About Us - Aiken Bach Farm

MIKKI KUCHTA, LEVEL III ICP INSTRUCTOR

Mikki has ridden her entire life, and has been eventing for 30 years. She started her competitive career on the hunter/jumper circuit and continues to emphasize a classical position for effective balance on the flat and over fences.

She was in Pony Club herself in California, and has served as a Pony Club examiner and instructor for the Metropolitan Region of the United States Pony Club.

Mikki was one of the first trainers to become certified with the ICP (the United States Eventing Association’s Instructor Certification Program). To accomplish this she went through rigorous seminars as well as a three-day, seven part examination, encompassing all aspects of horse management and instruction. She was assessed on her instruction of dressage, show jumping and cross country. The exam also included horse management skills including a vast array of subjects from tack fitting to arena materials, equine nutrition, and lameness evaluation.

Mikki has been teaching full time since 2000. She teaches all levels of competitive event riders, from Beginner Novice to Advanced. She has coached many students who have qualified for both regional and national championships. One of her students was on the gold medal-winning team at the North American Young Riders Championships, placing 4th individually. Another student was the highest placing Young Rider at the CCI* level. Her students have won events at every level including the American Eventing Championships. We also regularly have students ranked nationally.

Mikki trains and competes horses from their first outings at Beginner Novice all the way up to the highest level of the sport. She took her own horse, Oz, to the Rolex Kentucky four star championship in 2008, where they finished 25th.

Mikki resides in Patterson, New York with her own private barn and trains students in northeastern Westchester County. In the winter, Aiken Back Farm relocates to Mikki’s southern outpost, Spark Hill Farm, in Aiken, South Carolina.

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— A FAMILY AFFAIR —

ABOUT BRIDGETTE
— A FAMILY AFFAIR —

ABOUT BRIDGETTE
— A FAMILY AFFAIR —

ABOUT BRIDGETTE

BRIDGETTE KUCHTA MILLER, ASSISTANT TRAINER

Bridgette is the assistant trainer at Aiken Bach Farm and currently competes at the Intermediate level on her two horses: Special Agent (“Salsa”) owned by Mikki Kuchta and Robert Scheuer; and her newest ride Tsunami III (“Sue”) owned by Sarah Cousins. Bridgette hopes to move up to the Advanced level in 2019. Bridgette helps Mikki train horses in our program, and teaches lessons in dressage, stadium jumping, and cross country. She has a great eye and really helps each student reach their personal goals. Bridgette attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in kinesiology. While in college, Bridgette rode on the UMass Dressage team where she was the captain for three years, and studied as an athletic trainer, traveling with the Division 1 football team her senior year. Her specialized education allows her to guide riders on their body movement and position in order to achieve the most out of their horses. When Bridgette isn’t at the barn teaching and riding she enjoys traveling with her husband Bob, and their dog Peach.