about us
Located on a beautifully landscaped 6 acres outside of Chicago, Double J Riding Club provides a safe learning environment for all animal and nature lovers. Whether you are coming for a riding lesson, a farm class, scout badge or celebrating a milestone, we are committed to providing quality education while stimulating and nurturing a love of and curiosity for nature and animals.
- Early Childhood Classes
- Homeschool Courses
- Camps
- Community Group Field Trips
- Birthday Parties
- Craft Workshops
- Scout Badge Opportunities
If you have any questions about our facility or programs, or just want to meet our animals, feel free to contact us. We look forward to meeting you soon.
Meet Our Owners & Instructors
Cindy Johnson
Always having a love for animals, Cindy Johnson founded Double J Riding Club to establish a place where horse lovers of all ages could ride in a safe and beautiful environment, year-round. Cindy handles the day to day operations of the facility along with scheduling and accounting. If you wish to schedule a lesson or have any questions feel free to contact Cindy at doublejridingclub@comcast.com.
Haley Johnson
Graduate from Purdue University in their highly ranked, Hospitality and Tourism Management Field, Haley has been riding for over 20 years and has been apart of Double J from the beginning. Haley runs all the events and camps at Double J Riding Club. She is also one of Double J's riding instructors as well as their IEA coach. If you wish to schedule an event or have any questions about camps or events please contact her at doublejevents@gmail.com.
Kathy Jachymczyk
Kathy has been riding for most of her life and has been teaching for over 10 years. She is an avid Eventer and has been a USEA member since 1999. Kathy has taken part in clinics with Jim Graham, Kim Severson and other top trainers. Kathy is always taking part in clinics, shows, seminars and specialized lessons in order to better her skills as a rider, instructor and trainer. At Double J Kathy teaches Western Pleasure, English Pleasure, Dressage and Jumping to beginner through advanced riders. She also instructs the Summer Camp Program and trains Double J's Show Team.
Ryan Cunningham
Ryan has been a camp counselor, educator and park interpreter at locations such as YMCA Camp MacLean in Wisconsin, the Brookfield Zoo, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Ryan graduated from Lewis University with a degree in Environmental Science and Ecology and has a field research background in prairie and marine settings. Ryan will be teaching entomology, zoology and ecology here on the farm. We welcome his wealth of enthusiasm for animals and the environment.
Sara Parks
Sara began her riding career at Double J over 10 years ago. Her passion for horses continued to grow over the years, riding and working with our horses. She is also a member of our show team, participating in various different shows and clinics. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in chemistry at UIC alongside teaching lessons and working at Double J.
Lisa Ostrego
Lisa comes to us with over 18 years experience in informal environmental education connecting guests to nature through exhibits visits, school field trips, summer camps, overnights, travel programs and volunteer engagement. She earned a B.A. in Environmental Biology (Eastern Illinois University), a M.S. in Biology (Western Illinois University) and a Graduate Certificate in Zoo and Aquarium Studies (Western Illinois University). After years of being in management, Lisa is thrilled to be back to connecting young learners and their families to animals and the environment. When Lisa is not at Double J's she can be found exploring nature while camping with her husband, 2 sons and 2 dogs (her 3 parakeets choose to stay at home!)
Hannah Negray
Hi! My name is Hannah Negray and I am a graduate of DePaul University where I majored in Environmental Studies. I am most passionate about conservation and educating kids about the environment. My main goal in life is to ensure our next generation not only learns about the environment but also grows up with a love for the outdoors so they understand the importance of conservation. I love Double J because they allow children to have hands-on experiences so they are fully immersed in their education and gain a deeper understanding than they would sitting in the traditional classroom.
Nicole McAlister
Nicole has been at Double J since 2013 and has been riding for 20 years. Nicole attended Northern Illinois University and qualified for regionals for their hunt seat team. Nicole prefers mares to gelding, once rode a mustang and has trained and sold over 20 Connemara ponies. Nicole is obsessed with cats.
Ashlee Pugh
Usually found in one of the many gardens here at Double J, Ashlee uses her horticultural experience to grow healthy snacks for the many animals on the grounds. After receiving her B.A. from Columbia in writing, Ashlee sailed on both US coasts teaching history and marine conservation before returning to the midwest. She is delighted to have the chance to share the joy and wonder of things that grow with the curious minds at Double J. In her free time, she is usually camping or gaming, much to her three cats' annoyance.
Grace Seter
Kristin Smith
Kristen graduated from SIU-Carbondale with degrees in Zoology and Geology. She's spent most of her career in education at institutions like Brookfield Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Field Museum. She is thrilled to be working somewhere that lets her have fun with animals and people! Her passions include being curious about the natural world, and napping with her dog Bryzzo and cat Meeko.