DIANE BUTLER
Diane Butler has more than 30 years experience in the care and
management of horses and farm animals.Diane has been riding since her
early childhood. She spent years managing show barns, both hunter-jumper
and dressage, before founding SquirrelWood Farms LLC. SquirrelWood
provided exceptional rehabilitation care to sport horses following
injury or surgery. This operation was the stepping stone for the
Sanctuary as it exists today. Diane manages the operations and care of
all of our residents. She carefully designs diets and daily care
schedules for each resident.
BETH HYMAN
Beth Hyman brings a lifetime of horse experience to her role here at
SquirrelWood Equine Sanctuary. As both a rider and a trainer, she
provides the residents with educations in ground work and under saddle
training. She is an avid polo player and an artist when not hard at work
here at the Sanctuary. The daughter of a Cornell veterinarian, her
education about animal health and wellbeing started early on. She works
carefully with the sanctuary's veterinarians to provide care in cases of
emergency or illness. and is skilled in providing on the farm management
of medical cases.
LENDON GRAY
We are exceptionally blessed to have Lendon on our board. She is a well
know and respected dressage trainer and competitor. She represented the
US in the Olympics (1980,1988), and coached Courtney Dye-King to the
Olympics. A well know and liked figure in the world of dressage, Lendon
travels extensively to teach around the country. Her support of young
riders and kids led to the creation of Dressage 4 Kids (D4K). She holds
an annual show in NY, Lendon's Youth Dressage Festival and hosts kids
from around the world to compete. Lendon has been recognized for her
performance and service, receiving awards ranging from the 1989
Governor's Award from the Maine Sports Hall of Fame to the title of USPC
Legend, 2004 and induction into the Sweet Briar College Sports Hall of
Fame 2006.
Lendon has contributed to many publications, including Chronicle of the
Horse, Dressage Today, Practical Horseman, Horse People, Equine Journal.
She has written a very popular book, Lessons with Lendon, that makes
dressage more accessible and understandable to all riders.
COURTNEY BUDD
Courtney is a lifelong rider and horsewoman. She has know founders Beth Hyman and Diane Butler for more than 15 years. She spent a number of years training with Lendon Gray at Gleneden Dressage, as well as Betsy Steiner, Courtney King Dye, and other notables. Courtney earned her undergraduate degree in English from Trinity College and her MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business and currently works in marketing for BMW of North America.
She competes in dresage through the FEI levels and manages a small training business in northern New Jersey.
JACLYN BUTERA
A hunter rider and lifelong horse enthusiast, Jacquie was an
intercollegiate competitor both during her undergraduate years and as an
alum. She has served as head coach for the Manhattanville College
Equestrian Team and assistant coach with the Sarah Lawrence team. She
taught beginner lessons at Fox Hill Farm in Pleasantvile and volunteers
with Pegasus when time allows. She now works and plays at Valley Pond
Farm in Patterson, NY.
Jacquie earned her undergraduate degree in clinical social work at
Marymount College and holds two master's degrees. Jacquie is a
certified clinical social worker and school administrator. She has
worked in independent school education for twenty years, and in her
present position at Rye Country Day School, she is the Dean of Student
Life and Upper School Counselor. She also has experience in family
social work for Westchester County and served as the Youth Advocate in
Rye for two years.