About
Windy Hill Equestrians Summer Camp is part of Windy Hill Equestrians, a premier Bay Area hunter jumper facility with an all-inclusive horse and rider training program. The camp operates within a full-service program that includes both a Riding School and a Training Program.
• Ages: 6–17 years old
Windy Hill Equestrians was formed in 1999 by trainer and owner Laura Gerst as a full-time A-Circuit training barn. 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. The stated goal of the program is to help riders reach their goals, with an emphasis on making the learning aspect fun and safe and treating each horse and rider as a team with a tailored program.
Trainer and owner Laura Gerst has extensive experience in hunters, jumpers, and equitation, has worked with Linda Hough, Carleton and Cindy Brooks, and her father Larry Mayfield, and does buying and selling of horses for clients through Paul and Emil Hendrix. Head Trainer Dakoda Mower is originally from Springville, Utah, had a successful junior and amateur career in equitation, hunters, and jumpers, turned professional in 2016, began a Grand Prix career in 2019 with Duanda of the Lowlands Z, and has had much success with the horse Icebreaker. Assistant Trainer Natalie Gerst has ridden hunters, jumpers, and equitation horses for many different trainers, spent time in Europe riding with Stal Hendrix, rode on the Zone X team at the USHJA Jumper Championships and won a team silver medal in 2019, spent most of her junior career showing and riding sale horses for Windy Hill Equestrians, continues to ride sale and client horses, has two horses of her own competing in upper level jumpers, and turned professional in 2023.
Riding School Director Laura Morishige has been part of Windy Hill since 2007, started the riding careers of many high-level riders in the training program, emphasizes proper position and basics to give riders a solid base and position, and has two children and connects well with children. Assistant Trainer/Instructor Gillian Mihanovic began riding at Windy Hill at age 9, competed from Pony divisions through 1.30m Jumpers, returned to Windy Hill after graduating from UC Boulder to continue a professional riding career, and excels at teaching and competing at all levels.
Windy Hill Equestrians is described as a friendly environment and a family, and it serves clients from San Francisco to South San Jose. The facility is located at Fremont Hills Country Club and is 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, and is located just minutes off of Hwy 280 in Los Altos Hills.
Parent and rider feedback includes comments such as, “Great fun and family oriented environment to take your riding to the next level whatever that may be. I highly recommend all of their programs,” from Kathy L. of San Jose, CA. Another rider, Jessie W. from Redwood City, CA, states, “Windy Hill Equestrians is a terrific barn. I’ve been there for 3 years now and am so happy to have found such a stellar team. I trust them implicitly with my horse.” Pallavi Kumar Chandra comments, “Love the people, love the horses! Such a warm and caring place for horses and kids!”
Last updated April 29, 2026.
• Ages: 6–17 years old
Windy Hill Equestrians was formed in 1999 by trainer and owner Laura Gerst as a full-time A-Circuit training barn. 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. The stated goal of the program is to help riders reach their goals, with an emphasis on making the learning aspect fun and safe and treating each horse and rider as a team with a tailored program.
Trainer and owner Laura Gerst has extensive experience in hunters, jumpers, and equitation, has worked with Linda Hough, Carleton and Cindy Brooks, and her father Larry Mayfield, and does buying and selling of horses for clients through Paul and Emil Hendrix. Head Trainer Dakoda Mower is originally from Springville, Utah, had a successful junior and amateur career in equitation, hunters, and jumpers, turned professional in 2016, began a Grand Prix career in 2019 with Duanda of the Lowlands Z, and has had much success with the horse Icebreaker. Assistant Trainer Natalie Gerst has ridden hunters, jumpers, and equitation horses for many different trainers, spent time in Europe riding with Stal Hendrix, rode on the Zone X team at the USHJA Jumper Championships and won a team silver medal in 2019, spent most of her junior career showing and riding sale horses for Windy Hill Equestrians, continues to ride sale and client horses, has two horses of her own competing in upper level jumpers, and turned professional in 2023.
Riding School Director Laura Morishige has been part of Windy Hill since 2007, started the riding careers of many high-level riders in the training program, emphasizes proper position and basics to give riders a solid base and position, and has two children and connects well with children. Assistant Trainer/Instructor Gillian Mihanovic began riding at Windy Hill at age 9, competed from Pony divisions through 1.30m Jumpers, returned to Windy Hill after graduating from UC Boulder to continue a professional riding career, and excels at teaching and competing at all levels.
Windy Hill Equestrians is described as a friendly environment and a family, and it serves clients from San Francisco to South San Jose. The facility is located at Fremont Hills Country Club and is 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, and is located just minutes off of Hwy 280 in Los Altos Hills.
Parent and rider feedback includes comments such as, “Great fun and family oriented environment to take your riding to the next level whatever that may be. I highly recommend all of their programs,” from Kathy L. of San Jose, CA. Another rider, Jessie W. from Redwood City, CA, states, “Windy Hill Equestrians is a terrific barn. I’ve been there for 3 years now and am so happy to have found such a stellar team. I trust them implicitly with my horse.” Pallavi Kumar Chandra comments, “Love the people, love the horses! Such a warm and caring place for horses and kids!”
Last updated April 29, 2026.
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