StableSecretary Feature: Stoneleigh-Burnham Equestrian Center

Stoneleigh-Burnham Equestrian Center is a part of the academic community at Stoneleigh-Burnham School, which educates females in grades 7-12 and postgraduate. The Stoneleigh-Burnham Equestrian Center is the first and only secondary school equestrian facility in the United States to achieve prestigious certification as a British Horse Society-approved Livery Yard, Riding School, and Facility.

Aerial photo of Stoneleigh Burnham School Campus

Located in Greenfield, Massachusetts, the modern equestrian center offers two indoor riding rings, Flagg Hall (100’x200′) and The Lion’s Den (72’x120′), which are surfaced with state-of-the-art, high-tech German Geotextile (GGT) footing. The center also provides a European-style Derby field, cross country course with options from introductory to preliminary, and an extensive trail system. Between the two barns on campus there is stabling for 50 horses, with each barn providing its own wash station, heated tack room, and other top-of-the-line amenities. The heated and air conditioned viewing gallery, known as the Fuller Lounge, can accommodate up to 200 people. The facility also features an equine rehabilitation area that contains quarantine stalls, a solarium, digital weight scale, wash stall and vet office.

While some students bring their own horses, the school also has a team of around 35 horses that are used in the equestrian program. Stoneleigh-Burnham Equestrian Center offers riding options for all English disciplines and boasts an impressive show record with top honors at regional and national levels. “We are members of the Interscholastic Equestrian Association for Hunt Seat and Dressage. Our students also compete at top-rated horse shows locally and around the country. A major goal for our program, moving forward, would be to continue to educate and train young riders in the sport,” explained Kay Ward, the center’s Stable Manager. The equestrian center also offers BHS training, cross-country schooling, Bonnie Castle Riding Camp and Horsemanship Camp, as well as hosting clinics and winter schooling shows for students and community riders.

In 2016, a need for better organization of paperwork for school horses and boarders drove the equestrian center to seek a barn management tool. “We saw an advertisement on-line for your [StableSecretary] program and have been happy with the outcome,” shared Ward. “StableSecretary allows our staff easy access to information in one organized, easily accessible place. To be honest, the reminders feature is my favorite feature because I know everyone is so busy and this is helpful to effectively manage a daily schedule. Manage tags is another great feature when you are reorganizing your information.”