One of the things people love about our program is that we celebrate all aspects of the horse, not just riding. Our students learn how to care for horses physically, mentally, and emotionally. They learn how to listen to horses, how to understand horses, and how to interact with horses in a way that promotes…
Tag: penn valley
Nakota’s Story
Nakota is a 21-year-old black-and-white Spotted Saddle Horse. He is very special to the horses on the ranch, the staff and to the students who enjoy learning from him. From trauma to trust Nakota came into my life 16 years ago when one of my students purchased him from a horse dealer in Northern California….
Another successful Rally and Agility competition!
We are once again impressed with the dedication and enthusiasm of our students! The event began at 7 AM with everyone cooperating to get the horses ready for the first contestants to enter the arenas at 8. We especially appreciate all of the families who got here early to get parked and set up their…
SOLD: ‘Fergus’ gentle giant trail buddy [Video]
Fergus is a registered Clydesdale gelding, 16 years old, 17 hands, 1500 pounds. $6000 The ultimate husband horse! He is sound, has excellent ground manners and has a gentle presence. If you are looking for a trail riding/camping buddy he is the best! He is an excellent confidence builder and will take care of a beginner…
SOLD: ‘Juliet,’ a supreme trail horse [Video]
Juliet is a registered Appendix Quarter Horse, 11 years old, 15 hands, 1000 pounds, grey mare. $2,000 Juliet is priced at only $2000 because she is serviceably sound. She has no trouble with walk, trot, or canter on the trail, but she does not prefer circles in the arena. She has a mild intermittent left…
Slide Show: Agility and Rally competition
One thing we loved about the day is how many smiles we saw, and how everyone put their horses first rather than get overly focused on completing a task. That is why students can earn up to 10 points per task for horsemanship, compared to up to 5 points for completing the task. Horsemanship —…
Lesson program Rally, Agility competition in full swing
This year, our youth and adult students have the opportunity to participate in four competitions to put their horsemanship to the test and demonstrate their savvy to family and friends. Here’s how it works. We designed an Agility course and a Rally course, each of which has about a dozen tasks, performed in order with…
Focus gives you feel
Some of our advanced adult students worked on their focus in a recent group lesson. This included riding along as if nobody was throwing balls at them or waving pool noodles at their horses. Or bouncing the giant soccer ball. Or flapping a tarp and doing jumping jacks. When the riders focused on their destination…
Building curiosity and confidence with Inflatable Flamingo
River, Rockstar, and Regina enjoyed some liberty time with Inflatable Flamingo. Rockstar had never seen it before, while River was an old pro — this was her third time giving it a ride. How do your horses do with unusual objects? Our program helps you learn how to develop your horses’ curiosity and to be…
Youth field trip to the trail
Our youth students have put a lot of dedication and effort into developing their horsemanship this year. They put it to the test on the trail and everyone did great! They learned how to prepare their horses emotionally, physically, and mentally for the trail. They learned how to pack the trailer with all of the…
Horsing around outside the arena
Our trail preparation lessons aren’t just for trail riders. Getting out of the arena is important for all equine pursuits — and if you put the relationship first, the outside playtime will improve your arena skills as well. Our ranch offers a safe and controlled environment in which to explore different terrain, choreograph new patterns,…
Trail preparations are in full swing
Several of the adult students are working to build confidence, communication, and connection with their horses in anticipation of hitting the trails later this year. We’ve held group lessons to practice riding in different orders, maintaining appropriate distance between horses, and developing their horses’ confidence within and away from the group. In private and semi-private…
