HOOD RIVER — The winter storms this January proved challenging for many in the Gorge, but one group was hit particularly hard by the weather: York Hill Stables, an equine center in Hood River Valley. Despite road closures, the horses at York Hill Stables still needed their meals and exercise — not to mention thawed drinking water and warm blankets.
Colette Alford rides her horse Zeus at York Hill Stables.
Photo courtesy of Colette Alford
Manager Mariah Kollasch luckily lives on property and was able to tend to horses while other team members including owners Kathleen Pratt and Corey Hoffman braved the roads to get to the stables. Handling more than 20 horses alone can be quite a feat, but with dedicated employees and volunteers the horses at YHS remain well-cared for.
York Hill Stables is not just a space for private training, but daily caretaking stables where horse success and health are top priorities. They offer full-care boarding: Daily turn-outs, access to fields and trails, stall cleanings, feedings including grain, hay, and supplements, horse holding for farrier or vet, blankets and fly spray, monthly acupressure and massage, and more.
“Basically full-care means we put our hands on every single horse every single day. We will not accept more horses than we can handle with that standard,” Kollasch said.
Mariah Kollasch lets Huckleberry the pony nuzzle her hand.
Laurel Brown photo
Years ago, YHS was an emu farm but transitioned to horse stables in the 1990s. That’s when the infrastructure of the barns and fields really started to resemble what the property looks like today. The small barn is the original structure and previous owners made additions like the big barn and covered arena space.
After watching Pratt ride at the stables one day in 2019, Hoffman suggested they offer to buy the 30-acre property. Decades of different ownership and management led to the duo purchasing York Hill Stables in July of 2022.
Their goals were rooted in reconnecting the equine community as well as saving the stables from being purchased and redeveloped, a reality many boarders worried about. Together they started extending and replacing fencing, developing trails, improving riding fields, and fixing stall flooring which was previously dirt and divots.
Four dump trucks of gravel and countless wheelbarrow loads later, the stall floors are even and covered with mats while beautiful fencing boarders the fields. The covered arena is available to boarders day or night, and riding clinics often use the ring as a practice space.
Corey Hoffman has taken on a project to add equine trails and access to Post Canyon which neighbors YHS.
Photo courtesy York Hill Stables
It was in 2022 upon purchasing YHS that Pratt and Hoffman found Kollasch, and they consider themselves lucky to have her. “She just had the right knowledge and such welcoming energy,” Hoffman said.
Originally from Colorado, Kollasch spent her youth riding, jumping, and showing horses. She trained in Pennsylvania and later earned a degree in biology before trying out a day job in a lab, but she said she hated it. “Why do that when I can be outside with animals?” she laughed.
Kollasch prefers Western horsemanship to equine practices of the East Coast. “The reciprocity for horses on the West Coast is more my speed. It’s not just about competition or profit,” Kollasch said.
When it comes to equine philosophy, Kollasch puts horse happiness and health above all else. She shared that they have to be selective about new boarders, for which they have a waitlist. “One horse per acre is the responsible industry standard,” she said
Though she does not currently offer riding lessons, Kollasch offers other services at YHS through her own horse training and consultation business, Meadowlark Equestrian. She specializes in all kinds of training, riding, nutritional, and biochemical requirements a horse may have.
Mike Parziale of GorgeCraft working on custom barn doors for YHS. Photo courtesy of YHS.
York Hill Stables photo
“I love to help get folks involved with horses! If people are interested in volunteering [at York Hill] in exchange for lessons or getting involved with the local Pony Club, I am happy to be reached out to,” Kollasch said.
Veterinarians, farriers, and local stores like Hood River Supply have been key as YHS restores their facilities. Hoffman, Pratt, and Kollasch also had to thank the Saddle Club and Pony Club, as well as other community members including Vicky Reed, Ruthe Chasse, Eloise Russell, Tedi Paasch, and Mike Parziale.
“I’d like to emphasize how supportive the equestrian community has been as a whole to our work … This facility doesn’t exist without all of them,” Hoffman said.
Boarders are impressed with the tireless efforts and positive energy Hoffman, Pratt, and Kollasch bring to the stables, calling it their home-away-from-home. They are also thrilled with Hoffman’s endless trail-building and the obstacle additions to the property.
A self-proclaimed newbie in the horse world but a veteran biker, Hoffman has taken on a project to add equine trails and access to Post Canyon which neighbors YHS. He has had great support from groups like Hood River Area Trail Stewards (HRATS) and the Saddle Club as far as donations, volunteers, and building or land management ideas.
“Corey is a motocross guy, and he is the perfect delegate to bring equine together with the biking community,” Pratt said. Hoffman hopes to see the plan come to life by the middle of 2024, though the timeline is ambitious.
From groundwork to jumping and everything in between, York Hill Stables does not discriminate when it comes to equine skills, riding style, or horse care philosophies. The team repeatedly mentioned “horse happiness” as the main goal of their work, a type of care that varies on an animal-to-animal basis.
YHS hopes to expand their services to include availability for new and intermediate riders or additional opportunities for continued education.
Photo courtesy York Hill Stables
“Everybody’s been so helpful in giving support and advice to fix and open the barn. We’re so excited to have taken on this project,” Pratt said.
She wanted to counter the often-competitive horse experience by creating a space for community-building and friendship in the Gorge. One boarder described Pratt and Hoffman’s stint of ownership thus far as “truly life-changing” and, in line with Pratt’s vision, boarders have begun their own group events like monthly brunch and drill team.
Soon, YHS hopes to expand their services to include availability for new and intermediate riders or additional opportunities for continued education. They are also developing a board-and-train monthly package and will offer equine massage beginning this spring.
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