Plenty can be learned at Nova Equestrian Center
by Charity Funk,
Sentinel Correspondent frontdoor@cumberlink.com
Saturday, April 13, 2002

A new equestrian center has been opened in Shippensburg to give people of all ages the opportunity to learn more about horses.

Consisting of one school horse, a four-stall barn, a round pen, and indoor arena, and three pastures, the Nova Equestrian Center has been drawing a lot of attention since it opened to the public last June.

It has 10 students ranging from the ages 6 to middle-age adults. The instructor, Brenda Lantz, specializes in teaching dressage, which is French for “to train the horse.” “Dressage is applicable to all riders,” Lantz says. She explained that it ranges from basic techniques to those advanced like “airs above the ground” and “piaffe,” which means “to trot in place.”

Shippensburg University student Blair Biscardi has been taking lessons there for the last four months. Although her favorite thing about riding is the freedom she feels, her goals are being met by being trained in dressage.
“I want to tone down and learn discipline,” she says. “Here I am learning how to refine my skills.”

Dream came true

Jutta Wakefield, the owner of the center, always had wanted horses when she was a kid. The dream came true when she bought her Morgan mare, Nova, whom the center is named after.

She met Lantz when they housed their horses at the same place, and then decided to get their own barn for their horses and have Lantz offer lessons. The bought their school horse, a Belgian and Thoroughbred gelding named Jelly Bean.

“Jelly Bean is the perfect school horse,” says Wakefield, who compared him to the more high-strung Nova.

Although riders can bring their own horses for lessons, Lantz is glad to have Jelly Bean with her.

“Now I can give lessons to people that don’t have a horse,” she says.

The center also allows for special guests to come and teach lessons. Craig Stevens, a renowned equestrian clinician who works in America as well as Europe will present a classical dressage clinic from June 14-16.

Plans to expand the facility by adding two stalls, a feed room, an outdoor arena, and one pasture are in the works. Lantz and Wakefield would also like to purchase a pony for smaller children and a Holsteiner for training and in-hand work.

More information on the Nova Equestrian Center may be obtained by calling Lantz at 477-9475 or contacting her on the web at www.kissdressage.com

The center is in Shippensburg.