About Us
About Our Farm
Charles and Carol Popp have owned and operated Hidden Bridge Farm in Ridgefield, Connecticut for over forty three years..They strive to provide a first class training facility where the horses are not only well cared for but are happy and where clients can enjoy a relaxed and fun environment in which to learn and enjoy their horses.
Individual Paddocks
Horses enjoy individual grass turnouts for as long as they are happy to stay out. Boots, fly sheets or blankets are used for safety and comfort. a product or service you'd like to show.
Stables are heated to 50 F in Winter. All stalls have rubber mats,individual lighting and water to each. Diets are tailored to each horse with four wet meals given per day and certified organic hay is available at all times. Water and feed buckets are scrubbed daily.Stalls are cleaned continually 7AM to Midnight.
Basic, grooming and training board are available. Many students trailer in for lessons or you may ride one of our schoolmasters.
Year round training is available in our indoor arena which has non-freezing rubber footing and plenty of mirrors.Additionally, the arena has art and historic equine artifacts for educational purposes and the enjoyment of everyone.
Carol's COMPETITIVE RECORD
Carol's Competitive Record
Carol has enjoyed a very successful competitive dressage and show j;umping career. She has trained and shown various breeds of horses to win over 80 national USDF Championships,Region 8 and All Breeds Championships from Training Level through Intermediare II including Freestyle divisions.
Additionally, Carol was a highly competitive jumper rider who trained and rode many horses to AHSA/USEF national and regional Horse of the Year awards including Grand Prix victories at Fairfield Hunt Club, Old Salem Farm, Kent School, Chagrin Falls, Ould Newberry and Old Boston horse shows.,
RIDING WITH SPANISH RIDING SCHOOL MASTERS
Carol Popp is a certified Classical Dressage Riders' Association trainer and test administrator at Grand Prix level,a USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist, an author, clinician and experimental archaeologist. She has had the honor to work with some of the masters from the Spanish Riding Scool in Vienna, Austria. Her mentor of 25 years du;ring her competitive career was Dr. Max Gahwyler, well know FEI judge, clinician and author.
It is her passion as an academically school trainer to pass this knowledge on to her students in order to preserve the humane, classical methods and philosophy that are the only time proven methods to consistently produce, correct, happy horses of all breeds and disciplines.
Hidden Bridge Farm caters to busy riders
Schedules are set up to meet the needs of busy riders whose family and professional lives require flexibility in order to accommodate their riding schedules.
Beginners to Grand Prix
Carol works with first time beginners to the most advanced FEI riders recognizing that a correct foundation is imperative to produce the best performance whether in the show ring or for pleasure.
Schoolmasters Available
Carol accepts riders who wish to trailer in from other stables. Lessons can also be arranged on our lovely schoolmasters who give instant feedback, teaching their riders feeling and timing of correctly executed movements.
Our Services and Fees
REGULAR BOARD includes four customized meals per day, unlimited organic hay, turnout, dressing and undressing, continual stall cleaning.
$1,400 per month
GROOMING BOARD includes all of the services listed above for regular board plus daily grooming of your horse after turnout
$1,600 per month
Grooming can be arranged on a per diem basis when you are away at a rate of $10 per day.
TRAINING BOARD includes all services listed above for regular and grooming board plus training for your horse five days per week
PER DIEM TRAINING SESSIONS for your horse : $65 per ride
LESSONS
LESSONS One hour private: $110
Book of six lessons: $550
Half hour private $75
Book of six lessons $380