In Stride Equestrian

In Stride Equestrian Classical Training & lesson program dedicated to diversity and inclusion through ethical horsemanship

The beauty in classical work is the improvement of the horse and rider in connection of mind to body. No matter the bree...
07/10/2025

The beauty in classical work is the improvement of the horse and rider in connection of mind to body. No matter the breed, no matter the discipline… classical training only seeks to continually improve through continuous building up of the foundation of a horse’s potential with a rider.

I am so incredibly proud of just how far Flo Shmo and her horse Sarge have come in their lessons. Almost two months in and we are now seeing glimpses of his ability as a true sport horse. In unlocking his body and building him up to help him truly be able to lift his rider, he is starting to tap into his power and put his former race horse engine to work in a different way!

Can you follow the sequence of the first three images and what they were working on?

And I just had to add a comparison of where they started in their first lesson to their most recent lesson because 😍 (and yes I know he is btv, that is something that is being worked on and he hardly goes there anymore but I wanted as similar of a pic for both the before and after for comparison sake 🙃)

I have availability for two full care boarders on our track system as well as lessons with Ollie on Monday mornings!Why ...
06/25/2025

I have availability for two full care boarders on our track system as well as lessons with Ollie on Monday mornings!

Why a track? The benefits of movement over different terrain and surfaces while also being in the shade during our hot summers down here have proven to be beneficial for horses in so many different ways. Especially horses who are easy keepers and or teetering on the cusp of being or becoming metabolic.

I’ve had horses on track systems at multiple farms that I’ve been at, ranging from small rehab tracks to large 10 acre systems, to now this lovely wooded track with grazing rotation. What I love so much about this current track is that the trails have been made by the horses, with some help from me clearing out small trees and other plants to make them more accessible. These were paths that the horses chose to make on their own. These trail systems include hills, gravel, concrete, sandy rolling areas, plentiful native plants for foraging, obstacles…. And lots and lots of shade!

I am looking to add two full care boarders to my track herd! There is also the option to take weekly lessons with your horse/s 😊

Please pm for more information!

Luna is on to her next adventure ❤️. I am so happy and grateful that Luna has found her new partner! Congratulations to ...
06/17/2025

Luna is on to her next adventure ❤️. I am so happy and grateful that Luna has found her new partner! Congratulations to Janet Heeke on this new journey you will be taking with a very special horse. It is very bittersweet to see my girl go, but she couldn’t have gone to a more perfect person and place! I very much so will look forward to seeing your partnership grow and all of the fun you will have together ❤️

This week has been filled with lots of growth for both my horse and human students. Growth in taking steps forward, unde...
06/13/2025

This week has been filled with lots of growth for both my horse and human students. Growth in taking steps forward, understanding philosophy, connection and getting back in a routine. While I love riding and nothing beats the feeling of having the privilege of connecting with a horse in that way… teaching really ignites a fire in me. I love being able to share the knowledge I’ve gained and see how it empowers horses and riders alike. Being able to help them and be a part of their journey is so gratifying and truly makes me happy 🥰.

Currently have one partial training spot and one full care boarder spot available as well as Monday and every other Frid...
06/13/2025

Currently have one partial training spot and one full care boarder spot available as well as Monday and every other Friday lessons with Ollie available!

06/11/2025

Training Tip Tuesday. Shoulder ins with a figure 8. This challenging little exercise really tests the rider's ability to be accurate. As always, the shoulder in really helps the horse to bend around the inside leg and increase the carrying capacity of the inside hind, while improve the shoulder mobility of the inside front leg.

When ridden correctly, the horse will be properly connected to the outside rein. The use of the Figure 8 in the middle helps the rider to prepare the horse for the new shoulder in because the bend of the horse should remain the same when riding the volte and the shoulder in. The rider can add the volte in the corner prior to beginning the shoulder in if needed to help prepare the horse for the appropriate bend to initiate the shoulder in.

Be careful not to allow the horse to deviate from the line of travel or merely fall through the outside shoulder. Remember, your head and shoulders should be in alignment with the horse's head and shoulders - otherwise you may cause the horse to become unbalanced. The inside rein does not bring the shoulders off the track. If you overuse the inside rein in this exercise, you will block the inside hind leg, cause the horse to fall through the outside shoulder and create tension in the neck and back.

If you want to add variety and see the result of the inside hindleg engagement, you can also add a lengthening down the long side. This will help you to see how the shoulder in helps increase the horse's impulsion and carrying capacity. You may also find that the horse lifts the shoulders more willingly in this lengthening because of the engagement created in the shoulder in.

For those with horses that are not quite doing shoulder in yet, you might thinking about riding a 10 meter volte in the corner and riding a little shoulder fore out of the volte. You will ride a full 10 meter of the rail and the continue the 10 meter on to the centerline. Think that you are going to continue the circle back to the rail, but instead apply the inside leg and outside rein to encourage the horse to travel down the centerline for a few strides. Then straighten the horse and begin the figure 8 sequence at X before trying a few steps of shoulder fore in the new direction.

What an amazingly lovely pair 😍
06/06/2025

What an amazingly lovely pair 😍

The foundational principles of dressage should know no one singular discipline. The classical foundational principles ar...
06/06/2025

The foundational principles of dressage should know no one singular discipline. The classical foundational principles are there to help bring out the best in every horse and rider. To prepare them for anything they may choose to do.

It should be free from restraint, restriction and manipulation. Instead it should offer guidance through clear communication, an ability to adjust and be dynamic and to allow through setting a horse up to figure it out on their own. And in their own self discovery, the rider will be able to reap in the rewards of their patience and trust in the process of the horse’s artistry.

These photos are just one week apart from 3 weekly lessons with Flo and her lovely ottb gelding Sarge. In just 3 weeks they have made such amazing progress through taking the exercises and work I give them seriously and waiting on Sarge to figure out freeing up his body. I am so proud of them both for the wonderful progress they have made in a few weeks!

Lately I’ve been seeing posts circulating around social media speaking of several issues within the industry regarding t...
06/04/2025

Lately I’ve been seeing posts circulating around social media speaking of several issues within the industry regarding the downfall of the sport due to: young ppl not wanting to put the work in/the negative influences of social media, not being able to keep good consistent good work at the barn due to insufficient pay and workers comp, burn out of professionals, rural areas becoming more suburban and the loss of land, skyrocketing inflation and the industry as a whole changing to meet our fast paced demands.

These are all topics and points worth considering as it is undoubtedly felt by most professionals and lesson/training facilities. And while yes much of what is stated is opinion (my own included), we can see that overall, a lot of the change doesn’t seem to be setting the horse world up for success as a whole. So instead of talking about the negative things that we see and may or may not be contributing factors, why not talk about how we can actually make a positive shift in the industry to keep it alive?

What can we do to support ethical and positive change while not allowing for mass burn out of professionals trying their best to provide a service. At the end of the day I think most of us want to make the sport more accessible, while also not working ourselves and employees into the ground and providing top care and up to date instruction and training for horse and rider. So how do we get there?

Some ideas I have are:
-Boarder co ops
-Collaboration between professionals
-Donated lessons
- Bring your (friend, family member, spouse etc) to the barn day as an introduction to horses.
-Low cost educational events and clinics
-Supporting local trainers and working with them as well as on line courses

Let’s add to this list!

The more I searched and dove into education the more it became abundantly clear to me that the answers were laid in the ...
05/31/2025

The more I searched and dove into education the more it became abundantly clear to me that the answers were laid in the bedrock of the earth.

My educational journey led me full circle, all the way back to what I had already known and felt with everything in me. That in following nature and the flow of synchronicity we make simple what seems to have been deemed difficult.

I was reminded of this yet again the other day when I was out dragging the pastures. The barn swallows who nest on the farm quickly tuned in to me dragging = me stirring up the bugs and giving them an easy meal. So every time they hear that chain drag clink around the swoop in. And it’s a beautiful dance, an effortless flow of energy as they weave and dive through the air catching the bugs.

All living things want to live in harmony. They want that effortless flow of energy and the exchange of coexistence. Our horses are no different.

Address

208 Cathedral Aisle Drive
Aiken, SC
29801

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 7pm
Tuesday 8am - 7pm
Wednesday 8am - 7pm
Thursday 8am - 7pm
Friday 8am - 7pm
Saturday 8am - 8pm

Telephone

+15163069166

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