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One on one western style riding lessons for those who desire to learn the fundamentals of horse safety and horse care.

One on one western style riding lessons for those who desire to learn the fundamentals of horse safety and horse care.

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Need a Horse Trainer?

F.A.Q.

Want to learn the fundementals?

I use my 14+ years of experience to engage one on one with each student, teaching much more than the basics of riding. My goal for each rider is that they learn at their own pace while having fun and developing confidence in the following areas of horsemanship:

  • horse safety

    Learning how to handle your horse.

  • Communication

    Round pen reasoning (learning to communicate with your horse from the ground first)

  • horse care

    Such as feeding, grooming, saddling and more.

  • western style riding

    Always one on one!

My unique passion is to guide rider and horse in a growing partnership that they both enjoy without the pressures of a competitive environment.

Will is to grace as the horse is to the rider

~ Saint Augustine

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Western riding is cowboy, ranch-work style riding while English is a more formal style that includes jumping and dressage. Western style riding is more adaptable to work, sport, and leisure which is why our barn prefers this style for the fun, laid back lessons that our students enjoy.

We require that all participants wear closed toed shoes, long pants, and a riding helmet (horse, bike, etc.).

Riders can be as young as five, but we strongly suggest that young children have experience with balancing themselves on a bike before they begin riding lessons.

Our lessons for western riders provide mainly beginner and intermediate skills such as the basics of walk, trot, and lope, collection, lengthening strides, and lead changes. Because our property does not provide the correct footing for maneuvers in sport specific riding such as barrel racing, cutting, roping,etc, we are unable to provide these types of lessons at this time.

Like any sport horseback riding has its’ risks. At Meadow Creek Equine, we are constantly focused on safety. We work to teach our young riders the responsibility and awareness it takes to safely interact with horses. Our lesson horses are very experienced and comfortable with novice riders.

The individual riding lessons provided at Meadow Creek offer a unique opportunity for student and teacher to move at the student’s individual pace and/or learning style. This is beneficial for any student but ideal for those with learning differences or some anxieties about working with horses. Ms Mary is gifted in teaching and training students with disabilities whether they be physical, cognitive or emotional. She also loves to get to know her students well and to help them to connect with the horse, something that is challenging to provide in a group setting.

Absolutely! Mary spends time with each student getting them comfortable with tacking and saddling their horse, until they are able to do it on their own. She also teaches each student about horse communication and building trust with a horse so that students develop the confidence to interact safely and effectively with their horse. Not to mention that students will become aware of the hard work that goes into owning a horse through observation and hands on participation!

Absolutely! Learning how to connect with such a big and powerful animal to build trust and to work as a team builds confidence and character. Students learn how to make the horse feel safe while still letting them know they are in charge. The responsiveness of the horse is so rewarding to students. It can even be healing and therapeutic for adults! Students also learn perseverance and hard work, not to mention the physical benefits of core and leg muscle strengthening and better coordination and balance achieved.

HORSE TRAINING SESSIONS

Horse training sessions are available for those owners who want to develop a stronger trust and communication with their horse for the purpose of riding and horsemanship. These session can be provided at our farm with pasture boarding, or we will sometimes be available to travel to your location. Meadow Creek Equine works not only with the horse but also with the rider to ensure that communication and teamwork are the successful outcome.

Please use the form at the bottom of the page to inquire about fees and costs associated with horse training.

Horse Starting

A starting horse would be a horse with no previous training. We would work with your horse to achieve the following:

  • Ground tying
  • Picking up feet
  • Weight and back pressure
  • Halter training
  • Basic round pen work

Green Horse

A green horse would be able to perform all of the skills listed under horse starting. Your horse would now be ready to learn the following:

  • Acceptance of saddle
  • Acceptance of bridle
  • Giving to pressure
  • Lunging
  • Refined round pen skills

Problem Horses

A problem horse has been trained but issues still remain that cause difficulty for horse and owner. These issues can be related to riding or issues related to daily care such as: bathing, grooming, trailer loading, etc. At Meadow Creek we have experience working with such horses and have had great success using Natural Horsemanship methods to teach the owner to build respect and trust with their horse. We major on the three C’s of “care,” “communication,” and “consistency.”

Bombproofing

A trained horse that needs to be comfortable in a variety of situations and environments would be a good candidate for what we call “bomb proofing.” Your horse would be exposed to a variety of stimuli until they demonstrate a calm response to the following: tarps, sudden movements, loud noises, vehicles, etc. This training can be modified to include whatever specific stimuli your horse deems dangerous. Bomb proofing your horse means that your horse will go where he is being pointed, no matter what, and will develop his faith in you as a leader.

Please use the form below for any questions about scheduling a horse training session.

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about mary

I have loved horses nearly all my life. I've been teaching and training for over 14 years and love seeing people come to love these animals as I do. My desire is to not only help people of all ages learn the fundamentals of riding and caring for horses but also help them see this as a way to connect with nature. Through this experience, my hope is that kids, young and old, will always have that connection no matter what they do in life.