Serious About Academics? Serious About Riding?

Dr. Oakley is a board certified specialist in equine sports medicine and rehabilitation. Dr. Oakley is one of the few veterinarians in the country certified by the International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology (ISELP). Her practice focuses on lameness and imaging in performance horses and she has a special interest and extensive training in the use of ultrasound for the diagnosis and rehabilitation of sport horse injuries. 

We are fortunate Dr. Oakley, based in Wellington, travels to Hanover Stables monthly to service our horses, and our student riders are fortunate to have this partnership with Dr. Oakley, cultivated through Hanover trainer, Rachael Haase, who is always so willing and enthusiastic to share her extensive knowledge with our students as a guest lecturer to our Hanover students. Internships to students 16 and older will be considered. Deland Home School Groups are always welcome to join us on the days Dr. Oakley is visiting. 

Dr. Oakley is also a distinguished adjunct professor at the University of Florida.

Dr. Lane Torres, DVM is originally from Auburn, Alabama, and grew up on her Family’s farm and riding facility. She earned her degree from Auburn University, College of Veterinary Medicine.

Following graduation, she took a position with Equine Services Surgical Hospital near Lexington, Kentucky. She then joined Meddleton Equine Hospital in New Mexico before making the trek back east to join Central Florida Equine in 2012.

Professional interests include equine general medicine, lameness, and geriatric care.

Hanover Stables is fortunate to have Dr. Lane Torres as one of our primary on site veterinarians who is happy to share her extensive knowledge and expertise with our student athletes. We welcome DeLand Home School Groups to visit. 

Dr. Becca Adkins, DVM hails from Augusta, Georgia. In her childhood she rode and owned hunter jumper horses but later ventured into the world of eventing, dressage and fox hunting.

She became a “Double Dawg” and earned her Bachelor’s in Animal Science and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Georgia, College of Veterinary Medicine. Following graduation, she accepted an Internship with Reid and Associates in Wellington, Florida and then remained with the practice as an Associate Veterinarian. She joined the Central Florida Equine team in 2017.

She enjoys Equine Sports Medicine, Surgery and Geriatric medicine. In her spare time she can be found riding her Percheron/Friesian gelding, Odin or exploring the Central Florida area with her husband, Logan and hound side-kick, Cooper. 

Hanover Stables is fortunate to have Dr. Becca Adkins as one of our primary on site veterinarians who is happy to share her extensive knowledge and expertise with our student athletes. We welcome DeLand Home School Groups to visit. 

Equine-assisted therapy, also known as equine therapy, as an industry is a form of therapy that involves working with horses to help individuals with disabilities and mental health issues. It can help build strength, balance, and coordination. Equine-assisted therapy can also help kids develop better emotional regulation, higher self-confidence, and more independence.

The types of equine-assisted services include:

• Therapeutic Riding (Adaptive Riding):  Therapeutic riding uses specially trained horses, along with staff trained in occupational, speech and physical therapies. Riding and caring for horses can improve your child’s endurance, dexterity, and self-confidence. 

Hanover Stables is partnering with Equine Therapists for the 2024-2025 academic year. Additional information will be updated as it becomes available. We welcome DeLand Home School Groups to visit. 

Hanover Stables is fortunate to have an existing relationship with Liz Halliday Sharp, and she welcomes our Hanover riders to train with her at her beautiful facility just outside of Ocala.  

Liz Halliday Sharp has won more events globally during the past three years than any other rider in her discipline, and she continues to set records—with her sights set firmly on the 2024 Olympic Games.

Liz holds the record for the lowest (best) dressage score ever earned on US soil, a 15.1, which she earned March 30, 2023, on her partner Maybach, at The Event at Terranova.

Born and raised in Southern California, Liz became enamored with horses at a young age. In an interview with Sidelines Magazine Liz stated: “For as long as I can remember I wanted to ride,” Liz said. “There was a small barn up the road from us that offered lessons and I kept begging my mom to take me. Nobody else in our family was a rider and I didn’t grow up with horses, but I think my love for them has always been in my blood.” Liz began taking lessons at the age of 8 and started in a Western saddle, but quickly discovered the thrill of jumping.

"My first competition was at a hunter show, and while I loved being at the competition, I knew early on that discipline wasn’t quite my path,” Liz said. “Then I found out about Pony Club and eventing.” Liz started Pony Club when she was 12 and competed in her first Pony Club Championships at the age of 13. “I found that I really enjoyed the variety that comes with training for the three different phases,” she said. “That’s what makes eventing so unique as compared to other disciplines. And I also think that nobody events unless they really enjoy riding cross-country. The idea of riding fast and jumping solid fences was definitely the first thing that attracted me to the sport."

"The Olympics is pretty much everything we’re working towards every day right now,” she says. "I’ve tried to set myself up to have horses in place all the way up through 2028." (Sidelines Magazine, 2023) Deland Home School Groups would be welcome to partner with us, where appropriate. 

Hanover Stables is fortunate to have an existing relationship with Olympian Sharn Wordley, and his wife, Lauren Balcomb, who regularly welcome Hanover riders to train at their world class facility in Ocala, Fl. 

Sharn and Lauren are excellent role models to our developing athletes and we are very fortunate to have this special relationship.

Sharn Wordley has represented New Zealand in numerous Nation’s Cups, the 2008 Olympics and was the on the 2018 World Equestrian Games team. 

Sharn qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games but had to withdraw prior to the games due to a horse injury. 

He has competed in 22 countries and was the young rider champion in New Zealand earlier in his career. Living in Europe, Wordley successfully competed in some of the world’s most prestigious shows, including CSIO5* Rome, CSIO5* Lummen, CSIO 5* Hickstead and many others. Sharn qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games but had to scratch due to his horse becoming injured prior to the start of the games.

In 2004, Sharn moved to the USA, continuing to compete and has won in excess of 50 Grand Prix competitions to date.  In addition to his victories as a rider, Sharn has coached riders who have represented their countries in the Olympics, World Cup Finals, World Championships and the Pan American Games.

Sharn is also partners and co-founder of Wordley Martin Equestrian. Together with Craig Martin, they offer Premium Equestrian Surfaces, arena & gallop track design and installation, site preparation & construction, custom footing & equestrian facility products.Deland Home School Groups would be welcome to partner with us, where appropriate. 

Hanover Stables is fortunate to have an existing relationship with 2024 Olympic Bound Lauren Balcomb, and her Olympian husband, Sharn Wordley, who regularly welcome Hanover riders to train at their beautiful facility in Ocala, Fl. Deland Home School Groups would be welcome to partner with us, where appropriate. 

Sharn and Lauren are excellent role models to our developing athletes and we are very fortunate to have this special relationship.

The Australian show jumping team is officially headed to the 2024 Olympics! In an impressive feat, the Australian show jumping team qualified for a position at the 2024 Olympics. 

Leading the team, Ocala based Show Jumper, Lauren Balcomb was one of only two riders in the overall field to post a fault-free effort throughout her first time in the field on her long-time partner Verdini d’Houtveld Z. 

Lauren’s path to Australian jumping team participation is a little different to most. The Sydney-born 32-year-old grew up with essentially non-horsey parents, however, she says she doesn’t remember a time when she didn’t want to be in the saddle. Horses are in her blood; her mother loved them, although never had the opportunity to ride or own horses, while her great grandfather was a jockey. 

Lauren began having lessons at age five, started at Pony Club by age seven, and began eventing at age 12. Following school in 2008, she travelled to the US to train with Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin; from there, horses became a career. She had early success with “one in a million horse” Kootoomootoo, and together they notched up many wins in Australia – including a stellar year in 2008 where they won the CCIJ1* at Melbourne (Werribee), the CCI2* at Sydney and the CCI2* at Adelaide (current CCI2*J-L/CCI3*-L).

We can't wait to cheer Lauren on in Paris at the 2024 Games where Lauren will represent Team Australia.