The Centaur Riding School is a social and environmental responsible community.

CENTAUR Riding School has been in operation since 1970 and is situated just outside the village of Navan (east of Ottawa and south of Orleans).

Facilities include a 30-stall stable, well-maintained indoor and outdoor rings with ideal sand footing, a hunter ring, and large turn-out areas. Groomed riding trails run through 25 acres of woods. The indoor arena is heated during winter and has a large, comfortable lounge, with kitchenette, attached for viewing comfort.

Centaur has always been a family affair. The School had its actual beginnings in 1970 when Claire and Jean-Louis (Johnny) Guertin and their daughter Shirley returned from a five-year stay in Germany deciding to settle in the Ottawa area. The school started informally when word spread that Claire was a certified instructor from Germany. People would simply drop by whenever they wanted a lesson ($5/hour for a private lesson!!). Qualified instructors in those days were rare.

The school was officially formed in 1973 when Shirley decided to pursue riding as a career and the indoor arena was built. Since the beginning, thousands of riders have ridden at Centaur and hundreds of horse shows have been held!

In 1989 Shirley took over the business from her parents. To continue with the family tradition, Shirley's husband Mike Cook, looks after the farm and heads the breeding operation, and her two daughters, Genevieve and Danika, love their horses, riding, competing and working on the farm. Claire, when she's not off travelling with Johnny, still teaches the occasional lesson.

Excellent teams of professionals take care of the horses, ranging from an experienced staff headed by Mike, to the veterinarians, blacksmith, homeopaths, feed consultants and the broad range of instructors who cater to every need of the horses and students.

Students are kept informed through our website, www.centaurridingschool.com, which is skillfully managed by Donna Stainfield.

Essential to the development of riders are well-trained horses ... and Centaur is proud of its school horses, some having competed successfully at national and provincial championships.

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