riding tips Archives - Free Heart Stables

The Importance of Conditioning

Most horse owners rarely think about their horse’s fitness level or try to actively improve it. Most of us just go about our ride working on training the horse to do his job. However, most of the training we are doing is asking the horse to carry himself better, which Read more

By Stephanie Walker, 6 yearsMay 6, 2020 ago

How-To Guides

5 Tips for Dealing with a Spook

We get it, all horses spook. Is there anything we can do to help our horses (and ourselves!) through a spook except just hanging on for dear life? To answer that question, yes! There are a ton of things that we can do to help prevent, or at least minimize, Read more

By Stephanie Walker, 8 yearsJanuary 30, 2019 ago

Teaching Philosophy

Free Heart Stables' riding program centers on building a solid foundation both in and out of the saddle. Rider's position is a constant focus in order to ensure that riders are safe and able to move forward in their riding. Groundwork is utilized to help riders develop the horsemanship, feel, and timing necessary to communicate effectively with the horse, resulting in a more relaxed and willing partner. Horsemanship is integrated into our program to ensure that we are producing well-rounded riders. An emphasis is placed on the rider's physical and mental preparedness for tasks to ensure confidence and enjoyment, both critical to the continuation of a rider's career. Each lesson is tailored specifically to the individual to address their unique needs and goals. This allows riders to get the most out of each lesson, resulting in greater confidence, learning, and enjoyment.