About
Windy Hill Equestrians offers hunter jumper horse riding lessons through a full service riding school and training program. The program includes hunter/jumper training, a riding school, and a summer camp, as well as buying and selling of horses for clients.
Windy Hill Equestrians is a premier Bay Area hunter jumper facility with an all-inclusive horse and rider training program and a full time A-Circuit training barn. The program describes itself as a friendly, family oriented environment.
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 operation is described as a full service program that includes both a Riding School and a Training Program.
Laura Gerst has extensive experience in hunters, jumpers, and equitation, and she has worked with Linda Hough, Carleton and Cindy Brooks, and her father Larry Mayfield. She buys and sells horses for clients through Paul and Emil Hendrix, with whom she has a long-standing relationship. Dakoda Mower has been with Windy Hill since 2016, turned professional in 2016 after a successful junior and amateur career in equitation, hunters, and jumpers, and began his Grand Prix career in 2019 with Duanda of the Lowlands Z, later having success with the horse Icebreaker. Natalie Gerst has ridden hunters, jumpers, and equitation horses for many 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, and turned professional in 2023. Riding School Director Laura Morishige has been part of Windy Hill since 2007, started the riding careers of many of the high level riders in the training program, emphasizes proper position and basics, and has two children of her own. Assistant Trainer/Instructor Gillian Mihanovic began riding at Windy Hill at age 9, competed from the Pony divisions through the 1.30m Jumpers, graduated from UC Boulder, and returned to Windy Hill to continue her professional riding career.
The program states that its goal is to help riders reach their goals and that it strives to make the learning aspect fun and safe, with each horse and rider treated as a team and given a tailored program. It notes that the facility 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.
Parent testimonials describe Windy Hill Equestrians as a great, fun, and family oriented environment to take riding to the next level and recommend all of the programs. Other testimonials describe it as a terrific barn with a stellar team that is trusted with a horse, and as a warm and caring place for horses and kids.
Last updated July 24, 2026.
Windy Hill Equestrians is a premier Bay Area hunter jumper facility with an all-inclusive horse and rider training program and a full time A-Circuit training barn. The program describes itself as a friendly, family oriented environment.
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 operation is described as a full service program that includes both a Riding School and a Training Program.
Laura Gerst has extensive experience in hunters, jumpers, and equitation, and she has worked with Linda Hough, Carleton and Cindy Brooks, and her father Larry Mayfield. She buys and sells horses for clients through Paul and Emil Hendrix, with whom she has a long-standing relationship. Dakoda Mower has been with Windy Hill since 2016, turned professional in 2016 after a successful junior and amateur career in equitation, hunters, and jumpers, and began his Grand Prix career in 2019 with Duanda of the Lowlands Z, later having success with the horse Icebreaker. Natalie Gerst has ridden hunters, jumpers, and equitation horses for many 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, and turned professional in 2023. Riding School Director Laura Morishige has been part of Windy Hill since 2007, started the riding careers of many of the high level riders in the training program, emphasizes proper position and basics, and has two children of her own. Assistant Trainer/Instructor Gillian Mihanovic began riding at Windy Hill at age 9, competed from the Pony divisions through the 1.30m Jumpers, graduated from UC Boulder, and returned to Windy Hill to continue her professional riding career.
The program states that its goal is to help riders reach their goals and that it strives to make the learning aspect fun and safe, with each horse and rider treated as a team and given a tailored program. It notes that the facility 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.
Parent testimonials describe Windy Hill Equestrians as a great, fun, and family oriented environment to take riding to the next level and recommend all of the programs. Other testimonials describe it as a terrific barn with a stellar team that is trusted with a horse, and as a warm and caring place for horses and kids.
Last updated July 24, 2026.
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