Hidden Fields Farm
"Skills for a lifetime!"
Melanie Finkeldey
ARIA certified Level III
Hunt-Seat and Show Jumping
Certified Level II with Dennis Reis
ARIA certified Level III
Hunt-Seat and Show Jumping
Certified Level II with Dennis Reis
Trainer, Melanie Finkeldey, having 23+ years experience, has had the great opportunity to show the A Circuit in CT, VA, AT, NY, FL, and VT.
Melanie has trained under Jeffrey Welles, Linda Langmeire, Michael Kirby, and Mark Jungher, to name a few! She has also trained in Dressage for 8 year with Peggy Dills, Eric Horgan, and Jane Ashley.
Melanie's expertise is in showing jumping and training riders how to get along with their horses. Each horse has their own stamina, heart, desire, brilliance, and athletic ability. Melanie's professional and intuitive instruction can help the horse and rider become a winning team in every aspect of horsemanship.
Melanie Finkeldey's winning ride on Lars
Mount Holyoke Jumper Show. 2007
Melanie has trained under Jeffrey Welles, Linda Langmeire, Michael Kirby, and Mark Jungher, to name a few! She has also trained in Dressage for 8 year with Peggy Dills, Eric Horgan, and Jane Ashley.
Melanie's expertise is in showing jumping and training riders how to get along with their horses. Each horse has their own stamina, heart, desire, brilliance, and athletic ability. Melanie's professional and intuitive instruction can help the horse and rider become a winning team in every aspect of horsemanship.
Melanie Finkeldey's winning ride on Lars
Mount Holyoke Jumper Show. 2007
American Riding Instructors Association
Level III - Instructor of Beginner through Advanced
- Minimum age: 25 years; minimum of 6 years teaching experience.
- Must pass all exams with scores of 90 or above on each.
- Must pass video evaluation for Level III.
- Is an excellent communicator.
- Has an outstanding personal philosophy of instruction.
- Clearly knows his own personal strengths and weaknesses.
- Has a thorough knowledge of specialty taught.
- Has an understanding of safety procedures, and uses them.
- Has a thorough knowledge of horses and their care.
- Rides (or has ridden) at an advanced level.
- Has advanced knowledge of training horses.
- Knows the elements of styles of riding other than his own specialty.
- Understands the psychology of the horse.
- Has participated in competition, if competition is an integral part of the style taught.
- Has knowledge of the practical application of stable management and horse care.
The Level III instructor is able to teach the more advanced rider as well as the beginner and intermediate rider. The instructor has ridden at an advanced level and understands the problems of advanced riders. This instructor is concerned with solving problems, not just dealing with symptoms. The instructor can also help with the training of horses, and can deal with specific training problems of his/her students'; horses. This instructor not only knows how horse and rider interact, but the whys behind it.
