My name is Joei Rettenmyer, and I am excited to re-join Pleasant Ridge Farm!

My teaching approach is centered around creating a positive, supportive environment where riders of all levels can thrive. I believe in focusing on building a strong foundation of basics and confidence. I am passionate about helping riders achieve their goals, whether they are just starting out or aiming to compete.From early on, I have been very fortunate to have had a substantial number of fantastic equine professionals contributing to my riding development. In addition to my strong beginning riding experiences including horse ownership, lessons/clinics, and Pony Club, I have gained a great deal of horsemanship knowledge and hands-on experience both mounted and on the ground with horses ranging from foals to experienced Grand Prix level horses in grooming and working student positions. I have worked as a FEI groom and had the privilege of grooming at the Kentucky three-day event for two years.

Currently, I ride young horses for Hollypark Horses, a breeding, producing, and selling operation based in Ireland, known for its methodical approach to developing young horses. At Hollypark, on an average day, I ride around eight horses, ranging from 3 to 6 years old, and receive lessons in Ireland about once a week, with Ralph Conroy, or Tim Macdonagh. At Hollypark, I've been fortunate to ride a wide variety of horses. Summers are dedicated to producing Irish Sport Horses, including Show Jumpers and Eventers. The winters focus on developing Irish Draught Horses, which are bred to be hunters and all-rounders. An educational experience has been Fox Hunting across the world-famous terrain with the Galway Blazers, where I've had the opportunity to ride multiple horses per day over two seasons.Over the past two years at Hollypark, I’ve gained valuable experience beyond riding. I’ve worked with handling stallions, covering mares, managing foals, running social media accounts, and assisting in the sales/advertising of young horses.

Earlier this spring, I worked part-time for Grand Prix rider Ange Bean while attending West Chester University. During this time, I had the opportunity to take weekly lessons on dressage horses and gained valuable knowledge from her teaching.

My weekends at Hollypark are filled with competitions, which have been instrumental in my riding skills. This summer, my proudest accomplishment was producing Hollypark Beauty Queen, a 5-year-old Irish Sport Horse. We worked hard all summer to qualify for the Royal Dublin Horse Show. At the RDS, we competed against 20 of the best young event horses in the country and seasoned 3* to 5* riders. I was thrilled to secure a clear round and a top 10 finish in such a competitive class.This summer has been a significant learning experience, deepening my knowledge of producing and selling young horses. I am eager to bring this expertise to Pleasant Ridge Farm, helping riders achieve their goals in a supportive and encouraging environment.