Established in 1975, East Hill Farm is a boarding and training stable in central Vermont. Since then, owners and staff have taught thousands of individuals the pleasure of good horsemanship and safety in many disciplines. All skill levels of riding are taught, from beginner to the elite FEI and Olympic competition levels – from children to adults. Whatever your goals may be, we have the staff, facilities, and experience to meet your needs.

Operating year-round, East Hill Farm is also the summer training home to Ruth Hogan-Poulsen. Come and visit, watch a few lessons, meet the staff and enjoy our spectacular views – You won’t be disappointed!

The East Hill Farm Story

In 1972, the Hogan family moved to Vermont, when Con accepted a position with the Vermont Department of Corrections. Ruth Hogan was in kindergarten and her brother Neil was barely two years old. Kathie Gayer (now Moulton) also worked for the Department of Corrections at the time. Over the next few years Con and Kathie became good friends.

Kathie had been a horse person most of her life. At that time she lived on a farm in Woodbury and owned several Connemara horses. She invited Con and Jeannette to bring their kids to the farm for a Sunday afternoon, and she gave Ruth – now 6 – her first pony ride. Little did anyone know what that pony ride would lead to.

Ruth began to take lessons from a friend of Kathie’s and she was hooked. Jeannette could see the writing on the wall, that at some point ‘Dad’ would get Ruth a pony, but since she was not a rider and knew nothing about horses, maybe she should take lessons as well. Through their new found friend and riding instructor, Mary Ann McFaun, the Hogans had the opportunity to lease a pony for the winter with the idea that if Ruth – now 7 – could take care of the pony through the winter without the pleasure of riding, in the spring when “Bootsie” had to return home, they would look for a pony for Ruth. But alas, they found a horse more suitable for Jeannette first, so the hunt intensified. They finally purchased Briar Rose, an 8 year old Morgan cross shortly before Ruth’s 8th birthday.

In early 1975, Kathie had left the farm in Woodbury, had purchased some property with an amazing view in Plainfield, and was stabling her 2 horses at the McFaun’s. She was planning to exchange board for hay off her new property. During haying season the Hogan’s came to Plainfield as part of the ‘hay crew’. After many conversations too numerous to write about here, the idea of the Hogan’s buying adjacent land to Kathie’s formed so that maybe they could help fulfill a life long dream of Kathie’s, to build an indoor arena and begin a business for teaching, training, and boarding. Many planning sessions began, a partnership was formed, an indoor arena was built and East Hill Farm Family Riding Center officially opened in November, 1976.