Meet the Owner

Marika started riding horses at the age of 7 at a local hunter and equitation farm in Bucks County. Her parents had hoped it would be a phase, but quickly realized that wasn’t the case. At 13 Marika got her first horse, Mandy. Mandy played an essential part in expanding Marika’s knowledge and experience in the saddle. At 15, Marika switched farms and started competing in jumpers and eventing. She was very fortunate to get the chance by her trainer to work with young horses off the track and give them experience in the ring, as well as teaching young riders.

Initially Marika went to college for business, but realized that wasn’t the career path she wanted to pursue, so she transferred to Centenary College and majored in Equine Science. There she had the experience to learn in a barn that ran at the highest equine standards. On weekends she would return home to show her own horse, as well as work in the barn and show other horses.

After college, Marika moved to Indiana and worked at a show barn teaching lessons and coaching her riders at shows. Missing the east coast, she moved back to Pennsylvania and worked at a large show facility in northern New Jersey running their lesson program and helping with their shows. Wanting to be able to have more time to work with her own horse, Roxy (who the farm is named after), Marika took a position as Barn Manager at a local therapeutic riding program in 2009. 

 Working at a therapeutic riding program has given her a lot of experience working with and caring for older horses and horses with different physical and metabolic issues. Marika continues to take lessons with local trainers, and previously  trained with Jill Pasceri. She has also done clinics with Bernie Traurig, Dennis Mitchell and Dorothy Crosby, who is a Centered Riding Instructor.

In her free time Marika likes to be with her husband Rich, and daughter Madelyn and their dogs, as well as their extended family. Family is very important to her, which is why she has molded Red Rox Farm to be a professional but family-oriented facility.