Our People

• Gayle Matson-Kozak - Owner, Instructor, Trainer

  

  Gayle Matson-Kozak is a fully accredited riding instructor with over 35 years of experience teaching and caring for horses. Gayle enjoys teaching and sharing her knowledge with others. Her background is very diversified starting with 4-H, trail riding, showing locally, for many years staring and showing young horses for clients, hunters and dressage at college, riding and showing saddleseat. At the present time Gayle chooses to not participate in showing herself but enjoys preparing clients horses for them to show and being there for them and to assist them with their showing needs. She loves to learn and is constantly furthering her education in her field. Gayle enjoys the variation of different disciplines thus her reason for teaching and "all around" training facility. Gayle holds an ApHC judging card and judges horse shows throughout the US and Canada. Students of Hope Lock have been successful in the show ring earning National and World titles as well as year end titles in many different events. Beyond their life with Hope Lock students have gone on with their own careers teaching and training as well as other careers. Gayle's most treasured moments are those of bringing a student and their horse together as a team.

• Susie Arnold - Instructor

  

  Susie Arnold grew up riding and showing at Hope Lock Farm under Gayle with her horse, Zip-N-Country. She has been teaching riding lessons at Hope Lock Farm for over 15 years. She graduated from Delaware Valley College with a degree in Large Animal Science and worked full-time at Hope Lock for several years before pursuing a career as a classroom teacher. She has a Masters Degree in Education from DeSales University and currently teaches middle school science at St. John Vianney Regional School in Allentown.

  Susie enjoys sharing her passion for horses with her students. She finds it most rewarding to watch her students grow into not only good riders, but good horsemen and horsewomen who develop a relationship with the animals that they care for.

• Kelsey Weingartner - Instructor

  

  My name is Kelsey Weingartner and I have been riding at Hope Lock Farm for 8 years and have loved every second of it! It is a real privilege and honor to be able to work and connect with the horses. Every individual horse has their own personality and lessons that they can teach to us. Horseback riding has always been my passion, and throughout the week you will most likely find me at the barn riding and caring for the different horses at Hope Lock. Although I do not own my own horse, I have had the wonderful opportunity of working with many different horses over the years, including both lesson horses and privately owned horses. I have received training from both Gayle and Susie over the years, and I now teach part-time, mainly on Friday nights. I love being able to share my knowledge and passion for horses with my students and anyone who is willing to learn. The most rewarding part of working with horses for me is definitely watching a strong bond between horse and rider begin to form, one where human and animal can trust each other and work together in harmony.