Our staff is comprised of experienced equine specialists and certified therapeutic riding instructors under the direction of Johnna Chenail. Volunteers are also an integral element of the therapeutic riding program and work closely with each student under the instructor's direction.

Johnna Chenail has been the head trainer and instructor at the Killingworth Equestrian Center since it opened its’ doors in March 2007. She grew up with ponies on the family farm and started formal instruction at a hunter-jumper facility in her childhood. Johnna entered an essay competition at the age of fifteen and was awarded a weanling colt that introduced her to the world of Morgans. After receiving her B.S. in animal science from the University of Connecticut, she took the position of Trainer for Bradvue Morgans. 1993 saw her first world championship with Bradvue’s Legacy. Johnna is a big proponent of the Morgan sport horse and promotes the Morgan horse at hunter shows throughout New England.

Professionally, Johnna is a member of the United States Equestrian Federation, United States Hunter Jumper Association, American Morgan Horse Association, American Saddlebred Horse Association, New England Morgan Horse Association, Connecticut Morgan Horse Association, Connecticut Hunter Jumper Association, and the Connecticut Horse Shows Association. Johnna has served as a director or officer of the Connecticut Morgan Horse Association for the past fifteen years and is currently the manager of the Connecticut Morgan Horse Show. Johnna was honored by the American Morgan Horse Association in 2001 as the National Youth Person of the Year and was the Connecticut Morgan Person of the Year in 2000 and 2006.

Brian Fitzsimmons is a clinical psychologist, a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology. His efforts have focused on children with disabilities, persons with serious psychiatric illness and the chemically dependent. For the past 14 years he has been the Senior Vice President of Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers with responsibility for the institution’s psychiatric and chemical dependency services in New York City and Westchester County.

Brian has been actively involved with horses for the past 25 years, and has shown competitively for the last 12. He owns, breeds and competes with the American Saddlebred.