Foxtail Farm, established in 2010, is owned and operated by Dana Hooper Kiser; fulfilling her lifelong dream of owning and managing her own equestrian business. Dana began riding as a child in 1986 with various local trainers in the Middle Peninsula area of Virginia before beginning her successful show career with trainer Kathy Chambers and later Tara Best of Stonehouse Stables; winning many championships and year end awards in both hunters and equitation. Dana attended Wesleyan College to ride with trainer Jon Conyers where she competed on the IHSA team in the Open divisions as well as qualified for and competed in the ANRC National Championships all four years. After graduation from college with a BA in Business Administration and Communications, Dana moved back to Virginia and Stonehouse Stables. While at Stonehouse, she gained valuable experience managing a large and busy school program, teaching students at all levels, coaching at local and rated shows, coaching the CNU Equestrian Team, and training numerous horses and ponies. Dana left Stonehouse Stables in 2006 to pursue an MBA in Nonprofit Management at Regent University, though she still remained active in the equestrian world by continuing to teach a few select students along with training and selling project horses. In 2007 Dana married Michael Kiser and his job took them to Boston, MA for three years where Dana worked as Head Trainer for Sandy Bay Stables in Rockport, MA. In 2010, Dana, Michael, and their daughter Kelly moved back home to Virginia to establish Foxtail Farm at Happy Valley Equestrian Center. In 2013 Michael and Dana purchased thier own property in Smithfield, VA on the James River and moved the business there. Since then Foxtail Farm riders have been competing successfully at all levels of competition including VHSA Associate local and rated shows, USEF competitions, and IEA Nationals competitions.
ABOUT US
Katie Balding, Assistant Trainer & Rider
Katie began riding at a young age on her grandparents farm in Leesburg, Virginia, taking lessons wherever the military took her family. In 2005 she began riding more seriously under Beth Newman DeStanley, competing in local and rated horse shows, and foxhunting. When her family moved to Hampton Roads in 2010, Katie began her long-time partnership with Dana as a working student. Katie had local success and an extensive IEA career, competing at Nationals five times earning top placings. In 2017, Katie attended her first year at Sweet Briar College as a starting member on the NCEA team. She earned numerous school, conference, and national titles, most notably being named as a First Team All-American, the Chrysler Award for outstanding Athletic and Academic performance, and a member of the 2021 NCEA Single Discipline National Championship team. She rode under clinicians Joe Fargis, Melanie Smith-Taylor, Lendon Gray, Tad Coffin, and more, showed regularly on the rated circuit in Virginia, and participated in the EAP under Candice King and Anne Thornbury. At school, she began freelance show grooming for top riders, including Winn Alden, Jennifer Alfano, Rowan Willis, and others, also spending a summer working for Picturesque Farm. Katie graduated in 2021 with a degree in Business and Economics, and completed an Equine Studies Training Certificate. Post graduation, an injury found Katie stepping back into foxhunting in Middleburg, VA where she managed a private farm and hunted professionally with the Orange County Hounds and Piedmont Foxhounds, while also catch riding horses for Dana’s clients at horse shows. In 2022, Katie returned to Foxtail Farm full time to ride, train, and show, where she lives in Smithfield with her boyfriend Matt and their dog Grizzle.
Dana H. Kiser, Head Trainer
