Thursday, October 1, 2026
Lynbrook resident Lauren Barroso has turned a lifelong passion for horses and wellness into a new community space with the opening of Stable Studio at the New York Equestrian Center in West Hempstead.
The studio, which opened in April, offers yoga and wellness classes designed to complement equestrian training while welcoming riders, their families and members of the surrounding community.
For Barroso, 34, the studio represents the realization of a longtime dream. A lifelong horse lover, she has ridden at the equestrian center for nearly two decades and has taught yoga for more than 10 years. When the center’s president, Alex Jacobson, approached her with the idea of bringing yoga to the facility, she immediately saw an opportunity to combine her two passions.
“As soon as that idea came about, I realized it was a prayer that was answered when I was little, asking to live in a stall,” Barroso said. “It’s like I have my very own stall.”
As she explained, horseback riding and yoga share many of the same principles, emphasizing balance, focus, breathing and body awareness. Riding also relies on a unique partnership between horse and rider, with each responding to the other’s movements and energy.
“The difference with this sport is, it’s with another being, another animal,” she said. “When you’re riding, you become their eyes and they become your legs. It’s this incredible connection that you communicate with energy.”
The studio offers yoga for equestrians, restorative and yin yoga, exercise classes and sound healing sessions, which use specific vibrations and frequencies to promote well-being. The classes are designed to improve strength, flexibility, balance and breath control while supporting riders and promoting overall wellness.
“It’s been really well received by our community and by the students that are coming to the facility, and even their families,” Jacobson said. “We’ve really brought together a community.”
Stable Studio has also become part of the equestrian center’s summer camp, introducing young riders to yoga and mindfulness. Guest instructors have expanded the programming as well, including Long Beach native and mat Pilates instructor Daisy Wilson, who recently led a Pilates & Ponies class.
“Horses are my favorite thing in the whole world,” Wilson said. “Being able to do Pilates at a stable is my dream.”
The partnership was a natural fit for the equestrian center, which serves 250 to 300 families through horseback riding lessons, trail rides, therapeutic riding programs, after-school activities and summer camp.
Beyond the physical benefits, the classes have strengthened the sense of community throughout the facility, creating opportunities for riders, parents and visitors to connect. The center has also introduced family programming, including mommy-and-me classes, while riders of all ages participate in wellness sessions together.
“It just kind of brings everyone together, and conditions them as well,” Jacobson said. “It makes them better riders and mentally focused.”
Although the studio has been open for only a few months, Barroso said the response has exceeded her expectations.
For her, one of the most rewarding parts has been watching longtime riders experience the equestrian center in a new way while also welcoming newcomers who never expected to attend a yoga class at a stable.
“I couldn’t have imagined this to be as amazing as it is,” she said. “It’s just such a gift from God.”
The equestrian center, which recently celebrated 20 years under Jacobson’s ownership, plans to continue expanding Stable Studio’s offerings with additional wellness programs, trail rides and community events. Barroso hopes the space will continue welcoming both experienced equestrians and first-time visitors looking to connect with nature, movement and community.
“We really want to welcome the community and spread love and joy,” Barroso said. “I think that’s really what we’re here for on this earth.”
For more information, visit StableStudioNY.com.
