Students Horse Around at Hunter Oaks
Source: Daily Vidette - Illinios State University Student University
April 24, 2008

Tucked away, a few miles outside of ISU, across the highways, and down a few curvy country roads, in the Mackinaw River Valley, there is a farm. At first glance, this farm looks exactly like all the other farms around it. There is a house with a barn next to it and plenty of land. However, this farm is different because Hunter Oaks Equestrian center is located within.

As its name implies, HOEC is a place where there are horses and everything that goes on there somehow involves horses.

"We do boarding, training and lessons. The primary focus of the facility is eventing, but we also have a lot of hunter jumpers as well," Jennifer Smith, farm manager and instructor, said.

When visitors first walk up to the facility, all that can be seen is the boarding facility. However, when a closer look is taken, it is easy to see that there is a lot more than just boarding to be offered.

The Hunter Oaks facility has been in its current location for the last 20 years. It was originally built by the Zimmerman family. Over the years it has changed owners several times but, for the last 10 years, it has been owned by Tom and Sandy Mercier.

"The Mercier family is personally involved in the horses and the horse business. Their daughters both ride and compete as do Tom and Sandy as well," Smith said.

When it comes to boarding horses, Hunter Oaks has horse owners covered. The Hunter Oaks facility currently offers 45 stall facilities. There are several new and updated stalls, as well as stalls with paddocks and windows. Horses who are boarded at Hunter Oaks are fed three times a day and are provided with daily stall cleaning. Horses also receive a turn out on a pasture rotation.

Hunter Oaks offers several amenities including an indoor arena and a viewing area. An outdoor arena with sand and rubber footing is also available. Currently, boarding fees are $415 monthly, $25 over night and $15 for a day stall. All horses must have a current coggins test, which checks for Equine Infectious Anemia in the horses' blood.

"We are currently at 38 horses with the max capacity being 45. It is pretty busy here all the time," Smith, said.

Along with boarding horses, Hunter Oaks also offers lessons in a variety of categories to people of all ages.

"Our youngest student is five and we have all the way up to middle to late age adults. The primary focus in there from ages 10 to 18 is the major age group of the kids that ride," Smith said.

Hunters Oaks has three full time riding instructors and lessons can be set up with special instructors who come in on certain days. The current lessons that are offered are ones in pleasure, showmanship, equitation, hunter over fences, dressage and stadium jumping.

Lessons are currently available by appointment with the instructors seven days a week. Dressage lessons are also given every Thursday in the mornings and afternoons.

The three current instructors that Hunter Oaks employs are Jennifer Smith, Lindsay Poole and Laurie French. All three have very extensive backgrounds when it comes to teaching horse skills.

Jennifer Smith has a Master's degree from the University of Illinois in agricultural education. She has had over 12 years experience in showing and recreational riding. She teaches Hunter under saddles, showmanship, equitation, Hunter over fences, western pleasure, reining and endurance.

Laurie French has been involved in the equestrian field locally for a number of years. She is both an instructor and trainer, who teaches natural horsemanship, dressage, jumping and western riding.

Lindsey Poole is a senior member of the Hunter Oaks' Pony Club Riding Center. She teaches and trains in English and Western introduction to eventing and is certified in therapeutic riding.

Lessons are available with all of the instructors for $40 per lesson.

"We have everything from your 'just getting started - first time on a horse,' to all the way through advanced competition. So whatever a customer's goal is and whatever they want to do. If it is just a horse crazy girl who wants to come pet a horse, we can take care of her," Smith said.

The Hunter Oaks facility is host to both the ISU equestrian club and the Illinois Wesleyan equestrian team.

"The ISU equestrian team competes within IHSA and they have IHSA shows throughout the region. There are different activities that they do. They had a walk/trot-a-thon, a relay for life team and they did a trail ride at another facility a few weeks ago. Basically they do anything horsey," Smith said.

When asking customers why they choose Hunter Oaks instead of another facility, the answer becomes rather clear.

"I wanted to get a horse and board it, and this is like the best place," Hanna Cresci, Normal resident, said.

"I did a search of all the barns in the area, and Hunter Oaks has one of the nicer facilities in the area," Hayley Jones, a senior Illinois Wesleyan student, said.