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Free Spirit Equestrian, Bessbrook

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Free Spirit Equestrian, Bessbrook

Livery, lessons, approved Rda/pony club centre. Lorraine is a qualified, registered and insured BHS / RDA instructor. registered Irish pony society judge

27/01/2025

I have space available in 4.30 lesson. Riders must be work without stirrups, canter and jump confidently
Pic of Orlagh and Ollie for attention 🥰

24/12/2024

New childrens lessons starting in January. Unfortunately I won’t be taking any beginners this time . Children must be off lead.

18/10/2024

Congratulations Julia Torres getting 1st tonight at Kernans Equestrian show jumping competition on her own pony Tilley and Ben and Mary Rose Flynn 1st and 2nd place on their young pony, Bruce.
So proud of you all proving that hard work pays off 💪🙌

23/09/2024

NEW CHILDRENS LESSON ALERT!!!
Riders must be off lead and able to trot, canter and do small jumps. 9st weight limit
Please what’s app if
interested 07775724667

19/09/2024

MY thoughts on children and riding...

When the child walks in the stable for their first riding lessons, it is the beginning of important life lessons. Unlike other sports in general, the equestrian must learn much more than technique in riding skills or team spirit. Horses are perhaps the ultimate teachers of compassion, patience and humility.

One of the very first rules in my barn is that if a horse drops a load before, during or after a lesson, it is the child who picks up the manure. Mom and dad are not allowed to, regardless how young the child is. Learning to take care of their mount is a lesson in responsibility and housekeeping. It might seem gross to have to pick up the p**p, but know there are worst things in life and this simple task is just as important as all of the other aspects of being in the presence of greatness (the horse.) A lesson is not necessarily measured in minutes, but in tasks completed and how well they are completed. This includes grooming before and after a lesson and tacking up and untacking.

I like to build a foundation of balance, strength, and most importantly, teaching my students to see what the horse sees, feel what it feels and better understand their mounts. Instill an appreciation of this living creature they are sharing a bond with. A horse will also humble you with that first fall off, or a toe tread on. Learning to gather courage and go forward are lessons learned here. We learn to never lay blame, where blame isn’t and be mindful and appreciate the power of this animal and fragile connection we have with horses.

A horse will teach your child many things about life in the real world. Your child will learn to listen, sometimes be fearful but know the importance to get back up, take hold and go forward. They will learn how to control emotion, accept losing without frustration and appreciate winning with renewed confidence. It will all come back to that first rule in my barn when your child walks into the stable for their first riding lesson. “If your horse p**ps, you must scoop” accountability and responsibility. (Just to clarify the picture. The student IS NOT standing on the saddle but on a no slip saddle pad and the purpose of this exercise is for balance, trust and confidence in his/her ability to challenge themselves. Not unlike the sport of vaulting, except the horse is standing still and not in motion.)

18/08/2024

I hate when people blame my wonderful ponies or don’t want to ride a particular one

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 🐎❤🐎

09/08/2024

Wonderful Cloud looking after his tiny jockey, Sienna🙌

18/07/2024

FROM A PARENT:
One of my friends asked "Why do you pay so much money for your kids to ride horses?" Well I have a confession to make, I don't pay for my kids to ride horses.

So, if I am not paying for them to ride, what am I paying for?

- I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they want to quit but don't.

- I pay for those days when my kids come home from school and are "too tired" to go to the barn but go anyway.

- I pay for my kids to learn to be disciplined.

- I pay for my kids to learn to take care of their body.

- I pay for my kids to learn to work with others and to be good team mates.

- I pay for my kids to learn to deal with disappointment, when they don't get that score they'd hoped for, but still have to work hard in the grading.

- I pay for my kids to learn to make and accomplish goals.

- I pay for my kids to learn that it takes hours and hours and hours and hours of hard work and practice to create a champion, and that success does not happen overnight.

- I pay for the opportunity my kids have and will have to make life-long friendships.

- I pay so that my kids can be in the arena instead of in front of a screen...
..I could go on but, to be short, I don't pay for horse riding, I pay for the opportunities that horse riding provides my kids with to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!

Unknown Author

09/07/2024

Monday Crew! 🤠

03/07/2024

DIY livery space available in our quiet, easy going riding school/livery yard. Herd turnout available 24/7 over summer months

29/06/2024

Great day at Newry Agricultural Show with the Free Spirits🥰 Everyone rode fab and done me proud and the ponies all enjoyed themselves!!
Thanks to James Hammond and family for running such a great show… the kids are all home smiling and that’s what it’s all about

29/06/2024

Things your riding instructor wants you to know:
1. This sport is hard. You don't get to bypass the hard…..every good rider has gone through it. You make progress, then you don't, and then you make progress again. Your riding instructor can coach you through it, but they cannot make it easy.

2. You're going to ride horses you don't want to ride. If you're teachable, you will learn from every horse you ride. Each horse in the barn can teach you if you let them. IF YOU LET THEM. Which leads me to…

3. You MUST be teachable to succeed in this sport. You must be teachable to succeed at anything, but that is another conversation. Being teachable often means going back to basics time and time and time again. If you find basics boring, then your not looking at them as an opportunity to learn. Which brings me to…..

4. This sport is a COMMITMENT. Read that, then read it again. Every sport is a commitment, but in this sport your teammate weighs 1200 lbs and speaks a different language. Good riders don't get good by riding every once in awhile….they improve because they make riding a priority and give themsevles opportunity to practice.

5. EVERY RIDE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. Even the walk ones. Even the hard ones. Every. Single. Ride. Remember when you just wished someone would lead you around on a horse? Find the happiness in just being able to RIDE. If you make every ride about what your AREN'T doing, you take the fun out of the experience for yourself, your horse, and your instructor. Just enjoy the process. Which brings me to...

6. Riding should be fun. It is work. and work isn't always fun.....but if you (or your rider) are consistently choosing other activities or find yourself not looking forward to lessons, it's time to take a break. The horses already know you don't want to be here, and you set yourself up for failure if you are already dreading the lesson before you get here.

7. You'll learn more about horses from the ground than you ever will while riding. That's why ground lessons are important, too. If you're skipping ground lessons (or the part of your lesson that takes place on the ground), you're missing out on the most important parts of the lesson. You spend far more time on the ground with horses than you do in the saddle.

8. Ask questions and communicate. If you're wondering why your coach is having you ride a particular horse or do an exercise, ask them. Then listen to their answer and refer to #3 above.

9. We are human beings. We make decisions (some of them life and death ones) every day. We balance learning for students with workloads for horses and carry the bulk of this business on our shoulders. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Of all the sports your child will try through their school years, riding is one of 3 that they may continue regularly as adults (golf and skiing are the others). People who coach riding spend the better part of their free time and much of their disposable income trying to improve their own riding and caring for the horses who help teach your child. They love this sport and teaching others…..but they all have their limits. Not all good riders are good coaches, but all good coaches will tell you that the process to get good is not an easy one.

📝 Kimberley Reynolds

📸 JRS Photography

19/06/2024

Sorting some camp dates. Drop me a text if interested and with dates that suit🥰

02/06/2024

Longterm DIY livery space available in our easy going friendly yard. Please contact me by text or call 07775724667. Please only get in touch if you love animals and are able to tend to them at least twice a day or can make alternative arrangements. Turnout available in suitable herds, individual turnout is not an option.

22/05/2024

My little helper Sienna, taking Mistletoe out to the field after her lesson

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41 Maytown Road Bessbrook
Newry
BT357NE

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Cloud💙

Wonderful Cloud looking after his tiny jockey, Sienna🙌

Monday crew!!

Monday Crew! 🤠 #cowboysandindians #strawberryisthecoolestandsoisjocelyn #amazingponies #superriders #freespirit

New lesson starting for novice/intermediate child riders. Riders must be able to walk, trot, canter and jump at least 50cm Please what’s app 07775724667

On Friday night we said goodbye to beautiful Molly. Molly has been a livery with me for longer than I can remember and so long that I sometimes forgot she wasn’t mine!! In her latter years Molly free ranged the riding school, stealing hay out of other horses stables and scratching on David’s new machinery 🙈🤣 Everyone loved her even Aurora the sheep, she was one of those horses you think will go on forever 😌 As most of you knew Mollys owners Caity and Lucy lived in Australia and London but kept in touch regularly either by FaceTime with her or with texts, photos and videos… she was so loved and I know they are both heartbroken I am just so thankful that Lucy got home in time to say goodbye 💔 Wherever you are Molly I hope you are with all your old Free Spirit friends galloping free 😢🌈🤍