Royale Ranch

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Canada
Ottawa, ON
Royale Ranch

🌟 Where age is just a number, and adventure never gets old! Quality horse care, camps, and lessons🌟
(4)

11/17/2024

This advice will NOT be popular with those who want it RIGHT NOW, but nevertheless, here goes---

If the goal is to become two things, a good rider and a good horseman/horsewoman, be willing to think in decades rather than in years.

That first decade, from whatever age you began, will take you only so far, and may even take you to the Olympics, but riding skill alone won’t give you all you need to know and be able to do. The next couple of decades will let three components, your physical skills, your control over your emotions and your knowledge, all intertwined to complement one another.

That’s why many of the best riders and trainers are in their 40s, 50s and in some cases in their 60s, even 70s. They didn’t get those tens of thousands of hours overnight.

There are ever so many riders and trainers who gave up too soon. They just needed to have hung in there another ten years, maybe twenty. Which sounds insane, but actually isn’t.

10/26/2024

The upgrades continue!!! Always a work in progress. Ranch is looking better and better all the time 🤩

10/22/2024

Shivers is the best babysitter! Duke is now weaned from his momma and is handling it well.

10/08/2024

New lights getting installed around the farm!

09/26/2024

Everything can become a toy or game!! Starting them young and building confidence from a young age is the best way to produce a sensible, easy going, adaptable horse.

09/25/2024

The wild turkeys LOVE our paint horses the most! They are always hanging out with Violet and Chachie 🦃 🐴

09/20/2024

Our new future school horse Lady is confirmed 30days in foal with a heartbeat! There is nothing more adorable than a Clydesdale foal 🤩

09/16/2024

Covered entrance to the arena is in progress!! We are taking advantage of this amazing warm and dry Fall season ☀️

09/05/2024

The weather is beautiful outside but you never know when it might start pouring rain so it’s good to always be prepared ☔️

09/05/2024

Riders often confused "lightness" and "softness". Both are important, but one is a byproduct of the other. Lightness originates in softness: without it, lightness is just avoidance of one source of tension via the creation of others.

These two horses both are demonstrating lightness. Note the draping rein in both images. However, only one of these horses is soft. The gelding in the top photo is exhibiting a compensational tension pattern commonly referred to as "breaking at C3". This often occurs when the horse is educated to go forward into the bridle via the rider driving the horse with the leg aid into a fixed, unyielding hand. It is so common it is often mistaken as correct because the horse can become quite light in the bridle and yet the horse - biomechanically speaking - will never be able to demonstrate true lightness or softness working in this way because the tension in the neck creates a block from any energy that might come from the hind end. Note the hollowed out neck just in front of my hands, the highest point of the neck being several inches behind the horse's poll and the tucked nose, leaving this gelding carrying himself behind the vertical. It took several years and a lot of careful work by his owner before this gelding was able to learn how to carry himself properly.

The draft cross in the bottom photo is demonstrating softness and lightness, appropriate to his level of education and fitness at that point in time. There is a draping rein here, too, but the shape this gelding's neck in comparison to the other horse is completely different. The contour of the top of his neck is a smooth, gentle, consistent curve and his head position is neutral and relaxed. There is no brace in his poll and he's started to raise the base of his neck. Note how lifted the area just in front of my hands is compared to the black gelding.

The black gelding learned to be light to avoid pressure, creating kinks in his posture. The paint gelding learned to be light by softening, creating the beginnings of true carriage.

Training your eye to recognize the signs of good riding and good posture versus poor riding and poor posture is as important - in my mind - as learning how to ride well in the first place.

08/31/2024

It’s time to book your fall horseback riding lessons!

Fall is the perfect time to ride. Semester starts next week so be sure to join us.

Teaching Western Riding lessons to youth ages 4+ through to Adults. Complete beginner to seasoned riders.

With a focus on quality horsemanship with certified coaches. Spots for new students is limited so be sure not to miss out.

Come join us for a fun and exciting Fall season.

www.royaleranch.ca

08/30/2024

Shivers loves his mid day naps! 😴

08/16/2024

Week 6 of summer camp is wrapping up!! What an amazing summer it has been so far.

Everyone is having the time of their lives including our amazing camp horses and ponies who love all the adoration and attention they get from the kids.

Can’t believe there are only 2 weeks left and then it’s back to quiet days on the farm. We will miss the daily laughter and excitement from the kids, but we will keep it going nights and weekends with our Fall Semester Lesson Program and Activities 🐎🐴

08/11/2024

Come on by to Family Day at Rideau Carleton Raceway LIVE to visit Pickles and Bob!

08/09/2024

Just one of our many awesome summer campers from last week!

This week all our camp horses and ponies have been on vacation. But they are ready to get back to fun action packed summer.

We still have a bit of room in our last week of Horse Camp! Come join us 🐎🤩

08/06/2024

New Winter Paddock in progress!

07/30/2024

Just 2 1/2 years ago Luna arrived at the ranch from Manitoba as an unbroke 4 year old with very basic ground work, she was started a few months later and now here she is being an incredible summer camp horse.

Started under saddle and brought along carefully by Khristine and our team she has transformed into a lovely and reliable mount that our riders can now learn on and grow with.

07/13/2024

A successful horse show Saturday with lovely horses and riders. Ribbons and placings for all from 1st to 5th with lots of learning and horses were excellent.

Way to go Keely & Sophie, Karolina & Emmett, Carson & Troy, and Lillian & George. With special thanks to Réjane Sylvester and our awesome grooms, helpers, and family members that came to cheer, help, and support.

Address

3960 Albion Road
Ottawa, ON
K1T1B4

Telephone

+16138820516

Website

https://www.royaleranch.ca/

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Videos

Everything can become a toy or game!! Starting them young and building confidence from a young age is the best way to produce a sensible, easy going, adaptable horse.

Projects on the go!

New Winter Paddock in progress!

Bailey

A little then and now video of baby Bailey. She’s starting to grow up and is learning to become independent undersaddle. Well done Khristine and Kate.

For people wondering how Shivers is doing. He is out here in a huge grass paddock living his best life 🌤️🦄

Life is always good on the Ranch! #sleepyheads

Cbc

Here is today’s interview 🎙️

Cbc

Stay tuned as you will see us on CBC 🔜 🎥 🐴📸

Apparently we also are a free range Turkey farm! 🦃

Winter!

Well the horses are enjoying it!! ❄️ ⛄️ The best view from Keeley’s porch.

3 year old OTTB mare named Stuff is in for a month of training to be restarted with our head trainer Khristine. She’s one happy little mare. Currently on rest and relaxation energy saving mode! Maggie Kirkham Carolyn Burke

Coach Khristine Riding Luna around the turf track. A perfect way to end the day with a beautiful sunset ride at the Ranch

Hard working kids! One of the most important aspects of riding is the hard work and effort that goes into the care of the horses and maintaining their environment! You might not always feel like it. But these details matter and are critical to the horses well being. Instilling great values and treating your horse well means providing it with great care in the saddle and out of the saddle. 💜