About
High Desert Equestrian Center ( HDEC) is located on the edge of BLM land on a 40-acre parcel. We are a horse-centered barn where we endeavor to balance horses' needs with their human partners. Horse lovers of all disciplines can enjoy and expand their capabilities with multiple indoor and outdoor arenas including:
Dressage
Jumping
Western Riding
We welcome all levels and types of riding and want our barn to be a place of joy, fun, and learning for the horse and rider. The 15-stall insulated barn is privately located in the center of the property. We have many varied options for horses including stalls with runs and large pens with shelters both of which have access to large grass turnout. We also have a beautiful 5-acre pasture for horses with a substantial loafing shed.
What We Offer
Facilities:
- Large Working Equitation Ring
- Insulated Indoor Arena.
- Regulation Size Dressage Arena 20x60
- Large Outdoor Oval Jumping arena
- Perimeter riding track with varied cross country jumps.
- Two Large Round Pens
- Large upper arena with jumpers
Full-Service Stall
- Hay (alfalfa and/or grass) twice/day with slow-feed options available.
- Graining (owner provides)
- Stall cleaning twice/day.
- Daily grass large paddock turn-out.
- Blanketing
- Cleaned with organic products
Large Pens with Shelters (30x90)
- Hay twice daily (alfalfa and/or grass)
- Pen Cleaning 1 time/day.
- Graining (owner provides)
- Turnout available 3 days a week with extra charge
Haul-In Facility Use
Month fee: Unlimited available
Day fee: Available
Horse Hauling Service Available.
Meet Our Team
Welcome to High Desert Equestrian Center (HDEC). At HDEC, we work to create an organic, supportive, safe, and joyous place for horses and the people who love them. Since last summer, when we bought the barn, we have worked tirelessly to improve the barn experience for the horses and the people who love them.
My father gave me a pony when I was a young girl, and it didn’t just change my life; that pony became my world, my freedom, and my sole responsibility. It was an exploration of Alpine Meadows, trails, Pony Club, afternoons spent cleaning tack, and river crossings, and it was the beginning of a journey that has never ended, one that we could pass on to our children.
I’ve seen the best barns and not-so-great barns. At HDEC, we strive to put the horses first. In my experience, the best barns are where the horse’s needs take priority.
At HDEC we are trying to develop a fun, supportive, safe, joyous place for horses and those who love them.
OUR TEAM
David & Annie Mueller
OUR TEAM
Laurie (Strang) Cunningham - Trainer
Hello!
My name is Laurie (Strang) Cunningham. I recently moved back to Molina, Colorado where we have our horses and opened an Equine Retirement Facility on 70 acres. Annie has very nicely asked me if I can come teach at High Desert Equestrian Center while Holly is away and or as requested. I can make myself available and would love to come teach once a week or more if time and interest allows. For those who don’t know me, here is a little background.
I grew up in Carbondale on my family’s ranch where we did 4H, Pony Club, Vaulting, Fox Hunting, Eventing, a little rodeo and gymkhana, and even some Polo. My sister, Bridget, and I trained and showed the thoroughbreds my family raised. The past 35+ years I have been based in Thermal, CA running my own busy show barn Tahquitz Equestrian, raising my own homebred warmbloods, and competing on the A and B H/J circuits in Southern California. Throughout the year we hosted classical dressage, working equitation, natural horsemanship, pony club ratings, and H/J clinics. Our own Tahquitz Pony Club Riding Center competed at The Pony Club Championships in Kentucky with a national title in 2014 and other top placings 2017 and 2024.
My ideology is and always has been “the horse comes first” and one that you are all familiar with “less is more”. I am excited to be back in Colorado and share my love for these amazing animals. I am available to give lessons once a week or more if time allows. I would also be very excited to start a Pony Club Riding Center at High Desert Equestrian Center. Pony Club (www.ponyclub.org) is the oldest recognized horsemanship program in the world and has something to offer everyone! Please reach out if you or your child is interested!
Please reach out through me or Annie for details and more information. I look forward to meeting everyone.
Shay currently resides in Granby, CO, and gives dressage lessons once a month at HDEC. She has been teaching and training since 1976. Initially, she was certified as an instructor through Meredith Manor International Instructors. She is a dressage instructor who follows the French Classical Dressage Technique.
Early in her career, she studied for several years as a working student under the tutelage of 1936 Olympic Silver Medalist (Team Jumping) & Dressage master Henri Van Schaik. Shay worked alongside Schiak, training both green horses and school masters.
Later in her career, she was an assistant trainer to Cindy Bishop, a Grand Prix trainer located in Parker, Colorado, where Shay spent many years starting young horses and helping to develop many horses throughout her long career of teaching and training.
Shay believes that dressage can help all horses develop better biomechanics and a healthier way of going, regardless of the discipline of riding her student chooses to pursue with the horse. She focuses on rider position to help each horse find a better way of moving. Shay’s breadth of knowledge and many years of teaching have allowed her to help every horse and rider achieve new levels in their riding.
OUR TEAM
Shay McCue
