Riding lessons and dressage training for the dedicated equestrian in a supportive and inclusive environment
Welcome
At Privateer Riding Academy we strive to create happy, harmonious, equine and human partnerships through the sport of dressage with a strong emphasis on safety and empathy for both horse and rider. We are inclusive, body positive and LGBTQIA+ friendly.
We have proudly created a diverse student body of some truly kind and remarkable individuals who have formed strong and supportive friendships with one another through their equestrian journey and beyond, not to mention our fantastic horses!
All are welcomed and valued here.
OUR SERVICES
Whether you are brand new to the world of horses or a long-time enthusiast looking to expand your skills and increase your understanding of these amazing animals, Privateer Riding Academy wants to help.
We strongly believe in the nearly magical ability of dressage training to improve the emotional health and athletic longevity of both horse and rider. Let us help to guide you on this important journey.
Privateer horse camps are the best around! We have daily small group rides, lots of hands on with the horses and only the coolest crafts, all taught by qualified adult instructors. Lunches are provided and dietary restrictions are taken into account.
Do you have a little horse lover who is too young to benefit from regular riding lessons? Privateer Pony Pals club is the answer! Ages five and under can come for a fun group session of pony rides, horse grooming, coloring, and snacks. All geared around the strength, coordination, and attention span of your littles!
LEASING AND SALES
Privateer has horses available for full or partial lease to students. We also frequently have dressage trained horses at a variety of levels looking for new homes. If you are looking to raise your own future champion, we also breed premium Oldenburg youngsters and raise them right.
OUR TEAM
CARA BARKER YELLOTT
Passionate about horses from a young age, Cara has now been riding and teaching for more than three decades. In addition to training horses and riders for dressage, she has trained horses for movies, Renaissance faires with crowds of 25,000 people, and onstage performance in a live opera. She has been interviewed on numerous television shows, in major papers, and even appeared on 20/20!
She believes strongly in lifelong education and frequently attends clinics with top trainers and Olympians in the sport of dressage. She has many competitive successes under her belt, including training and showing a United States Equestrian Federation Horse of the Year winner!
Cara's greatest passion in the horse world is teaching and it's the testimonials of her students that really tell the story.
ERIN FRANK
Erin has a deep knowledge base of the biomechanics and inner workings of both humans and horses. She is currently earning her degree in Kinesiology at the University of Michigan. She has been training in equine body work for the last 6 years and human posture and balance work for the last 4. She currently trains extensively with well known equine and human body worker Leah Astrup and with Cara Barker Yellott as part of the U of M dressage team.
She regularly expands her knowledge through clinic participation with everyone from United States Dressage Federation Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Maryal Barnett, to top international equine functional anatomy expert, Jillian Kreinbring.
She is an experienced riding instructor who has been showing horses in a variety of disciplines for much of her life and has been riding dressage for over a decade.
