Sally Heffner
Step Up Lead / Head Trainer
With a lifelong passion for horses, I began my riding journey at the age of 10 and quickly developed a love not only for riding but also for sharing my knowledge with others. Teaching those starting out in the equestrian world became a natural extension of my passion, and I have now been teaching for 28 years.
Over the years, I’ve gained extensive experience in multiple disciplines, including jumping, dressage, eventing, team roping, and starting young horses. Competing has been an important part of my journey, and I’ve shown regularly throughout my riding career. I continue to compete, take lessons with other professionals in our community, clinic with world renowned clinicians to continue my education in a sport where you never stop learning.
My foundational skills were further developed through my participation in Pony Club, where I successfully completed my ratings through C2. Along the way, I had the opportunity to deepen my understanding of equine health while spending three years working at a sports medicine veterinary hospital. There, I worked closely with both the lameness and surgery teams, gaining valuable insights into equine biomechanics and rehabilitation.
When I’m not working, I am a mom to a beautiful 5-year-old girl who shares my love for horses. She often asks to spend all our waking hours taking care of them, which makes every moment spent together even more special.
Whether coaching beginners or helping experienced riders refine their skills, I am passionate about fostering a positive and educational experience for every student.
Maddie Gelfan
Maddie is an equine enthusiast whose lifelong involvement in horses has led her to RockMeadow Farms. As a second-generation equestrian, her knowledge of care and riding has helped many students become confident, empathetic riders. She has competed in Dressage and Pleasure whilst continuing to take lessons from many different disciplines. Maddie’s goals are to bring students up from the ground and into the show pen, keeping the love of horses in the equestrian sport.
Allison Cooper
Allison has been riding for 5 years with a focus on classical dressage and equitation. Working as a stable hand and stall cleaner taught her lots about horses and the ways they communicate — and now she focuses on passing on the knowledge of harmonious communication between rider and horse. She strives to provide riders with a solid foundation in their groundwork and riding, so both can understand and enjoy each other!
Liz Yanev
Pony Class / Camp Director
RockMeadow is Liz’s happy place! Liz started riding at Evergreen Equestrian Center when she was 10 years old. The barn was her sanctuary as she learned how to ride different types of horses, learned to jump over fences, clean stalls, and went on long trail rides in Bridle Trails. Her two daughters love riding and volunteering at RockMeadow. Teaching pony classes and pony camp is something she enjoys!
Gargi Pradhan
Gargi has been riding/volunteering at RockMeadow Equestrian Center since 2014 including our Summer Camp Program! She has a solid hunt seat/equitation foundation and competed in WSHJA show and on the UW Equestrian Team for 3 years. Gargi hopes to make riding anxiety free, fun and an escape from school/work.
Margaret Keers
Locally-grown in the Northwest Region Pony Club, Margaret spent her youth competing in a variety of English disciplines and pursuing her national level certifications in both riding and horse management. After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree and a year of substitute teaching high school foreign languages, she ran away with the circus, where she spent the next five years working through a degree in Veterinary Technology and managing the 30-90 performing horses of Cavalia (and learning a few tricks herself). In 2017, she found her place at Tacoma Equine Hospital where she helps save equine lives and educate horse owners on her daily adventures across the Puget Sound. With a strong taste for adventure over competition, Margaret enjoys staffing for Woodbrook Hunt Club during the fall and winter, breeding and training her own sport horses, and endurance riding—including a 2022 completion of the Mongol Derby! Above all, Margaret hopes to give her students the skills to allow them to practice safe and competent horsemanship that leads to a lifetime of equestrian fun and fulfillment!
Michelle Pyle
Michelle has been riding, showing and generally crazy about horses since she was a girl. Her varied background includes competition in gymkhana, performance and dressage. A firm believer that there is always more to learn with horses, Michelle works to continually improve her knowledge by attending horsemanship clinics and receiving coaching in hunter/jumper and dressage. Michelle's goal as an instructor is to develop confident riders who are effective communicators with their horses and hopefully crazy about them too!