Willow Glen Farm

At the age of 5, Rebekah began lessons and enrolled in the local 4H which she continued with until age 16 riding and showing Saddleseat Eq under the professional instruction of Mary Woodward and Leta Corwin of Greenglades Farm in Taunton, MA. The mother-daughter team-taught Rebekah the most about life, horsemanship, morality, and most of all self-acceptance and confidence. 

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At the age of 16, Rebekah began an apprenticeship in Dressage and Hunters under professional instructor/trainer Pam Connely of Foxboro, MA. She was Rebekah's mentor which led her to obtain her Massachusetts Professional Riding Instructor Certification for Saddleseat, Hunt Seat, HJ, and Dressage at the young age of 18.

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Shortly thereafter Rebekah was given the opportunity to be an Assistant Trainer for the well known Saddlebred Breeding Farm, Glengreen Farm owned by Cynthia Green of Walpole, MA. Rebekah had also returned to Greenglades to continue with her own saddlebred mare under Leta Corwin's instruction. While under this employment, at the ripe age of 19, Rebekah was given another once in a lifetime opportunity to be the barn manager & beginner instructor for olympian, Arlyn DeCicco. Rebekah then began to ride Dressage and HJ under the instruction of DeCicci for about a year. During this time her husband enrolled in a trade school in Florida. So, she and her husband along with their infant made the trek to Saint Cloud, Florida for a year. Rebekah was able to freelance her training and instruction. Not long after moving to Florida, she accepted another once in a lifetime opportunity to be a Performance Rider for the well known Tourist Attraction, Arabian Knights. This expo taught Rebekah many different skills and gave her the opportunity to ride some incredible horses including Lippizaners, Oldenburgs, Belgians, Appaloosas, old blood Arabians, and more. She stayed at Arabian Knights until the year of her husband's education was complete. Rebekah and her family then returned to Massachusetts.

 

Upon their return, Rebekah dove right back into training and instructing for Roseland Acres Eq in Tiverton, RI. She continued here for two years while she balanced the job of mother, wife, and an Emergency Veterinary Technician. At this time, she was back at Greenglades with her Saddlebred colt under the guidance of Leta.

By age 23, as much as she loved the industry, Rebekah knew she needed to learn a trade that would be consistent as a now single mother of two daughters. She then made the life-changing decision to obtain her CDL-A. Through all of this, she stayed true to her roots and held on to her love of horses. She kept up with her own horse's training, riding and showing. She freelanced as time allowed and continued her personal training under Leta & Pam.

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In 2004, Rebekah moved to Virginia for a fresh start. She continued with her trucking career and freelance instruction. She met the late Susan and Dale Sloat not long after her move. Being well known Saddlebred breeders and trainers, she jumped at the chance to board her Saddlebred mare with them. As time progressed, the Sloats gave Rebekah the chance to work as a part-time assistant. Her time with the Sloat's picked up where she left off in Massachusetts. They guided her and taught her many skills, not just as a trainer/instructor but life lessons and were her mentors. After Rebekah remarried, she slowly started building her own lesson program at her small stable in Virginia. In 2012 she moved to a larger farm where Steppin' High Stables was born. She started a program for lessons and training horses.

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In 2017, the 10-acre horse farm in Mechanicsville, VA was purchased where she continued Steppin' High Stables, which was later renamed Willow Glen Farm in 2019.

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Rebekah trains and shows horses, has a mobile equestrian attire consignment, runs her own independent trucking company, and is an advocate for rescue horses. She has combined her skills from all past trainers (especially the late Mary Woodward, her daughter Leta, and the late, great Dale and Sue Sloat) and has developed a different, yet successful approach to instruction and training.