Resident Staff

MANAGEMENT STAFF

Susan S. Symmes - Barn Manager/Trainer

Susie has been involved with horses for over twenty years. She began her dressage career as a working student for Madeleine Austin and then moved on to manage a top-notch eventing and dressage facility in Massachusetts for 13 years. In addition to her management and teaching responsibilities during that time, Susie trained her Danish Warmblood mare, Anastasia, through Grand Prix and recently purchased a young Hanoverian mare who she plans to bring up the levels. Susie has trained with Volker Brommannn, Shelly Francis, Kathy Connelly, Martijn Stuurman, Sharon McCusker, Niels Hegstrup, Lawrence Poulin and Shannon Dueck.

Susie has a degree in sociology from the University of Vermont.

Photo courtesy of BBV Photography

Robert R.W. Symmes - Facilities Manager

Bob grew up in this area and has lived in New England for most of his life. He is a licensed home improvement contractor and has been working around horses for the past twenty years. In addition to keeping Elysium Farm's facilities and equipment running smoothly, Bob also is a catering chef.

Bob attended Bates College.

Photo courtesy of BBV Photography

Abbey L. Henderson - Owner / Business Manager

Abbey, who has ridden in this area for most of her life, founded Elysium Farm LLC during the winter of 2010.

In addition to her responsibilities at Elysium, Abbey is a Certified Financial Planner ^TMpractitioner and owns Abaris Financial Group LLC in Concord, MA where she counsels individuals, families and institutions on all aspects of personal finance and investments.

Abbey has a degree in Economics from Dartmouth College, an MBA from Boston University and a MSF from Boston College.

SENIOR STAFF

Lee Metzger - Assistant Trainer

Lee brings a variety of horsemanship skills to the Elysium Team. As a young adult, she evented through the preliminary level and graduated from the Groton Pony Club as a "A" rated member. She also spent a year abroad in England getting her British Horse Society Assistant and Intermediate Instructor's certificates. More recently, Lee earned her USDF silver medal on a Hanoverian gelding and is bringing two young horses up the ranks in dressage.

Lee has worked with a variety of trainers in the past including Kathy Connelly and Roel Theunissen as well as Greg Eliel and Patrick King, both natural horsemanship trainers.

Lee is a degree holder from Bard College and Vassar College.

Elizabeth Schwartz - Assistant Manager

Liz has over fifteen years of experience with horses, starting with her own beloved Quarter Horse and later moving on to lease several horses as she started her dressage career. She has spent time as a working student at a dressage training facility in the south of France, and spent many years as a part-time assistant barn manager of a 35-horse eventing and polo facility in Western Massachusetts, where she grew up. She is excited to be part of the Elysium family, and thrilled to be continuing her dressage education riding with Susie and leasing her young mare Gigi.

Liz has a degree in History from Vassar College, and when not at Elysium Farm she works in online strategy for nonprofit clients at EchoDitto, Inc., based in Somerville MA.

Katie Beveridge - Assistant Manager

Katie starting riding at the age of seven in the hunter/jumper world, but switched to low level eventing as a young adult when she purchased a young horse in Ireland in 2001. She has since sold her Irish Sport Horse, Kerrigan, who continues to excel as a children's showjumper. She has live-in barn management & teaching experience, and has experimented with a variety of different disciplines in the horse world, acknowledging that there is something to learn from all facets of horsemanship. She works fulltime as a small animal veterinary technician in Acton, and appreciates the opportunity to keep one foot in the horse world!