Our People
Courtney Walton
Head Trainer/Instructor
Courtney Walton has been involved with horses since the age of four; although it's a love affair that has been a passion of hers' since she came into the world. She took her first riding lessons at the old Wilson's Farms in Middlefield, Connecticut. and was immediately hooked. Courtney moved around and trained with several trainers in the area and owned her first horse at the age of eight. Fleet
taught her and her mother, Patti Barse, everything he knows.
Courtney started competing in local 4-H and huntseat shows and found her niche instantly. Courtney took something from each barn she trained with and eventually owned her second, and much greener horse by the age of eleven. Bailey
was the two-year-old Quarter horse that taught Courtney how to really ride, or rather, how to hang on! He was very stubborn, fresh, and loved to see what he could get away with. She quickly learned respect for the magnitude of strength a horse has. But though it was a hard trip they took together, Courtney and Bailey grew to have a bond that is still to this day unbreakable. He taught her strength, patience, and persistency and she credits him with the reason she has the ability to train today.
Courtney continued to compete in hunters and worked her way up to the A
shows, eventually doing both the hunters and the jumpers. She worked with such trainers as Gail Corriveau and Susan Stoss and has competed all over Connecticut and the eastern states working with her current trainer, Susan Horn of River's Edge Farm in Bethany, Connecticut.
As a junior, Courtney began instructing/training other green horses at the age of fourteen and hasn't stopped since. It was around this time that she started teaching a young girl by the name of Lyndsi. Lyndsi and her mother, Rose, followed Courtney until they bought their first horse when Lyndsi was seven. Rose had always dreamed of owning her own facility and soon plans were made to build the current Rosehaven Stables of Meriden, Connecticut. Courtney has been the head instructor there since it opened in 1997. Patti Barse, Courtney's mother, has also been an active part of Rosehaven, as its stable manager. Rosehaven has been a huge part of their lives (their home) for seven years now, and Rose and Lyndsi have become their family.
During the seven years at Rosehaven Courtney has made instructing/training her full time job and has taken her students to shows all around Connecticut. Courtney has also taught the summer camps every year and enjoys the success of her students just as much, if not more than, if she were competing herself. Courtney also thoroughly enjoys training young, green, or problematic horses and/or their owners. She enjoys many projects and overcoming obstacles of any size, shape or form. Throughout the year, Courtney takes trips to find project horses to train and finds them good homes to further enhance their potential. Though it's difficult to part with an animal she has been working with, she feels confident that sending them on their way and making someone's life more complete is a very rewarding job.
It has always been a dream of Courtney's to own and run her own facility and Grace Valley is sure to be a dream come true for both Courtney and her mother. With the tireless efforts of her mother, Patti Barse, and the enormous support of friends, family and students, Grace Valley Stables & Training Center, LLC was developed.
Grace valley is a training facility and riding school that emphasizes patience, confidence, discipline, and hard work. Courtney provides positive support for a successful partnership of horse and rider of any level. She would like to encourage anyone who wants to share the beauty and grace of these magnificent creatures with her and the rest of the Grace Valley family.
Patti Barse
Stable Manager
Patti Barse has always been tirelessly devoted to both Courtney and their horses and managing Grace Valley is no exception. Patti has been the stable manager of Rosehaven Stables since they opened it with Rose Green back in 1997, and whether it was shows, camps, or lessons Patti has never missed a day.
Patti's hard work and complete devotion is something that everyone remembers about her after meeting her. You are sure to see her at work whether it is cleaning stalls, dumping buckets, filling water, tacking up horses, sweeping and generally non-stop taking care of any and all duties around the stable. Her horses and stable are her life and she prides herself on their upkeep. Courtney admits that Patti is the best stable manager around and she wouldn't give her up for the world!
As a team, Patti and Courtney are a great duo. With Patti's work ethic and unshakeable horse sense, and Courtney's knowledge and expertise of the sport, Grace Valley is a great place to ride/train, whether it be just starting out, enhancing skills as a competitive hunter/jumper, or merely enjoying the horse as a pleasurable mount, we welcome riders and horses of all levels.