Meet Our Staff
debbie gordon, ctri
president
PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor
MA licensed riding instructor
Deb is a long-time resident of Greenfield and began horseback riding at Stony B. Acres at the age of 5 and was a familiar face up through her teenage years. Deb worked for the Town of Amherst and Deerfield for 22 years and recently elected to take an early retirement to pursue her passion of Therapeutic Riding.
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After the loss of her Mom and Dad within 1 year of each other, Deb returned to Stony B Acres. While there, she was able to heal her heart through the bond of horses and find peace. In the midst of that, she knew she was right where GOD wanted her to be.
She received her certification through PATH as a Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor in December 2021. Deb joined Courageous Strides in 2022 and was nominated as President. She is eager to help spread the joy of how a horse can communicate with us and give us joy. She is passionate and eager to show you a journey through horsemanship.
Deb has been married for 22 years to her husband, Jeff and has two stepchildren, Christopher and Melissa.
Val Deane
Owner stoney B' Acres and resident horse expert
Val has owned and operated Stoney B'Acres since 1972. Her horse farm is well known in the community as the "Garden of Eden" for horses to live and thrive with acres of pastures and trail riding available. Her focus on safety and building a great foundation for beginning riders and providing opportunities for more advanced riders to improve their riding skills is key. Many of her students have gone on to have professional careers in the horses industry including her own daughter, Kim.
Before owning SBA. Val was the athletic Director at Stoneleigh-Burnham School for 8 years. She coached at Pioneer Valley Regional School and an official in several Athletics. She is a Massachusetts licensed riding instructor and was also a Canadian riding instructor. She has been involved with the 4H program (4H Trailblazers) for over 50 years.
Val competed trained in Hunter Jumper, Reining, and driven trotters and pacers on the track. She rides English and Western Dressage and has ridden in 35 states She trained and worked hard with numerous quality horse trainers and some fantastic "old timers."