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Hobbs Hollow Stables
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Hobbs Hollow Stables, Meadville, PA 16335
Phone 814-333-9343
You can email us at hobbshollow@csonline.net
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Please take a few moments to read about us.
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Hobbs Hollow Stables, located on Hobbs Road off Route 77 in Meadville, PA, was founded in 1972. The operation consists of a 70 ft by 110 ft. indoor arena, 31 permanent stalls housing lesson and privately owned horses and ponies, show preparation facilities, pasture for turn-out and trail availability. Services offered include horse boarding, riding and showing instruction at all levels in western, hunter, driving,and dressage. Horse training, show coaching, horse transportation and sales/purchase consultations are also available. Veterinary and farrier services are available for all boarders. Turn-out and specially arranged services can be provided.
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About Hobbs Hollow Owners/Instructors
Lee Kraft and Dorothy Zirkle have worked with horses for many years in a variety of horse related capacities.
Lee Kraft graduated from Morven Park Equestrian Institute in Leesburg, Virginia. The 10-month program was founded by "members of the United States Combined Training Association to satisfy the need for quality instructors, necessitated by the closing of the U.S. Army Cavalry Schools, once the principle source of riding instruction and international equestrian competitors." Major John Lynch, coach of the 1968 U.S. 3-day Event Team was the instructor. Two Years as an instructor at Morven Park were followed by six months as a working pupil for Gabor Foltenyi in Michigan. She next taught at the Princeton Riding Center in Princeton, NJ. She was invited to serve as Senior Instructor at Morven Park, under the direction of Major Lynch and later Col. Mark Darley. She worked in a variety of roles at the Claremont Riding Center in New York City. Before coming to Meadville, she studied Dressage in Germany for six months, with Egon Von Neindorff, another instructor of worldwide reputation.
A number of her students have achieved the United State Dressage Federation Bronze medal, as well as a wide variety of successes in eventing, hunters, western, halter and so forth.
Prior to attending Morven Park, she was employed locally training horses for riding and driving, as well as serving as a 4-H leader for 3 years. As a youth, she rode under instruction for three years at the Allegheny College Stable.
Dorothy Zirkle, the original founder of Hobbs Hollow, started her career in horses by riding the fast ponies at Conneaut Lake Park. She was a student at the Allegheny College Stable program for 5 years and worked during high school at the stables. She managed the Oakland Beach Dude Ranch for 1 year. She assisted a well-known Crawford County horsewoman in training colts to ride and drive for a number of years. She continues to take instruction with various instructors and attends clinics.
A founding member of the French Creek Valley Saddle Club, she served as Secretary and was the Entry Secretary at their 2-3 day Intercounty shows. She was a member of the saddle club's Mounted Square Dance Team, that performed at fairs and horse shows. Dorothy bred and raised numerous foals, including Thoroughbreds, one of which placed in the PA Yearling Futurity. Others were outstanding Halter, Hunter and Event horses.
She was one of the founders of the High Riders 4-H Club and served as a leader for 8 years. Dorothy's students have been successful in competition at local circuits: PONY, Erie Hunt and Saddle Club, PA Riding and Driving Club, and Intercounty. Students have qualified for or placed at the State 4-H shows in Driving, Saddle Seat Pony, Hunter Hack, Production, Hunt Seat Equitation, Hunter Pony under Saddle, Pairs, Showmanship, Western Pleasure pony, and Therapeutic Walk-trot and Therapeutic Walk-trot Trail.
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Hobbs Hollow Goals
The objective at Hobbs Hollow is to provide the best possible service for our clients; while providing the best possible environment for stable and privately owned horses and ponies.
Work with clients is on an individual basis. Training and instruction is offered to meet client and horse needs on all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. A learning environment is provided for all clients, working students, and paid grooms.
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