Skyline is a Horse Lovers Paradise
Photo courtesy of Phoenix Farm
By Alex Rose
Who would have thought that NW rural Portland would boast so many incredible equine facilities for horse enthusiasts!? Our Skyline community offers an eye-opening range of choices. Each of the stables we’ve spoken with offers an array of services, with each featuring unique programs appealing to various groups in the community.
All offer riding lessons of various types as well as boarding services and some form of lessons. If you’re interested in specific skills such as hunting, jumping, and dressage, you’d be considering Abbey Creek, Cornerstone, Hest Training, Phoenix Farm, and Skyline Equestrian Center. Lessons and training are offered to enthusiastic children – starting as early as 4 years of age – to beginners and pleasure riders, all the way to advanced levels; and some of these stables provide the highest levels of competition training. Interestingly, a number of American colleges and universities offer full-ride sports scholarships to high-school graduates who ride at the stellar levels.
Surprisingly, perhaps, some riders continue into their 70’s and 80’s; and If non-competition riding and natural trails are enticing, Denali Natural Horsemanship and Sky Ranch Stables would be ideal places to start.
Heartwarming stories abound with these owners/trainers, and they often involve their riders (young and old, alike) as well as land-mark events in their long, passion-driven equine “journeys.”
Melissa Gallentine from Abbey Creek enthuses, “One of my riders just turned 10, and she’s been able to ride over 60 horses in my stable – from green ponies to our professional warmbloods. We run a “no-drama” barn, and I have the best customers in the world; they’re not snooty and will happily pick up a shovel. I’ve wanted to own a stable since I was 9 years old, and I’m here because I like horses better than people.”
Linda Worley from Cornerstone chuckles, “I like to see kids fall off their ponies; it tests their mettle. If they get right back on, they’re likely to be enthusiasts and go the distance. If they balk at remounting, you might want to consider another sport. I’m a second mother to many of my students; they spend a lot of time with me training and showing. I have kids I taught since they were 5, then, I taught them through high school, and saw them ‘ride’ off to college! Then, I continue on as part of the family.”
Christina Traunweiser from Phoenix Farm recounts when a paraplegic student with no muscle movement from the waist down wanted to ride. “Much younger and stronger than I am now, I lifted her out of her wheelchair and onto a pony; and she slipped right off! I had to be on my toes to catch her! During the years, we built her a ramp so she learned to lift herself from her wheelchair onto the horse all alone. She learned to saddle, bridle, groom – even pick her horse’s hooves herself. She became the inspiration for our program for riders with special needs which continues today.”
Joanne Emerson from Skyline Equestrian Center loves giving pony parties and watching children who are initially scared to death, warm to their first “horse” experience. “I love to see my riders reach the point where they get the ‘feel’ that they’re in a partnership with the horse.”
From Hest Training, Krista Hest’s heart warms when her retired 28-year old prize-winning jumper, Dermot, roams her premises, free-ranging and visiting all the horses in the barn, who love him. “I won all my ‘big stuff’ on him – the $25,000 Grand Prix and many $5,000 classes.”
When looking for a training or boarding facility, these owners provide excellent advice. Worley suggests, “Get references from other barns and owners.” Gallentine advises, “Take a look at the horses. Are their bridles, saddles, and blankets well-fitted? Talk to other people in the barn, and look for happy, healthy horses. Most of all, clarify YOUR goals; what do you want from a stable?” Jon Deleonardo from Sky Ranch counsels, “Choose a place where you can have agency over your own experience, one where the owner lives on the property, and where you can establish a relationship with the owner and the staff.” Hest encourages, “Find a barn with comfortable, happy horses and look for ‘that friendly vibe.’” Traunweiser suggests, “Find what speaks to your heart.”
If your family is looking to buy a mount, Gallentine specializes in what she calls “project horses.” Her extensive experience working with hundreds of equine veterinarians and selling ultrasound equipment all over the U.S. has gifted her with special talents in recognizing horses displaying strong potential. Her biggest reward is, “Figuring out how to turn unrideable horses from the track into solid ‘citizens’ who flourish in a loving home.” Worley from Cornerstone is often called upon by clients to find European Warmbloods – currently the most prized steeds for dressage, hunting, and jumping – but she warns, “Get ready for 6-figure horses; prices are mind boggling!”
Skyline Neighborhood Horse Facilities
ABBEY CREEK – COMPETITION, TRAINING, AND SALES BARN
Clients here value competition, and most boarders are full-training clients, whom Gallentine accompanies to show competitions twice a month. Besides hunting and jumping, a strong focus is placed on dressage, and Gallentine owns a Dressage School Master Horse, a rare 6-figure mount that is so highly-trained and sensitive to a rider’s commands, the mare responds to the movement of the rider’s eyes. The stable is also home to an IEA Team (The Interscholastic Equestrian Association is a nonprofit organization that gives youth in grades 4-12 the opportunity to compete in team and individual equestrian competition without the financial burden of owning a horse.) And Abbey Creek stable boasts the only sanctioned IEA team in the dressage discipline in the entire state of Oregon.
CORNERSTONE HUNTERS & JUMPERS – is a top-performing facility specializing in training riders of all ages, some of whom are either candidates for or working their way to the stellar Premier level of competition, i.e., National and Regional Medals. To qualify at the “Premier Level,” riders must win a significant number of competitions throughout the year. Owner and veteran trainer, Linda Worley reports, “We have a 15-year old student who has qualified, and we look forward to traveling back East with her for the Fall Major Indoor Circuit.” Worley began riding at 5 years of age, had her own pony at 7, began teaching at 16, built and established Cornerstone 23 years ago, and continued teaching, steadily, for more than 50 years.
DENALI NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP - Anyone who has owned horses understands the sizable expenses and the non-stop, labor-intensive work. For those enthusiasts who are choosing to not own their own steed or enter competitions, but who want to continue pleasure riding or honing their amateur skills, Denali Natural Horsemanship is the perfect facility with its long-lease riding program. Owner April Gutierrez offers, “We’re a very quiet, small business. No one’s chasing ribbons here. We differentiate ourselves from a lesson barn, and we’re not a competition barn.” Denali offers a large open-air arena for beginners or riders wanting to work with one of the Denali trainers. Alternatively, for a more experienced rider wanting to enjoy the pleasure of the trail, scenic trails are accessible nearby.
HEST TRAINING – Describing their training program for jumpers, Hest states, “I enjoy working with riders who are passionate about this sport; we’re not fancy here; chickens, goats, and pigs roam the place – we’re low-key and friendly, focusing on the horses’ contentment. We love to go to shows, about 7 a year”. Hest just returned from a large show in Palm Springs, where one of her young riders took a championship, and two others received top placements. Most everyone in her barn shows, but Hest also works with riders who jump for pleasure. The barn is at full capacity with 18 horses; and besides giving lessons, Hest rides at least 10 mounts a day while owners ride the rest.
PHOENIX FARM – “We’ve been at this location for 46 years – We now have three generations of horsewomen active at the farm,” reports Kati Traunweiser. “We offer and arrange full and half leases. This is a wonderful way for people to learn the ins-and-outs of horse ownership, and for people to have a bond with a horse they can ride regularly. Several of our customers are happy to share their horse with someone who’s an appropriate fit. We provide hunter/jumper/equitation, basic dressage, ground-work, and vaulting lessons. We also offer some special needs lessons, since that is an important family tradition for us. Her mother, Christina Traunweiser muses on her love of horses, “Some people pop out of the womb and say, “I’m going to ride a horse; and if they find themselves horseless, they just can’t function.”
SKYLINE EQUESTRIAN CENTER – Joanne Emerson adds, “We’re a small, individualized business that caters to our riders’ needs. We tend to focus on Three-day Eventing, which includes dressage, cross-country, and show jumping, known as the Triathlon of riding. Top tier event horses need to be extremely athletic, which calls for breeds like Warmbloods and Thoroughbreds, but any breed can do the job at introductory or starter levels.” Emerson’s riders have won top honors at national competitions. Her facility attracts a wide-range of “disparate professionals of all ages, who form very tight bonds over their love of horses, and who, otherwise, wouldn’t ever be together.” She enjoys watching adults shed their everyday problems as they focus on the horses – reducing the tension of high-stress professions.
SKY RANCH STABLES – Jon Deleonardo, an architect by trade, extolls the joys of a natural ranch setting he owns and lives on and the satisfaction of getting up at the crack of dawn every morning and mucking out stalls. He feels, “There are certain life realities to overseeing your business that involves other peoples’ horses.” His clients are mainly “pleasure-riding professionals – psychiatrists, PhD-level scientists, business owners, etc. looking for a high-level of horse satisfaction and to unwind from professional stress.” The horses that his clients board are often retired competition horses as well as trail horses of every breed. His joy is to see these horses revel as they roll in the grass of his large pastures. And he derives great pleasure “seeing my boarders’ kids grow up and get to know about horses.” With 270 acres in which to roam, riders have plenty of trails to explore.
Directory of Horse Facilities
ABBEY CREEK EQUESTRIAN CENTER – Melissa Gallentine
[email protected] ,15248 NW Germantown Rd. 503.955.7016
CORNERSTONE HUNTERS & JUMPERS - Linda + Wade Worley – owners; Linda Worley, Trainer, [email protected], 8310 NW Kaiser Rd 503.321.3253
DENALI NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP – April Gutierrez
[email protected], 11908 NW McNamee Rd 503.341.2376
HEST TRAINING – Krista Hest
[email protected], 16340 NW Rock Creek Rd 425.753.3597
PHOENIX FARM – Christina & Kati Traunweiser
www.Phoenixfarmpdx.com, 16428 NW Rock Creek Rd 503.621.3823
SKYLINE EQUESTRIAN CENTER - Joanne Emerson - Barn Manager and Instructor;
[email protected], 22029 NW SKYLINE BLVD 503.502.7203
Joni Feryn – Owner & Office Manager, [email protected] 503.816.5996
SKY RANCH STABLES – Jon Deleonardo - Owner
[email protected], 23421 NW Skyline Blvd (Moreland + Skyline) 503.704.8970
RR 0123
Who would have thought that NW rural Portland would boast so many incredible equine facilities for horse enthusiasts!? Our Skyline community offers an eye-opening range of choices. Each of the stables we’ve spoken with offers an array of services, with each featuring unique programs appealing to various groups in the community.
All offer riding lessons of various types as well as boarding services and some form of lessons. If you’re interested in specific skills such as hunting, jumping, and dressage, you’d be considering Abbey Creek, Cornerstone, Hest Training, Phoenix Farm, and Skyline Equestrian Center. Lessons and training are offered to enthusiastic children – starting as early as 4 years of age – to beginners and pleasure riders, all the way to advanced levels; and some of these stables provide the highest levels of competition training. Interestingly, a number of American colleges and universities offer full-ride sports scholarships to high-school graduates who ride at the stellar levels.
Surprisingly, perhaps, some riders continue into their 70’s and 80’s; and If non-competition riding and natural trails are enticing, Denali Natural Horsemanship and Sky Ranch Stables would be ideal places to start.
Heartwarming stories abound with these owners/trainers, and they often involve their riders (young and old, alike) as well as land-mark events in their long, passion-driven equine “journeys.”
Melissa Gallentine from Abbey Creek enthuses, “One of my riders just turned 10, and she’s been able to ride over 60 horses in my stable – from green ponies to our professional warmbloods. We run a “no-drama” barn, and I have the best customers in the world; they’re not snooty and will happily pick up a shovel. I’ve wanted to own a stable since I was 9 years old, and I’m here because I like horses better than people.”
Linda Worley from Cornerstone chuckles, “I like to see kids fall off their ponies; it tests their mettle. If they get right back on, they’re likely to be enthusiasts and go the distance. If they balk at remounting, you might want to consider another sport. I’m a second mother to many of my students; they spend a lot of time with me training and showing. I have kids I taught since they were 5, then, I taught them through high school, and saw them ‘ride’ off to college! Then, I continue on as part of the family.”
Christina Traunweiser from Phoenix Farm recounts when a paraplegic student with no muscle movement from the waist down wanted to ride. “Much younger and stronger than I am now, I lifted her out of her wheelchair and onto a pony; and she slipped right off! I had to be on my toes to catch her! During the years, we built her a ramp so she learned to lift herself from her wheelchair onto the horse all alone. She learned to saddle, bridle, groom – even pick her horse’s hooves herself. She became the inspiration for our program for riders with special needs which continues today.”
Joanne Emerson from Skyline Equestrian Center loves giving pony parties and watching children who are initially scared to death, warm to their first “horse” experience. “I love to see my riders reach the point where they get the ‘feel’ that they’re in a partnership with the horse.”
From Hest Training, Krista Hest’s heart warms when her retired 28-year old prize-winning jumper, Dermot, roams her premises, free-ranging and visiting all the horses in the barn, who love him. “I won all my ‘big stuff’ on him – the $25,000 Grand Prix and many $5,000 classes.”
When looking for a training or boarding facility, these owners provide excellent advice. Worley suggests, “Get references from other barns and owners.” Gallentine advises, “Take a look at the horses. Are their bridles, saddles, and blankets well-fitted? Talk to other people in the barn, and look for happy, healthy horses. Most of all, clarify YOUR goals; what do you want from a stable?” Jon Deleonardo from Sky Ranch counsels, “Choose a place where you can have agency over your own experience, one where the owner lives on the property, and where you can establish a relationship with the owner and the staff.” Hest encourages, “Find a barn with comfortable, happy horses and look for ‘that friendly vibe.’” Traunweiser suggests, “Find what speaks to your heart.”
If your family is looking to buy a mount, Gallentine specializes in what she calls “project horses.” Her extensive experience working with hundreds of equine veterinarians and selling ultrasound equipment all over the U.S. has gifted her with special talents in recognizing horses displaying strong potential. Her biggest reward is, “Figuring out how to turn unrideable horses from the track into solid ‘citizens’ who flourish in a loving home.” Worley from Cornerstone is often called upon by clients to find European Warmbloods – currently the most prized steeds for dressage, hunting, and jumping – but she warns, “Get ready for 6-figure horses; prices are mind boggling!”
Skyline Neighborhood Horse Facilities
ABBEY CREEK – COMPETITION, TRAINING, AND SALES BARN
Clients here value competition, and most boarders are full-training clients, whom Gallentine accompanies to show competitions twice a month. Besides hunting and jumping, a strong focus is placed on dressage, and Gallentine owns a Dressage School Master Horse, a rare 6-figure mount that is so highly-trained and sensitive to a rider’s commands, the mare responds to the movement of the rider’s eyes. The stable is also home to an IEA Team (The Interscholastic Equestrian Association is a nonprofit organization that gives youth in grades 4-12 the opportunity to compete in team and individual equestrian competition without the financial burden of owning a horse.) And Abbey Creek stable boasts the only sanctioned IEA team in the dressage discipline in the entire state of Oregon.
CORNERSTONE HUNTERS & JUMPERS – is a top-performing facility specializing in training riders of all ages, some of whom are either candidates for or working their way to the stellar Premier level of competition, i.e., National and Regional Medals. To qualify at the “Premier Level,” riders must win a significant number of competitions throughout the year. Owner and veteran trainer, Linda Worley reports, “We have a 15-year old student who has qualified, and we look forward to traveling back East with her for the Fall Major Indoor Circuit.” Worley began riding at 5 years of age, had her own pony at 7, began teaching at 16, built and established Cornerstone 23 years ago, and continued teaching, steadily, for more than 50 years.
DENALI NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP - Anyone who has owned horses understands the sizable expenses and the non-stop, labor-intensive work. For those enthusiasts who are choosing to not own their own steed or enter competitions, but who want to continue pleasure riding or honing their amateur skills, Denali Natural Horsemanship is the perfect facility with its long-lease riding program. Owner April Gutierrez offers, “We’re a very quiet, small business. No one’s chasing ribbons here. We differentiate ourselves from a lesson barn, and we’re not a competition barn.” Denali offers a large open-air arena for beginners or riders wanting to work with one of the Denali trainers. Alternatively, for a more experienced rider wanting to enjoy the pleasure of the trail, scenic trails are accessible nearby.
HEST TRAINING – Describing their training program for jumpers, Hest states, “I enjoy working with riders who are passionate about this sport; we’re not fancy here; chickens, goats, and pigs roam the place – we’re low-key and friendly, focusing on the horses’ contentment. We love to go to shows, about 7 a year”. Hest just returned from a large show in Palm Springs, where one of her young riders took a championship, and two others received top placements. Most everyone in her barn shows, but Hest also works with riders who jump for pleasure. The barn is at full capacity with 18 horses; and besides giving lessons, Hest rides at least 10 mounts a day while owners ride the rest.
PHOENIX FARM – “We’ve been at this location for 46 years – We now have three generations of horsewomen active at the farm,” reports Kati Traunweiser. “We offer and arrange full and half leases. This is a wonderful way for people to learn the ins-and-outs of horse ownership, and for people to have a bond with a horse they can ride regularly. Several of our customers are happy to share their horse with someone who’s an appropriate fit. We provide hunter/jumper/equitation, basic dressage, ground-work, and vaulting lessons. We also offer some special needs lessons, since that is an important family tradition for us. Her mother, Christina Traunweiser muses on her love of horses, “Some people pop out of the womb and say, “I’m going to ride a horse; and if they find themselves horseless, they just can’t function.”
SKYLINE EQUESTRIAN CENTER – Joanne Emerson adds, “We’re a small, individualized business that caters to our riders’ needs. We tend to focus on Three-day Eventing, which includes dressage, cross-country, and show jumping, known as the Triathlon of riding. Top tier event horses need to be extremely athletic, which calls for breeds like Warmbloods and Thoroughbreds, but any breed can do the job at introductory or starter levels.” Emerson’s riders have won top honors at national competitions. Her facility attracts a wide-range of “disparate professionals of all ages, who form very tight bonds over their love of horses, and who, otherwise, wouldn’t ever be together.” She enjoys watching adults shed their everyday problems as they focus on the horses – reducing the tension of high-stress professions.
SKY RANCH STABLES – Jon Deleonardo, an architect by trade, extolls the joys of a natural ranch setting he owns and lives on and the satisfaction of getting up at the crack of dawn every morning and mucking out stalls. He feels, “There are certain life realities to overseeing your business that involves other peoples’ horses.” His clients are mainly “pleasure-riding professionals – psychiatrists, PhD-level scientists, business owners, etc. looking for a high-level of horse satisfaction and to unwind from professional stress.” The horses that his clients board are often retired competition horses as well as trail horses of every breed. His joy is to see these horses revel as they roll in the grass of his large pastures. And he derives great pleasure “seeing my boarders’ kids grow up and get to know about horses.” With 270 acres in which to roam, riders have plenty of trails to explore.
Directory of Horse Facilities
ABBEY CREEK EQUESTRIAN CENTER – Melissa Gallentine
[email protected] ,15248 NW Germantown Rd. 503.955.7016
CORNERSTONE HUNTERS & JUMPERS - Linda + Wade Worley – owners; Linda Worley, Trainer, [email protected], 8310 NW Kaiser Rd 503.321.3253
DENALI NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP – April Gutierrez
[email protected], 11908 NW McNamee Rd 503.341.2376
HEST TRAINING – Krista Hest
[email protected], 16340 NW Rock Creek Rd 425.753.3597
PHOENIX FARM – Christina & Kati Traunweiser
www.Phoenixfarmpdx.com, 16428 NW Rock Creek Rd 503.621.3823
SKYLINE EQUESTRIAN CENTER - Joanne Emerson - Barn Manager and Instructor;
[email protected], 22029 NW SKYLINE BLVD 503.502.7203
Joni Feryn – Owner & Office Manager, [email protected] 503.816.5996
SKY RANCH STABLES – Jon Deleonardo - Owner
[email protected], 23421 NW Skyline Blvd (Moreland + Skyline) 503.704.8970
RR 0123