About Us
Wildflower Stables isn’t just a barn….
….. it’s a community. Whether you’re new to the horse world or you’re an avid competitor, there is a place for you here.
Emily Rivers, Owner
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI), MA Licensed Riding Instructor
Emily’s fondest childhood memories were riding her Shetland Pony, Sparky, through apple orchards with her mom when she was little. Emily practically lived at the barn growing up. She was a dedicated Pony Clubber and quickly fell in love with the discipline of eventing. Emily boarded her horses, an OTTB named Rebel and Morgan/Quarter Horse named Allie at Black Oak Farm in Hamilton, MA where she trained with internationally recognized eventer, Charlie Plumb.
Emily rode on the Equestrian Team and studied art and animal science at the University of Vermont. Upon graduating, she spent many months traveling and volunteering abroad. She lived in South Africa where she worked at a farm and provided tours of the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast on horseback and volunteered at the Emma Animal Rescue Society in Cape Town. After her time in South Africa, she traveled to Mozambique where she studied Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and went on to backpack around Australia, Italy and the UK.
When she returned to the US, Emily obtained her Master's Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from Suffolk University in 2011. Helping others has always been Emily's passion, so she became a MA Licensed Riding Instructor and a PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor in 2012.
Emily lives in Franklin with her husband and daughter and their assortment of farm animals which include goats, chickens, ducks and cats. Watching her students grow and thrive in a supportive and non-judgemental environment is what Emily loves most about what she does. She feels tremendously lucky to be able to provide services that help participants of all ages and abilities realize a higher potential and quality of life.
Dale McCarthy, Operations Manager
Dale has had a love of horses since she was a small child, and has loved watching her son blossom doing hippotherapy and therapeutic riding for well over a decade. After an amazing trip to Montana, Dale finally got in the saddle herself.
Dale brings a myriad of experiences to the Wildflower team, as an educator, active community volunteer and former nonprofit executive director of a fully-inclusive riding program. Dale hails from New Jersey, having moved to the Boston area in 1987 to attend Tufts University, where she received her degree in Child Study in 1991. She subsequently received her Juris Doctor degree from Northeastern University School of Law in 1998.
Dale lives with her husband John and rescue dog in Metrowest Boston, and has two teenagers who are more often than not, out of the nest. You’ll often find Dale snuggling the Wildflower horses or riding around smiling ear-to-ear.
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Kevin Eardley
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI), Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL), MA Licensed Riding Instructor
Kevin’s love and passion for horses started at a very young age. He grew up spending every second at the barn, absorbing as much knowledge as possible about these beautiful creatures. A lifelong rider and horse owner, he grew up in Massachusetts riding hunter jumper, then transitioned to dressage under the mentorship and training of several professionals throughout the years.
Kevin began his journey in Therapeutic Riding and Equine Facilitated Services in 2002. Combining his love for horses and passion for helping people, he was hooked from the start! He knew instantly this was what he was set-out to do. In addition to years of teaching, he has extensive direct experience and knowledge in non-profit program management, therapeutic programing, equine facility management and was a former Director of a Therapeutic Riding program for several years.
With a strong emphasis on horsemanship, Kevin’s core mission is to provide a safe, fun and positive experience to all of his students. He encourages his riders to work toward their personal goal’s, building confidence both in the saddle and in themselves. He feels incredibly fortunate to continue to provide these services to individuals of all ages and abilities.
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Jenna Kaplan
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI), MA Licensed Riding Instructor
Jenna grew up just outside of Boston. Her love for horses began at age 7, when she started taking horseback riding lessons at summer camp. After begging her parents to sign her up for lessons during the year, it became a tradition that every Saturday they would go to the barn together and stop for macaroni and cheese on the way home.
She continued riding through her teen years and competed on the IHSA team at the University of Miami, where she graduated with a BA in Criminology. Upon graduating, Jenna returned to the Boston area and spent many years managing large riding programs in the non-profit and for-profit sector.
Jenna has taken on every role including equine/herd management, program management, and teaching both therapeutic and recreational riding lessons. In 2020, she co-founded Wildflower Stables with Emily Rivers and Lauren Daugherty. While caring for many horses with complex medical needs at Wildflower, she discovered a passion for veterinary medicine and left Wildflower to start a new chapter of her life as a Veterinary Assistant at Northbridge Equine Associates.
When Jenna is not working, she can be found spending time with her young OTTB, Penelope, and her retired pony, Barney. We are thrilled to have her back teaching at Wildflower Stables!
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Ava Krieg
MA Licensed Riding Instructor
A Massachusetts native, Ava has been riding since she was 7 years old, starting in a lesson program doing both mounted and unmounted lessons. At 15, Ava leased her first horse and started riding in the hunter/jumper discipline. In 2018, Ava bought her first horse, Ambassador, to advance her passion for riding and competing and her event pony, Knight, in 2021.
Ava has recently resumed her studies at Dean College where she is pursuing a degree in Psychology. She looks forward to using her knowledge to pursue her PATH certification to teach therapeutic riding in the future.
Ava’s goal as an instructor is to provide her students with comprehensive knowledge surrounding horses, both in and out of the saddle. She strives to create a safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment where her riders develop increasing confidence. She wants her students to leave their lessons feeling like they accomplished their goals and excited to return each week.
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Linda Smith
MA Licensed Riding Instructor
A native of Natick, Linda Smith brings over 32 years experience working with horses and riders in a myriad of roles in the equine industry. Most recently, Linda taught and ran her own program out of Course Brook Farm for 6 years. She has been on the board of the Charles River Dressage Association for 12 years. After all these years in the industry, Linda views herself as a not only a teacher, but also a student, continuing to expand her knowledge of riding and equine behavior, training, nutrition and health by attending seminars and clinics with top instructors.
Linda is skilled at working with riders of all levels, from beginner through Fourth Level dressage levels. Linda’s warm, even demeanor enable her to develop an exceptional ability to tap into what motivates each student and advance their riding skills and confidence. She understands the importance of providing skills and tools not only for riding, but also for everyday life. The responsibilities of caring for horses help teach time management, leadership, decision making, and cooperation. Through Linda, riders discover the fun, friendship and power of teamwork through proper horsemanship techniques. Linda believes working with animals helps individuals learn to better relate to others with understanding and respect. Linda is excited to share her lifetime of learning and teaching with the riders at Wildflower Stables and witness more moments of connection between horse and rider.