Rachel Turk
Instructor, Competition Coach
It all started with summer camp for Rachel Turk at the age of 5 at
Willowbend Farm with Laura Johnson. She learned from an early age
horse management and care, and it continued through the years.
Making her way up by working off lessons, a few summers as a
counselor in training, and then a few more as a senior counselor, the
barn became her second home. From 2004-2009, she spent her
school years showing in the NCEL, the ISHS, and several local shows.
After graduating from Seton in 2009, she attended UMBC for a year,
joining the equestrian team and showing in the IHSA.
Rachel helps with running horse shows, events, and clinics. With now 18+ years of equine experience and 8 years of teaching, she coaches our IEA and NCAEL teams as well as at the local shows. Rachel coached the Seton Equestrian Team with Bridget as a volunteer from 2010-2014, and she's been on board at Hideaway since the beginning of new management.
Rachel hopes to earn a riding instructor certification in the next
few years and continue to build Hideaway's lesson program. "My
hope, as an instructor, is to be an inspiration to my students as my
coach was to me. I still can't imagine what my life would be like
without the hours of riding as a kid, and I love being a part of that
for the future generations. Nothing makes me happier than
working in a place that riders can call home."
Hideaway Horse Center
Kelly McCarley
Instructor, Competition Coach
Kelly has been showing and training horses and coaching riders for well over thirty-five years in hunters, equitation, pleasure, and jumpers from schooling shows to rated shows.
During her almost twenty years as the director of Camp Letts Equestrian Center in Edgewater, Kelly's students brought home several sportsmanship awards, numerous
championships and many equitation medals. In 2012, Kelly was
awarded the MSA Trainer of the Year Award, having the most winning
riders and horses that season. She believes "the best riders are not
those who win all the time, but those who show outstanding
horsemanship, teamwork and sportsmanship."
Kelly is one of our instructors as well as a coach at the local shows.
She is also the Head Coach to The Key School's IEA Team,
which rides out of Hideaway.
Susan Lauffer
Instructor
Susan started riding at age 10 and grew up
showing hunters, jumpers, and eventing in
New Jersey. She would beg to use any
available horse she could find. Her location
near the USET headquarters meant she
would often compete against the best in the
country. Her childhood highlights include
riding a fat fuzzy Appaloosa to beat USET
star (and later team coach) Frank Chapot
in a green jumper class. She earned money to ride and show by teaching lessons and doing barn work. During her senior year in high school, Susan ran a 9-horse private show farm for a local family.
After a break from riding to attend college and working
in retail management, Susan returned to riding and
purchased her first horse, a quirky Appaloosa who
became a successful eventer. While spending 20 years
as a manufacturer's rep for equine products lines, Susan
continued riding, instructing, and training in the
hunter/jumper, eventing, and dressage disciplines.
She has now returned to full time teaching. Her current
equine partner is Teddy, a 14 year old
Percheron/Thoroughbred cross who is an eventing
rock star and helps teach lessons while demanding
compensation in carrots, apples, and other treats.
Susan is a full time instructor here at Hideaway.
