Christie Stillwaugh/owner - Is
a Grand Prix dressage rider, a USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medalist, who
enjoys
sharing what she's learned with others and gets great personal satisfaction in
seeing her
students school their own horses.
Riding by the age of 5, training her first pony, a
Chincoteaque named Sea Blaze by age 11, Christie Stillwaugh has spent
much of her life involved with horses in some way. She was a 4H member
and rode western
throughout her youth. She stopped riding when she entered high school,
thinking maybe boys might be a fun change. However, after meeting and
marrying her husband Jim, Christie was given a horse that put her right
back into the midst of the equine world.
She caught the dressage bug in 1995 while cleaning
stalls at an FEI barn in Pennsylvania. After working with the warmbloods
and watching their training, Christie realized what a challenge it was
to ride dressage. When the resident trainer left their employ, the
owners of the farm hired Heather Mason for clinics. It was after
watching Heather with the students, that Christie decided to begin
working with her.
She purchased her thoroughbred, Chief Speaker from a
want ad. Newt, as she calls him, had sustained a suspensory injury on
the track and could no longer run. She would find out later he actually
had two suspensory injuries and had she not bought him, he would have
been put down! "He was just so darn cute", Christie said, that she
couldn't resist buying him with the hopes of making her own dressage
horse. Sadly, that first winter was spent with her mom, who was very ill
with cancer. While Christie was able to spend the time she needed to be
with her mom, it also gave Newt the time he needed to heal. She and Newt
began training with Heather Mason in the spring of 1996 and in 1997
Christie and Chief Speaker were the Region I Second Level AA Champions!
Christie was thrilled! "I was so amazed that we won. I never knew this
could be so much fun," she claims. In addition to the regional
championships, she also received her USDF Bronze medal. And in 1998
received her USDF Silver medal and finished in the top 3 at 4th AA Level
and Prix St George at Region One. In 1999 was the Champion at
Intermediare I Freestyle and Reserve Champion at Intermediare I AA.
In 2000, while bumping Newt up to Grand Prix, she
relinquished her amateur status to pursue teaching. Grand Prix was a
learning experience for both Christie and Newt. "He's such a cool horse,
always forgiving, always trying no matter what I asked," says Christie.
In August of 2002 she sold Newt to a women in the Foothills of
Tennessee, where he loves to "show off" for her and is leading the life
he deserves.
Teaching has taken over her life. Through some close
friends, she met a "cowboy" from Nebraska who taught her quite a bit
about natural horsemanship, that she still uses today. She enjoys
sharing what she's learned with others and gets great personal
satisfaction in seeing her students school their own horses. Another
pleasure is realizing a student has learned to problem solve on their
own. This, she realizes, is what drives her to teach. Whether or not a
student shows, she is teaching them to set and achieve their goals while
enjoying their horses!
Jimmy Stillwaugh/owner - Christie's
husband has been around the horse scene for a long time too. He is also Mr.
Fix-it for the facility and it's not unusual for him to be seen helping Christie
out at the shows!
Sashi McDowell instructor/trainer for Autumn Acres Inc
LLC has been with us teaching Hunter/Jumpers since Aug 2005.
Sashi has a large clientele of hunters and jumpers and is available for lessons
or training here at HEC. She frequently takes clients to horseshows from
Snowbird to Garden State. So if you are just learning to ride, or want advanced
jumping lessons on your horse or hers, call her for details.
She has quality school horses for lessons or for lease. Select horses are
available for sale as well. If you are looking for either your first horse, or a
seasoned show mount, call Sashi for details!
Sashi can be reached for rates and scheduling at 908-797-4593
Board & Training Information & Rates
Please contact Christie for more info 908.689.9869
for 2000 - Turnout Boarding now available!! Includes run-in shed,
unlimited hay, grain 2x daily.
Please call for price! 908.689.9869
Training available, please call for pricing and availability
**
All vet calls, shoeing, and dentistry work, show
entry fees etc., is
the responsibility of
the horse owner and not
Harmony Equestrian Center**
Directions:
From South Jersey: take Rt 31 N to Washington, then Rt 57
West to
Broadway. At the light in Broadway go right onto Millbrook,
go 3 blocks
to farm on Right.
From PA: take Rt 22 east across Delaware River Toll to Phillipsburg.
Follow to Rt 57 East Split. Follow Rt 57 East to Broadway NJ.
At the
light in Broadway go Left onto Millbrook, go 3 blocks to farm on the Right.
and newly added lush green pastures. We have an attached 70' x 120' indoor
arena with Permaflex rubber footing and a viewing lounge. The fenced in outdoor
is approx 90' x 200' with sand footing. The Hunt
Course located in front of the barn has stadium jumps as well as stone wall,
bank jump, brush boxes and a gentle slope.The Barn itself is undergoing
renovations to include a newly coated/insulated roof, and new paint. The
drainage system has already been completed, and a new parking area for trailers
is in the works.
