Let me introduce you to Ellis Equestrian Center at Bakers Woods Forest Preserve. Ellis is owned and operated by the Kendall County Forest Preserve. It is established to fill the beginner riding program needs in the Kendall and North Grundy and Western Will county areas. We will teach a beginner balanced seat riding, and hope to provide students to the more advanced lesson barns in the area when students finish our programs.
Our mission is to connect environmental stewardship with the equestrian, educational and recreational opportunities we provide to county residents.
Ellis Equestrian center wishes to reach the surrounding communities so every household will embrace one or more concepts of horse or environmental stewardship they can use in their own lives. One of our tools to do this will be to utilize horses to teach children and adults how conservation can be recreational as well as a regeneration of the environment we live in. Part of the care of the horse is the care of its environment. Every dollar and hour that is donated or paid to the Equestrian Center will go back into making the Center sustainable as well as improve recreational and educational activities.
Our focus will be on the community at large as well as horse owners. In 2009 we will start on paid programming that introduces horses and their environment to children and adults. Also in this first year, we will supplement our programs with facility rentals, open arena times and fees, hay sales and special event rental of the Ellis estate house.
Our current facilities have an architecturally beautiful house that is used for rental and seminar requests. There is an 8 stall barn with a tack room and wash stall attached to an indoor riding arena. A 100ft x 200ft outdoor riding arena is just south of the indoor arena, with 5 acres of fenced in pasture. We have parking lots, and other public amenities for ease of use. We also are planning a college internship program.
Our Staff
Tina Villarreal - Event Coordinator
Mike Prinos - Grounds Maintenance
Debbie Granat - Children's Program Coordinator
Elaine Salato - Administrative Assistant
Alesia Reinert - Riding Instructor
Kelly Porto - Riding Instructor
Kelly has extensive experience with Training horses and riders. She regularly volunteers to assist 4-H riders