Windy Hill Equestrians Riding School & Training Program
Windy Hill Equestrians at Fremont Hills Country Club, 26941 Purissima Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
About
Windy Hill Equestrians Riding School & Training Program offers hunter jumper horse riding lessons and Bay Area hunter jumper training. The program also includes a summer camp as part of its full service Riding School and Training Program. It operates as a premier Bay Area hunter jumper facility and a full time A-Circuit training barn with an all-inclusive horse and rider training program that is described as a friendly, family environment.
• Schedule: Summer camp and ongoing hunter jumper horse riding lessons and training; specific schedules vary by program
Windy Hill Equestrians Riding School & Training Program was formed in 1999 as Windy Hill Equestrians Inc. The leadership team includes Trainer & Owner Laura Gerst, Head Trainer Dakoda Mower, Assistant Trainer Natalie Gerst, Riding School Director Laura Morishige, and Assistant Trainer/Instructor Gillian Mihanovic.
Laura Gerst has extensive experience in hunters, jumpers, and equitation, and earlier in her professional career worked with Linda Hough, Carleton and Cindy Brooks, and her father Larry Mayfield. She formed Windy Hill Equestrians Inc. as a full time A-Circuit training barn and also does buying and selling of horses for clients through Paul and Emil Hendrix, with whom she has a long-standing relationship.
Head Trainer Dakoda Mower has been with Windy Hill since 2016 and turned professional in 2016 after a junior and amateur career showing in equitation, hunters, and jumpers. He began his Grand Prix career in 2019 with Duanda of the Lowlands Z and has had success with the horse Icebreaker.
Assistant Trainer Natalie Gerst has ridden hunters, jumpers, and equitation horses for many different trainers and spent time in Europe riding with Stal Hendrix. She rode on the Zone X team at the USHJA Jumper Championships and won a team silver medal in 2019. Most of her junior career was spent showing and riding sale horses for Windy Hill Equestrians, and she turned professional in 2023.
Riding School Director Laura Morishige has been part of Windy Hill since 2007 and started the riding careers of many of the high level riders in the training program. Her teaching emphasizes proper position and basics, and she has two children of her own.
Assistant Trainer/Instructor Gillian Mihanovic began riding at Windy Hill at age 9 and competed from the Pony divisions through the 1.30m Jumpers. After graduating from UC Boulder, she returned to Windy Hill to continue her professional riding career and teaches and competes at all levels.
The stated goal of the program is to help riders reach their goals, with an emphasis on making the learning aspect fun and safe. The training program states that each horse and rider is treated as a team and has a tailored program to suit their needs. The facility is described as easily accessible from communities between San Jose and San Francisco, including Los Altos, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Woodside, Portola Valley, Atherton, Menlo Park, Redwood City, and San Mateo.
Parent and rider feedback includes comments describing it as a “great fun and family oriented environment to take your riding to the next level whatever that may be” and “a terrific barn” with a “stellar team.” Another testimonial describes it as “such a warm and caring place for horses and kids.”
Last updated April 25, 2026.
• Schedule: Summer camp and ongoing hunter jumper horse riding lessons and training; specific schedules vary by program
Windy Hill Equestrians Riding School & Training Program was formed in 1999 as Windy Hill Equestrians Inc. The leadership team includes Trainer & Owner Laura Gerst, Head Trainer Dakoda Mower, Assistant Trainer Natalie Gerst, Riding School Director Laura Morishige, and Assistant Trainer/Instructor Gillian Mihanovic.
Laura Gerst has extensive experience in hunters, jumpers, and equitation, and earlier in her professional career worked with Linda Hough, Carleton and Cindy Brooks, and her father Larry Mayfield. She formed Windy Hill Equestrians Inc. as a full time A-Circuit training barn and also does buying and selling of horses for clients through Paul and Emil Hendrix, with whom she has a long-standing relationship.
Head Trainer Dakoda Mower has been with Windy Hill since 2016 and turned professional in 2016 after a junior and amateur career showing in equitation, hunters, and jumpers. He began his Grand Prix career in 2019 with Duanda of the Lowlands Z and has had success with the horse Icebreaker.
Assistant Trainer Natalie Gerst has ridden hunters, jumpers, and equitation horses for many different trainers and spent time in Europe riding with Stal Hendrix. She rode on the Zone X team at the USHJA Jumper Championships and won a team silver medal in 2019. Most of her junior career was spent showing and riding sale horses for Windy Hill Equestrians, and she turned professional in 2023.
Riding School Director Laura Morishige has been part of Windy Hill since 2007 and started the riding careers of many of the high level riders in the training program. Her teaching emphasizes proper position and basics, and she has two children of her own.
Assistant Trainer/Instructor Gillian Mihanovic began riding at Windy Hill at age 9 and competed from the Pony divisions through the 1.30m Jumpers. After graduating from UC Boulder, she returned to Windy Hill to continue her professional riding career and teaches and competes at all levels.
The stated goal of the program is to help riders reach their goals, with an emphasis on making the learning aspect fun and safe. The training program states that each horse and rider is treated as a team and has a tailored program to suit their needs. The facility is described as easily accessible from communities between San Jose and San Francisco, including Los Altos, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Woodside, Portola Valley, Atherton, Menlo Park, Redwood City, and San Mateo.
Parent and rider feedback includes comments describing it as a “great fun and family oriented environment to take your riding to the next level whatever that may be” and “a terrific barn” with a “stellar team.” Another testimonial describes it as “such a warm and caring place for horses and kids.”
Last updated April 25, 2026.
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