Our History
English style riding programs available through North Clackamas Parks & Recreation. Participants should be aged 8 years old through adult. Riding helmets are provided, however you are required to bring your own flat-soled boots, and a signed waiver before you can ride.
From as far back as Margaret can remember, horses were her first love. Born, raised and educated in Glasgow, Scotland her education with horses started and grew throughout her teenage years with the British Pony Club.
After attending the Glasgow School of Occupational Therapy, she worked for the Master of the L&R Hunt, riding 2nd horse for him during fox hunting season while being a groom and exercise rider for three top level field hunters and steeple chasers. During this time, she obtained her BHSAI certification from the British Horse Society for horse management and instruction.
An opportunity to go to Canada for a year became a three year stay when she met her husband Greg and in 1972, she married and moved to his hometown of Portland Oregon. The same year they purchased a home on 5 acres in Beavercreek, Oregon and soon acquired 2 horses. It was not long before she started teaching the neighborhood kids how to jump their horses and Highland Stables began.
While raising a family and being supported in every way by her husband Greg, Margaret taught several students and trained many 4-year-old retired racehorses for eventing.
In 1981, Margaret and Greg got involved in breeding. Highland Stables stood at Stud Thoroughbred, Lipizzan and Morgan Stallions. With the help of fellow Morgan trainer Mike Pereillo, they bred throughout the 1980’s keeping a few T.B. and Lipizzaner youngsters for themselves. During this time Margaret competed on her Lipizzan stallion Siglavy Sagana II, winning many awards and championships throughout the west coast. In 1987, they achieved high point performance horse at the national Lipizzan show in Burbank California. At the same show, Margaret won the Open Driving class with Sig’s 3-year-old colt Siglavy II Tamara. It was his first time in any competition.
In 1991, the sudden death of Margaret’s youngest daughter changed her life forever. The energy it took to work through her grief took a toll on her ability to train and teach. However, it was just being in the presence of her horses and the need to take care of them that got her up in the morning. Just getting out in the fresh air got her going and the welcome whinnies from the horses as she opened the door to feed them warmed her heart. It gave her the energy to face the day and take care of her 2 boys and husband.
As time kept going forward, it was one special horse Siglavy who kept showing her the way, one step at a time. He eventually got her back in the saddle. In the following years, always looking to increase her knowledge and improve her riding and teaching skills Margaret brought to her barn International Instructors. Erik Herbermann, Herwig Radnetter, Director SRS Vienna and Karl Mikolka, Obereiter of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna.
In 2007, she attended EAGALA (eagala.org) training with Dr. Margaret Kelleher and experienced something she had no idea would happen. She shared her experience of her daughter’s death after a horse activity to the whole group without breaking down or feeling her blood pressure suddenly soar. She walked away feeling good she had shared her story. She had avoided talking about her death to people because it hurt too much. It was easier to talk to a horse. She always knew horses were therapeutic, but this form of therapy EAGALA made all the sense in the world to her that day.
After acquiring certification with EAGALA as an Equine Specialist in 2007, Margaret primarily worked with Dr. M. Kelleher, PsyD from 2007 - 2013 and occasionally until 2019. From 2013-14 she worked with Pam Rivers, MA together with a few other mental health professionals in the Oregon City area.
From 2014 until 2020, she worked with Mary Englert, MS MA LPC until 2020 when everything shut down due to COVID. In 2021, Mary retired with her husband.
In spring of 2022 and summer of 2023, she opened her facility introducing several groups of horses used in the therapy programs here. Mental health professionals from the Northwest took part in these meetings along with a few Equine Specialists.
In 2023, she worked with Lisa Carder, LMFT until October when she moved back to South Carolina to work school based programs.
Published Material
Authored by Lisbeth Asay; I, Siglavy (amazon.com) is a story of salvation and adventure from the point of view of Lipizzaner stallion, Siglavy Sagana II. It is a fascinating and poetic tale of the deep and influential connection between animal and human, to be enjoyed by horse people and those who have never known an animal.
A short read. Thoughts from Karl Mikolka. Things that nevermade sense to me.
