Have you ever dreamed of learning how to ride a horse, or even owning one? The sport of horseback riding can be an incredibly rewarding activity, offering an excellent way to relax, enjoy nature, and form a unique bond with a special animal, and if that’s something that you’ve always wanted to experience, Aureliano Equestrian of Huntington, NY can help to make it a reality.
Aureliano Equestrian owner Jill Aureliano has been teaching and training since 1990; she originally owned a very successful show and sales barn named Hunter's Grove that she sold in the mid-2000’s, and five years ago she opened a new equestrian business – the eponymous Aureliano Equestrian – focusing on an intimate atmosphere that accommodates everyone from pleasure riders to highly competitive equestrians.
Individual lessons are available, and teaching is at pace unique to each rider to ensure a comfortable and safe learning environment. Photo Credit: Aureliano Equestrian
Specifically, Aureliano Equestrian focuses on the Hunter/Jumper discipline of riding in which horse and rider perform over jumps. Individual lessons are available, and teaching is at pace unique to each rider to ensure a comfortable and safe learning environment.
Kelly Giordano, an assistant trainer at Aureliano Equestrian who also helps with business operations, ran down the basics of what the school has to offer to those of all ages looking to saddle up for the first time.
“We offer horseback riding lessons Tuesday through Sunday. Our lessons are typically 30 minutes, which we recommend for anyone who’s starting out in riding, but we do offer hour-long riding lessons as well,” she said. “This is a program that teaches you horseback riding…our facility is really for people who want to know the foundations of horseback riding, the foundations of horse care.”
Aureliano Equestrian makes their home at Stanhope Stables, an 18-acre boarding and riding facility located in Huntington. Photo Credit: Aureliano Equestrian
No horseback riding program is complete without the right location to hold lessons; Aureliano Equestrian makes their home at Stanhope Stables, an 18-acre boarding and riding facility located at 7 Downs Road in Huntington. The property Aureliano Equestrian is located on offers an 80x200 indoor riding arena as well as 3 outdoor rings – including a large jumping arena, fenced in pony ring, and dressage arena – ensuring both versatility and year-round training opportunities.
In addition, the quality of Aureliano Equestrian’s horses is exceptionally strong, with many of them either being current or previous show horses.
And for those who may already own their own but need some help, training is available as well. Looking to own a horse? Aureliano Equestrian's experts are able to help you find the perfect partner with their exceptional network of equestrian professionals, including relationships overseas for importing horses which can offer high quality breeding and talent.
The program has a team of talented trainers who create a very closely-knit atmosphere amongst each other and their students. Photo Credit: Aureliano Equestrian
The program has a team of very talented trainers who create a very closely-knit atmosphere amongst each other and the students that they teach; In addition to Giordano, the instructors at the school include owner Jill Aureliano and her daughter Brittany. Regular training and daily riding is the norm for them all in order to stay at the top of their abilities and ensure that they deliver the very best results to their students.
Lessons at Aureliano Equestrian, unlike some other riding schools, are individualized for 1:1 attention to impart training with maximum effectiveness, Giordano said.
“Some programs have many students, but I would say we have 30 at the most,” she said. “We’re looking to expand, but not lose the quality of our instruction. Some businesses are just cranking through lessons all week and that’s not really a personal touch. We spend a lot of time with our students…we’re busy, but not so busy that we can’t just chat with them and give them individual attention.”
Aureliano Equestrian can also help if you aspire to test your skills in actual horse riding events as well. Photo Credit: Aureliano Equestrian
And when it comes to the competitive aspect of horse riding, Giordano said that Aureliano Equestrian can also help if you aspire to test your skills in actual horse riding events as well.
“Not all of our students compete, but many of them do, both in local and national competitions,” she said.
As for the team at Aureliano Equestrian, owner Jill Aureliano has been teaching since 1990 and training and breaking young horses since 1994, and has had much success with all aspects of the horse show world. She holds her USEF "R" judges license in Hunter Breeding and her USEF "r" judges license for the Hunters/Equitation.
Brittany Aureliano has been riding for over two decades starting at an early age with her mother. During her early riding career, Brittany rode countless young ponies and horses showing in the hunters at local and major competitions throughout the East. She graduated from college in 2014 and began teaching and showing professionally.
Aureliano Equestrian offers horseback riding lessons Tuesday through Sunday. Photo Credit: Aureliano Equestrian
Giordano herself has had a life-long love of horse riding; she first started riding at 6 years and kept up with it throughout her college years at Penn State, where she was president of the equestrian team. Later in life, she left a job in corporate America to teach horseback riding full-time at Aureliano Equestrian, and hasn’t looked back since.
“It’s the best feeling in the world…I’m a happier person, and I enjoy what I do each and every day,” she said. “It’s just something that I love to do, and it feels great to share that with our students, and to be able to work with horses and the people who love them.”
To find out more about Aureliano Equestrian, please call (516) 669-6976 or visit their website at https://aurelianoeq.com.