Our Staff

Marc J. Schumacher
OWNER
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At age 22, Marc became the Co-Captain of the Israeli International Equestrian Team. The team rode older carriage horses trained to become jumpers at great psychological challenge to their trainers! The team only managed one trip internationally to neighboring Cyprus, where it was unfortunately defeated. At age 25 Marc was promoted to Head Instructor at the Tehran Imperial Club and remained there for two years. The Iranian instructors disliked him because he made them canter and jump facing the horses butt, which almost always resulted in them falling of the horse in front of friends and family of the pre-revolution Shah of Iran and his wife, the lovely Farah Dibah (whose favorite pastime was to watch Marc train his instructors).
From 1981-1995 Marc worked to found the Independent Riding Club of New York and New Jersey. The club consisted of over 200 members riding once weekly out of seven local riding academies. In 1986 Marc founded the Equishare USA franchise which he currently runs. He also currently owns and operates PonyShare Polite Ponies (PPP), which has introduced about 15,000 young people to ponies and horsemanship in their own towns for the last twenty-three years. In 2006 Marc won the bid to renovate and reopen Seaton Hackney Stables in Morristown, New Jersey which had been largely destroyed in a fire. In the last two years Marc has also started and co-owns with his wife Shelly, Price Publishing LLC. Marc lives in Morristown with his wife, two wonderful kids, six dogs, two cats, and pig Wee-Wee.

Edie Postel
GENERAL MANAGER AND IEA COACH

Francesca Hare
OFFICE MANAGER
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Frank Senner
INSTRUCTOR
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Jennifer Allen
INSTRUCTOR AND BARN STAFF

Maggie Goodman
INSTRUCTOR
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Her junior riding career included showing in the pony and junior hunter divisions as was competing successfully in the “Big Eq” a national level division for junior riders. As an adult she continued to show both hunter and jumpers.
Her experience includes starting many young horses, running a lesson barn and teaching. A long stint at an A + show stable gave her the opportunity to ride with the top notch trainers Barbara Soley (short listed for Canada’s Olympic Team) and Francesa Mazella. She also had a chance to clinic extensively with Olympic notables George Morris, Anne Kursinski, Joe Fargis, and Greg Best. Maggie also gets out on trails just for fun whenever possible and continues to ride and train.

Naomi Picayo
INSTRUCTOR

Liz Doerksen
INSTRUCTOR
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In 2006 Liz moved to the United States and currently lives in Clifton, New Jersey. Liz has over 25 years’ experience in horseback riding and has been teaching for five years, all of which have been spent with Seaton Hackney Stables. In both disciplines, English and Western, her main focus is balance and clear communication. Clear communication in a rider requires balance, a fundamental skill all riders need master. Clear communication as an instructor requires the right combination of encouragement and direction. Liz enjoys teaching beginners the basics and building the fundamental skills of riders at all levels.

Janivel Leo
INSTRUCTOR

Connie O'Connell
INSTRUCTOR
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Managerial and teaching positions followed at such facilities as Ten Oaks Equestrian (W. Paterson), West Milford Equestrian, Chelsa Equestrian (NY City), Montclair Riding Academy, and Overpeck (Leaonia, NJ)
Interested in all phases of equine work , Connie worked for several Hall of Famer Trainers as a groom in the Standardbred industry at Meadowlands Racetrack and several south Jersey training centers such as White Birch and Gaitway.
She also worked on several Thoroughbred (Lexington KY) and Standardbred (Camino Farms in Goshen) breeding operations.
For the Country of Passaic while managing that facility she created a Therapeutic Riding Program as well as a Trail Riding and Summer Camp Program. While managing West Milford Equestrian, She ran all the Dressage and Hunter Jumper Shows for that facility.
And now LOVES it as an Instructor at Seaton Hackney!

Heather Hecking
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
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Gillian Barta
BARN MANAGER

Aurelia Tiongson
INSTRUCTOR
TESTIMONIALS

2013
1st Place Summer Camps Volunteering

2014
Morris Essex Winner

2016
Best of 2016 Thumbstack
Gallery