well, Knollwood's time has come from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Beginning on April 14 and continuing until approximately October 31, three miles of highway 83 will be under construction. The area is between Vettelson Road and Nagawicka Road.

In addition to surface replacement and updating, traffic signals at Golf Road, Oakwood Road, and Cardinal Lane will be improved. Turn lanes at Cardinal Lane will also be updated.

The completion date is, of course, subject to change. Just think of Wisconsin weather.

We have new routes for you to make it to lessons on time.

If you’re coming from the north, take Highway 16 to CTH  KE. Turn left on KE, which becomes North Shore Road. At highway 83, North Shore Road becomes Oakwood Road where you’ll continue straight until you get to the farm.

Construction will begin at Highway 16, making access from the south relatively unchanged in the early stages of construction. Please know    that there will be barricades and workers to be aware of.

At some point you won’t be able to exit 94 at highway 83, and you’ll have to head up to Highway 16 and exit at KE. See above.

Please direct all questions to Carol or Ann who will direct them to a person who will answer them.

What else is happening at Knollwood?

Parents Night Out

This Friday at 6:00

Lots of Knollwood Kids are coming to spend time with the Knockout officers and board members. Pizza and barn fun makes for the best evening for Knollwood Kids!

 

Knollwood Spring Show Entry Deadline

April 10

It’s the last day to join the fun at Spring Show weekend May 16-18.

You really don’t want to miss this!

 

 

IASPHA Spring Show

April 12-13

Our first academy show of the season is coming up fast.

We’re heading to Beyond Stable Farm with 21 riders including 2 riders who are making their show ring debuts.  Come join us!

 

 

Easter Sunday

April 20

Happy Easter to everyone!

We’re not holding lessons on Easter Sunday. Your instructor has probably already scheduled a makeup lesson. If not, she will soon.

 

Spring Street Clean Up

Saturday, April 26

1:00

Knollwood Kids, please join us for our first community service project of 2025. We’ll clean up Oakwood and Nagawicka Roads for the spring and hopefully enjoy some wonderful spring weather. It’s a fun way to earn your Knockout service hours and meet new barn friends.

Stay for the club meeting immediately after the clean up, too!

Not yet a Knockout member? We’d love to have you. You can sign up with your instructor or with an admin.

 

UPHA Spring Show

May 3-4

Our academy team if off to Beyond Stable Farm for another exciting competition. Weather permitting, we’ll be showing outside. Please come join us!

Mom’s Day Ride

Saturday, May 10

6:00

Calling Knollwood Moms who want to learn why their Knollwood Kids love riding so much.

For only $50, you can enjoy a group lesson with your rider acting as your helper. Telling their mom what to do is every kid’s dream.

Helpers must be at least 10, or an academy show rider.

We’ll start signups on April 15.

Photo by Hannah Agathen Photography

Knollwood Spring Show

May 16-18

We’ve been waiting since last October!

Team Knollwood is coming together for a celebration of all the Knollwood Kids.

Pattern classes are on Friday night, walk trot canter and walk trot riders over 11 will show on Saturday, and our leadliners, maiden riders, and 10 and under walk and trot riders will show on Sunday.

An event of this size works because of our dedicated parent volunteers. We’ll be signing up soon for assistance for the event.

 

Horse’s Day Off

Monday, May 19

The horses sleep in the day after the show. Lessons will be credited.

 

Madison Classic Horse Show

May 22-25

New Holland Pavillions

It’s going to be a biggie.

Knollwood will be well represented with lots of beautiful show horses, equitation stars, and accomplished academy riders.

The academy team will show on Saturday, May 24.

You can also catch the World’s Largest Brat Festival on the same grounds. It makes for some interesting moments.

 

Memorial Day

May 26

Knollwood is closed on Memorial Day. Your instructor will be in touch for a makeup lesson if she hasn’t already.

 

Prairie State Classic Horse Show

May 30 – June 1

Beyond Stable Farm

The academy team hits the road again for a show with our Morgan horse friends.

 

See you soon at the barn!

Photo by Collective Grace

Knollwood is pleased to announce a new team for show season 2025.

Shaye had a year for the record books last season. 

She and Teddy won the Senior Pleasure Equitation Championship at Lexington, were gold medalists in the Senior Pleasure Equitation Olympics, won both the Saddle and Bridle Pleasure Equitation Senior Medallion final, and the ASHBA National Championship of Pleasure Equitation, both at St Louis.  Shaye is also the Reserve National Champion of  Pleasure Equitation for riders aged 14-17, a title earned at the Royal.

Whew!

During the offseason, the Jensen family sold perfect Teddy in the barn to the Werner family. Leighton will be aboard this immensely talented gelding in the 13 and under equitation division.

Meanwhile, the Jensens purchased the beautiful mare Far Too Fancy for daughter Shaye to show in the 2025 season.

Known to all as Lady, this big beautiful mare makes a perfect partner for charismatic Shaye.

Lady is learning the ways of a equitation horse, and is learning her lessons with ease.

We can hardly wait to see these two ladies enjoy new challenges and successes.

Best of luck, Shaye and Lady!

Photo by Collective Grace

We've been experiencing a quiet couple of weeks at Knollwood, with many of our students enjoying getaways to sun and sand.

With all the new Knollwood Kids, we've been hearing lots of questions about Knollwood and horses in general.

It's question and answer time!

Why do riders use bareback pads for some lessons?

Bareback riding is a strong tool in a rider’s development. Working on a bareback pad gives riders time to focus on their position while isolating muscle groups needed. Bareback riding also allows a rider the opportunity to feel every movement their horse makes.

It’s hard, particularly the first few times a rider has the experience. Nothing builds a rider’s muscles and body listening skills faster than bareback time.

 

Why do horses not always do what the rider is asking?

Learning to ride is a long process.

Riders start on our most experienced lesson horses who enjoy teaching beginner riders. These pro teachers instruct students that they need to be clear and sometimes firmer than the rider expected.

While it may look like a horse isn’t listening, the professional teacher is simply waiting to be asked correctly in a way that they understand.

This is why riding horses is such a fabulous activity for kids. Riders learn that things don’t always work the first time you ask, and that patience and follow through will make it work.

I’ve heard mention of Knollwood being a ‘competition based program’. What does that mean?

We believe that competition produces strong, thinking horsepeople, and that it keeps riders progressing their skills.

Knollwood offers three in-barn shows per year where students can enjoy friendly competition in a familiar environment. We offer classes for all levels of rider, including first time show participants in their own maiden division.

Riders compete on familiar horses surrounded by supportive instructors and helpers. Instructors work with each rider to develop goals for the show and work before the event to achieve them.

Knollwood shows are also about sportsmanship as riders support each other and clap for everyone, about friendship as riders meet fellow Knollwood Kids who learn on other days of the week, and about horsemanship as riders and personal assistants take great care of the best lesson horses in the world.

We encourage every rider to compete in these shows to experience the joys and learning of riding in competition. The lessons learned are priceless.

What’s the academy team?

After showing at Knollwood shows, many riders riders choose to further their riding education by showing with us away from home.

Our academy horses travel to about 10 shows a year where they compete against other professionally run lesson programs from throughout the Midwest.

We travel throughout Wisconsin and Illinois, learn many lessons, and have great fun along the way.

We’re thrilled this year to be introducing 11 new riders to academy showing, bringing our academy team to a total of 56 members.

If you’re interested in learning about our 2026 program, please talk to your instructor.

Why do some horses wear boots and/or blinkers?

Lesson horses do a lot of pattern work, from basic circles to complicated circles, half circles, at many different gaits. Some of them wear boots to protect tendons and heels while teaching students the ins and outs of steering and balancing a horse. Basically, this is protection for hard working lesson horses.

Some horses are more comfortable working in blinkers to help them focus on the work ahead of them. Blinkers allow horses to see the world ahead of them, and removes the distraction of horses or activities to the side.

Why are most of the lesson horses geldings?

Simply put, geldings are pretty consistent and easy going. Their personalities are the same from day to day, and they’re pretty unflappable.

We’re fortunate to have a posse of wonderful mares who have made their own ‘girls club.’ Bee, Fiona, and Leona spend evenings in their own ladies’ pasture, and have become fast friends. If you’ve ever heard them nicker to each other in the arena, you’ll appreciate their girls’ club. While Poppy prefers her own company, she loves her little walk and trot riders.

When do riders get to canter?

Safety is our Number one goal.

We wait until each rider is strong enough in the saddle to stay back through speed changes, and is able to keep their horse’s head up to keep the canter smooth and slow.

Riders practice many sitting trots, bareback work, dropping and picking up stirrups at the trot, and posting without stirrups.

By following these guidelines, our riders find cantering enjoyable, and they can be successful from the start.

 

Why do students ride different horses when they really like two or three of them?

Knollwood is proud of its collection of lesson horses, which we refer to as ‘the library.’ Each of our equine faculty members has a lesson to teach, and instructors spend plenty of time and thought assigning horses for each lesson.

Some horses are confidence builders, some will teach follow through to maintain speed, some will need a rider to relax to help the horse stay calm, some horses teach riders to canter, some have leads that require patience and set up, and some are still learning, and will challenge and educate our most advanced riders.

Many times, the horse that challenges a rider the most will become a favorite.

 

When do riders get to ride outside?

Once the weather is warm and our arenas are groomed for the season, riders get to experience the pleasure of riding outside.

Riding outside teaches riders to pay attention to the environment, as there are cars, wildlife, and traffic noises in the great outdoors.

Our experienced riders really enjoy riding in the big outdoor ring, and learning pattern skills on the green grass of ‘patternland.’

What’s Coming Up?

Parents Night Out

Saturday, April 5

Sign up now for this popular event!

You’ll enjoy pizza, games, crafts, and fun with the Knockout officers and board members.

Knollwood Spring Show Entries Due

April 10

Don’t miss our first in-barn show this season.

IASPHA Spring Show

April 11-13

Beyond Stable Farm

Woodstock, Illinois

Join us for our first out of barn show of 2025.

Mya and Vienna will be making their show ring debuts. Please come cheer us all on!

Easter Sunday

April 20

We won’t be holding lessons on Easter, and your instructor will be reaching out to set up a make up.

 

Street Clean Up

April 26 at 1:00 PM

Join the Knockouts as they spruce up Oakwood and Nagawicka Roads for spring.

It’s a fun way to earn your club service hours for 2025, and to meet new friends.

Please stay for the Knockout meeting immediately following the clean up.

 

UPHA Chapter 10 Show

May 3-4

Beyond Stable Farm

Join us as our academy team heads back to our favorite show facility.

Knollwood Kid Sammy will be making her show ring debut.

Mom’s Ride

May 10 at 6:00 PM

Knollwood Moms will enjoy a riding lesson with their rider acting as their helper.

For only $50,  riders can tell their mom what to do for 45 minutes!

Helpers must be at least 10, or an academy rider.

We’ll begin signups on April 15.

KF Spring Show

May 16-18

It’s almost here! 

Entries for the May 16-18 show are due on April 10 so we can order the shirts riders wear. Please talk to your instructor to experience the show weekend.

 

 

See you soon at the barn.

Photo by Collective Grace

Team Knollowood is excited to announce that Addison is moving up from our academy team into the horse show world this season.

Addison has grown up a Knollwood Kid. She's shown academy for several years, and her skills have taken her to the top of that division.

She's attended pattern camps, helped beginner riders, and has participated in many, many Knockout events.

Oh, and she's a heck of a volleyball player.

Addison will hit the ring on the beautiful Rosewood's Homecoming Dance. Known to all as Robert, this grand gelding has been a star for several Knollwood riders, including Haley Berget, Laney Lonchar, ALexa Gross, and most recently, Margit Rhode.

Photo by Collective Grace

 

Robert's charisma catches a judge's eye quickly whether he's showing in an equitation or a pleasure class. His height and personality make him a wonderful match for Addison.

These two will be so very fun to watch!