Healing, confidence, and connection — one horse at a time.

Susanne Hoover

Founder

Susanne grew up in Frankfurt, Germany and has been in love with horses since her first riding lesson at age 10. When she came to the US for her Biology studies, she never let go of her dream to one day own her very own horse. After graduating with a PhD in Biology from UCSD, she began taking riding lessons again and met her first horse Cricket, a beautiful red roan quarter horse. The trail system in Encinitas and surrounding areas was the impetus to learn more about Western trail classes, trail riding, and horse camping. Eventually, her daughter was old enough to ride and their second horse, a palomino gelding, joined Cricket.

Susanne very much enjoyed learning positive-reinforcement clicker training to help her horses become confident and comfortable on trail rides, overnight camping trips, and even in the Encinitas Christmas parade environment.

Susanne has been a lifelong teacher at the elementary through college level. She has taught high school and college courses in Biology, run an afternoon program in German in Encinitas for over 20 years, and taught Waldorf curriculum at a K-8 school for 10 years. Susanne adores all animals and besides horses is a proud mama to a border collie, a kitty, a parakeet, a desert tortoise, a leopard gecko, a ball python, and many fish — you can see why her house has been called a ‘zoo’ by her friends.

She is thrilled to share the joy of horsemanship with others and help them experience this magic with patience, compassion, and enthusiasm. She is excited to create a warm, inclusive, and supportive environment where every individual can learn, grow, and build confidence.

Kati Exner-Zmolek

Founder

Kati, a German pediatric registered nurse, discovered her love of horses at the age of five. Before she ever learned to ride, she began vaulting, finding that standing on the back of a cantering horse came more naturally to her than sitting in the saddle.

By the age of twelve, she and her team had qualified for and competed in the German Vaulting Championships. From that moment on, horses became a lifelong passion and an important part of her journey.

One of Kati’s greatest joys has been exploring the world on horseback — trail riding through Iceland with a herd of 100 Icelandic horses, as well as riding in New Zealand, Namibia, and France.

In 2017, Kati became a certified vaulting coach, sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm with children and young adults in both Germany and the United States. Through vaulting, she has helped young people develop balance, confidence, teamwork, resilience, and a deep respect for horses.

As an RN, Kati now hopes to combine her professional expertise with her passion for horses. Her vision is to create meaningful experiences where horses can inspire confidence, provide comfort, and encourage growth.

Kimberly Hart

Founder

Kimberly’s lifelong connection to horses began in Fairbanks, Alaska. After falling in love with riding at age 9, she saved her babysitting money to buy her first horse at 12. That early dedication blossomed into a career, and for the last 30 years Kimberly has shared her love for Icelandic horses. She has owned and trained Icelandic horses and taught horsemanship to numerous children and adults. She has led many tours to Iceland, the country where this incredible breed originated over 1000 years ago when Vikings brought the breed’s ancestors from Scandinavia.

Guided by her deep love for horses, Kimberly has taught integrative lessons for many years. She has taught children with a wide range of abilities and learning needs, including neurotypical and neurodivergent children and children with physical disabilities. Kimberly is excited to be part of Sage Farms’ offerings and bring inclusive equine experiences to San Diego’s North County.