Greta “Jade” Krafsig

Hello, I’m the owner and head instructor at White Oak Stables. I’ve loved horses my entire life, but I didn’t start riding until I was 14 and I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve trained in classical Hunt Seat and Equitation most of my life by a wonderfully talented local instructor, Sandi Diesterhoft. I’ve competed successfully in local hunter/jumper shows, western pleasure shows, hunter paces, and eventing. I enjoy working with people of all ages, especially adult beginners, plus-sized, autistic, and shy/anxious/fearful riders. I believe learning about horses should be both fun and educational and will teach towards your personal goals and desires.

Throughout my teaching I utilize love and logic, connected parenting and take a trauma informed approach. I am an advocate of cognitive behavioral therapies to encourage positive ways of thinking. I believe in applying encouragement rather than praise as a way to build self-esteem and develop higher self-confidence. While I am not a formally licensed educator, psychologist or therapist, I maintain training hours on many of these topics as a licensed foster parent.

Kristen “Kristy” Zimmer

Hello, I’m the weekday instructor at White Oak Stables. I have always loved animals growing up, especially horses. At twelve I was able to go to a horseback riding camp and I realized how much I actually loved horses. I started taking weekly lessons and soon discovered bareback riding and everything just clicked. For me, it is a way for me to connect and really feel my horse.

I worked with a wonderful instructor for a short time named Jean French, she opened my eyes to the world of horsemanship. I learned how to do all of these new exercises to help my relationship with my horse.

I started riding as a student at White Oak Stables when I had just turned seventeen. Greta taught me not just how to do something but why. I had instructors in the past that would say “heels down” but they never explained why. I soon started working for my lessons by training her green ponies Shaneighneigh and Chardoneigh with the horsemanship skills Jean taught me. I also started working alongside David Yauch, a local horsemanship trainer, to help Shaneighneigh and Chardoneigh get started under saddle as lesson ponies.

Once I turned eighteen Greta offered to train me to be an instructor and I was thrilled. Since Greta had a huge impact on my training we teach very similarly and we share the same values. Recently I opened up our horsemanship lessons, to help include more people that want to work with horses from the ground and better their communication with their horses.

Being an instructor has really helped me learn to be a better person in my life. It is such an amazing feeling to see a student that could hardly lift their saddle is now completely tacking by themselves. We strive to build a safe and healthy environment for everyone.