Storm Ridge Equestrian

11/08/2024

I have beginner lesson spots available at 7pm on Thursdays. Youth to adults welcome :)

11/07/2024

This is a great read from a horsewoman I admire 🙌🐎

Instead of ‘No stirrups November’, I’ve adopted a wholly different and more effective mindset, for a number of years now. People will argue but...

Many of us actually ride better without stirrups, than with them. Because of this, I’ve seen that the practice of shucking our irons does not always translate into being more effective and secure in the saddle.

If it doesn’t make us ride better—and it’s of questionable value to the horses—then why make it a regular practice?

Any more, I’ll ask my students—English or Western, no matter their chosen discipline—to ride in a half-seat, or two-point ‘jumping’ position with slightly shortened stirrups, lowered heels and soft ankles. This latter thing is key, for it is the shock-absorbing aspect of our joints that we are wanting to foster, in order to build quiet legs and an ability to keep our stirrups, without losing them during bad moments.

Our seat will not be putting any weight at all in the saddle and we will work at balancing ourselves at halt, walk, trot and canter, without resting our hands on the neck of the horse. We will begin to learn that the key to this is keeping our stirrup leathers perfectly perpendicular to the ground… and if we happen to ride one of the legion of saddles with stirrup leathers set in the wrong place, attaining a balanced seat will be well-nigh impossible.

None of this is evident to us by simply kicking our feet from the irons.

I will say that knowing how to ride effectively, despite a dropped stirrup, is an essential tool... but one that is best learned without reins OR stirrups, on a good horse, on the lunge. When we ride without stirrups, it must be done on a loose rein, preferably on the buckle, to resist the urge to 'help' ourselves with our reins! But back to the two-point...

We will discipline ourselves to rise slowly and mindfully up and lower ourselves down again to the basic seat, as a self-check into how we are sitting and where our leg is, underneath us. Our ‘ready’ position will be very similar to a tennis player who is waiting to receive a serve. There will be a ‘good tension’ in our bodies, an athletic resting place, rather than sitting as a sack of hammers.

Our horses will immediately notice the difference! We will gain a better—stronger, more flexible, quieter—leg, a lower centre of gravity and a balanced position in our saddles. This means that we will neither totter forwards, nor backwards. Spooks and crow-hopping will no longer be feared because they will lose their ability to dislodge us. Our knees will not be bloodied, our horses’ backs will not be sored.

Even better, our horses’ bodies will be freed up. They will remember how to move beautifully, while we’re engaged in riding better. That’s a win-win, in my book.

In this picture, you can see how my releasing a very green Sarcee from carrying my weight directly, has translated to really activating his hind end. Look at that happy hock!

Practice the half-seat, or two-point, to security. You will learn to keep the stirrup on the ball of your foot, so that you can softly lower your heel. That’s a big problem with what I’m doing in the picture, being all ‘ranchy’ and riding with the stirrup all the way ‘home’ on the boot.

Unfortunately, this practice—common with those of us who start colts and ride out in rough country—takes most of the ‘give’ out of our ankles. I see this picture and vow to do better. So, it happens to all of us.

Hovering is how we can keep our lower legs quiet and on the horse, to make our joints work effectively, to improve our overall equitation and smooth efficacy in the saddle. In so doing, we will learn to sit better.

We will become a pleasant burden to the horse.

We will not ride ahead of, nor behind, the action, because it requires balancing ourselves. We're not trying to stand up but rather, float, without leaning on our hands. It is hard work.

I encourage you to skip the ‘November’ part and make the half-seat, aka two-point, a regular part of every single ride. Even for just a few strides, every so often… all throughout the year!

Photo: Cait Bascom.

10/28/2024

Words well written for the crew that are the real teachers in lessons 🦄🐴❤️

I am a lesson horse.
I am a horse that isn’t as recognized as the top hunter jumpers, the best western pleasure horse, or the 1D barrel horse, I am a lesson horse. I am the backbone of the foundation to do all of those things. I am a lesson horse.

I am not loved by one person. I am loved by several people. I don’t have my person, I have my people. I am a lesson horse.

I will teach your child and yourself more than just to ride. I will bring your child out of their shell. I will teach your child about life. I will be yours and their shoulder to cry on. I am a lesson horse.

I will bring my family the joy of teaching kids. I will bring my families business growth. I am so loved by my family, even if they don’t express it everyday. My family allows others to show me love and enjoy me. I am a lesson horse.

At the end of your childs’ journey on a lesson horse, they will out grow me. They will find one that jumps higher, a horse that is show quality, a horse much faster than me. But, I will never outgrow being a lesson horse. I will be the one that loved your child and helped your child grow into the rider and person they are. I am a lesson horse.

At the end of my time as a lesson horse; I will be covered in grey hair. Each grey hair came from each hour I spent as a lesson horse. I will be in a field of green grass, I will be taken care of as I was when I was a lesson horse. I will watch your child from across the pasture love her new horse. But, I will love your child more than any horse can. I will be the backbone of the business, the family, and your child. Don’t forget about me, I am a lesson horse.

I am a lesson horse.
*stolen from a friend *

Shared by Barn Mom
Triple L Ranch LLC 🥰🦄🎉

10/28/2024

This young student is 5 years old and she has built a wonderful relationship with Rye-Lee in the last couple of months she's been taking lessons 💖🦄

10/28/2024

Dental day for these three kids 🦷😁🐴🦄💕 I highly recommend Tyler for any of your equine dental needs!!!!

10/26/2024

10/24/2024

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10/12/2024

Gorgeous day for a ride 🐴💕

10/12/2024

Another good ride with this pretty lady 😊

10/11/2024

What a strange day, wild police chase after work to the beautiful aurora borealis 😍

10/07/2024

Had a little fun with the red trio this weekend and we had a lovely blonde visitor 😁

10/01/2024

🐎Horsemanship and riding lesson spots still available for youth and adults. Tuesday and Thursday evenings. English and western.🐎

08/17/2024

So much truth to this. I have ridden countless horses over the years and have learned something from each and every one of them, whether it's the old reliable schoolmaster or the young stock that is still learning. I give thanks to each horse that has made me the confident horsewoman I am today 🐴❤️

A small stab in the heart is what you feel when you put up the day's riding list and you see riders sinking heavily in their shoulders when reading which horse they are assigned for the lesson. A small stab in the heart for that horse that for an hour will carry around a rider who has already decided that he does not like his horse. A small stab in the heart for the horse that did not choose the rider himself but still does his best, lesson after lesson.

Riding is a privilege and something you have chosen to do. If you chose to ride at a riding school, your instructor assumes that you actually want to learn how to ride. The instructor's highest wish is that you get good at it.

Often there is a plan and a thought as to why you are assigned to that exact horse. Before you mount up next time, ask yourself "what can this horse teach me today?" All horses have something to give, a feeling or a new tool in the box.

The art is actually in being able to get a lazy horse to move forward, to get an uncertain horse to gain confidence, a naughty horse to focus or a tense horse to be released. It takes work. If you think a horse is boring, it's more likely that you don't ride the horse as well as you think! It's not easy to be confronted with your own shortcomings, but it is in that very situation that you get the chance to truly grow as a rider.

The excuse that "it's not my kind of horse" is actually a really bad excuse. A good rider can ride any kind of horse. A good rider has trained many hours on different types of horses to become a good rider. A good rider can find and manage the gold nuggets in every horse.

If we absolutely want to ride, it is our duty to strive to do it as best as possible, even if it's only for fun. We owe it to every horse that carries us upon it's back.

Copied and shared with love for all of our horses, ponies and riders 🐎❤🐎

08/11/2024

Bath day for these two 💖🦄🚿🐴🚿💖

07/17/2024

Looking my finest and demonstrating how to properly dismount from a horse. Thank you for your patience Romeo and for Brittany for catching these amazing shots 😅

07/17/2024

Another beautiful night for lessons! Spaces still available 🦄💕

07/02/2024

Beginner horsemanship and riding lessons available for both youth and adults. Located 10 minutes south of Leduc. Message for more information 🐎🐴

04/27/2024

Spots still available Tuesday and Thursday evenings for youth and adults. Message for more information.