Meet Peter Petschenig

Peter began his riding career at 8 years of age and started winning his first ribbons in the m 1.30 by the age of 13, training with top European professionals and competitors.

Peter boasts numerous wins in Grand Prix events throughout Italy, Chile, Austria and the United States, along with top finishes in World Cup competition. Peter, who also holds a Masters in Business Administration (from Institute of Management, Salzburg, Austria) has ridden and trained for an impressive list of top owners & sponsors around the world including:

• Sportpferde Puchner (Austria)
• Haras Siracusa Osorno (Chile and Austria)
• Sportheste Inc. (California)
• Markus and Beat Maendli (Switzerland)
• Willi Melliger (Switzerland)

Currently, Peter is focused on building a successful Hunter/Jumper barn in Pilot Point, Texas.  Peter is a regular at all the major show jumping events throughout the west coast, southwest and beyond, including HITS.

Apprenticeships

At the age of 19 Peter went out to work for Hank Melse at his prestigious show jumping barn in the Netherlands.  Later Peter trained with and worked for the great Swiss riders Beat & Markus Maendli, in addition to Willi Melliger in Switzerland

Following his time in Switzerland, Peter worked for a private barn Sportheste Inc. in Woodside, CA which was followed by a term in Chile to ride for Haras Siracusa where he showed throughout Chile and Europe.  Later Peter returned to Europe and worked for Sportpferde Puchner in Linz/Austria.

When needed, Peter still asks the best for advice......Peter's mentors include Hugo Simon and Thomas Frühmann, 2 of the top European riders.

Numerous Grand Prix wins & placings during his career

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Team Petschenig Show Jumping for the Grand Prix win at 2019 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.

Peter can always get the best out of every horse.  Horses and students perform particularly well under his guidance and he is well-liked everywhere he goes. 

​His training style always takes the horse's needs and capabilities into account and no horse is pushed beyond its' limits until ready.

Meet Nathalie Petschenig

​Nathalie Cooper, now Nathalie Petschenig, ran a highly successful large training business in Orange County California from 2009. Nathalie graduated from Mount Holyoke college in 2007, where she won individual National titles in Open Fences and Flat competing on their IHSA team. 

Nathalie first excelled in leadership while captaining the Mount Holyoke Equestrian Team to National Titles. After graduating college Nathalie moved to California where she started Acorn Farm. Acorn Farm proudly produced top level Equitation, Hunter and Jumper riders. Nathalie has successfully brought students from the lower levels up to qualifying for many medal finals including the Maclay Regionals, CPHA, PCHA, along with many other West Coast finals, as well as Jumper Champions and Hunter Derbies.

Nathalie successfully competed in USHJA National Hunter Derbies and Grand Prix's as a professional. Her ribbons and accolades are too numerous to list.

​Nathalie's emphasis is on horse rider relationships while becoming the best possible horseman on and off the horse one can be.

Early beginings And A Legacy of Success

At age three, Nathalie Petschenig began her lifelong adventure in riding under the guidance of her grandfather, USEF Hall of Fame Inductee, Morton “Cappy” Smith. Her family has built a legacy in the riding community through competitions, running a barn and training others to ride. Horsemanship and the art of riding has always been a family tradition for Nathalie. This love of family, riding and horses has cultivated a genuine passion in Nathalie to help others gain a similar one-of-a-kind experience.

Nathalie is a tremendously successful rider. She has won multiple awards for her riding and horsemanship from childhood through adulthood.  After moving to California in 2007 she continued developing her strong riding ability winning several west coast medal finals.  Most recently Nathalie has been very successful competing with several new mounts in the upper level jumpers, placing in several Grand Prix’s after winning her first Grand Prix in 2015.

​Carrying on in her family’s tradition, Nathalie first created Acorn Farm which had remarkable success in equitation and hunter/jumper competitions with many championship titles.

TEAM PETSCHENIG

​In late 2016 she sold Acorn Farms and joined Peter during 2017 in developing Petschenig Showjumping in Pilot Point, Texas.  Nathalie is now actively training,  coaching and competing from her and  Peter's facility.

One of the best things about Nathalie  is her ability to allow student’s true talent and abilities to shine through in every lesson and show experience. Nathalie understands that this success can only be realized through a family-like bond between horse, rider and trainer.

Horses were a family legacy! Nathalie (astride) with her sister Alletta (foreground) with her grandfather, USEF Hall of Famer Morton "Cappy" Smith.

Though she continued to coach and do a limited amount of training, Nathalie took a hiatus from showing the last couple of years to start a family.  Owen and Piper Petschenig will be joining their parents in the saddle in no time!