Strides Riding Academy

Another tribute to my redheads! This awesome mare is 26 and has been with me for 21 years!

I may have a thing for the redheads.... We have quite a few more in the barn!

"Am I a good rider?" she asked, pensively, sat upon her 14.2 cob, covered in poo stains that she couldn’t quite get out before her lesson, that she had persuaded her mum to buy a year ago for just 400 as he wasn’t wanted any more. "Why do you ask that?" her instructor replied, for she knew how this young girl felt - her eyes often lingered somewhere in between her horse's ears or the other side of the school when teaching. "Because I want to be one."... Her instructor pondered on this for a good few minutes, whilst reassuring the nervous cob in front, and then said: "A good rider is not someone who buys flashy horses and competes every Saturday and makes it to the top within a year. A good rider is not someone who jumps the highest jumps or owns the fastest horse. A good rider isn’t made just because they’ve been riding since they were 3. A good rider is not someone who can move their forward horse forward... No.......... A good rider is that pony clubber you see fall off every time she gets on something new, yet still gets back on with a smile on her face. A good rider is that girl who cries in the tack room because of how her horse behaved and how hard it’s been to cope watching everyone else be successful, but to her it seems like she is the only one failing, yet still rewards her horse with a treat and a smile because at least he was better than last time. A good rider is the boy with the angel horse, yet doesn’t claim any of its successes for himself. 'It was all him,' he would say, 'I just sat to it.’ A good rider listens. A good rider is soft. A good rider makes sure the horse is always happy, As a matter of fact, a good rider often has nothing to do with the riding. If you love it, and you try, and you try again, even when you fall off and it was your fault, even when people point because your seat isn’t quite as deep as they’d prefer, if you never give up, that’s what makes a good rider." by Daisy Henderson

Time for some funnies....which fun fact belongs to the following Strides staff member? 1) I have a guinea pig named Goliath 2) I am minoring in Palentology 3) I have never had a headache in my life 4) I didn't get a cell phone until I was 35... Options are: Maggie, Anne, Tina, Noni, Emily or Fielding Comment with your guesses! We will post the answers later this week!

STRIDES mini camps will have 2 spots open on Wednesdays and 3 spots open on Fridays starting in November. Mini camps run from 2-6pm and include a riding lesson, horsemanship, barn chores and games. Such a great way to get the kids outside these days! Camps run the first 3 weeks in November and the first 3 weeks in December. Price is $1140 for both the Wednesday and Friday sessions (12 mini camp days, 4 hours each day). Contact us to register!

Welcome to Jeffers our new school horse! Such a sweet guy, we are very lucky to have you in the barn! We hope everyone is staying safe from the fires and smoke! Hope to see you all back riding as soon as the smoke clears! @ Strides Riding Academy

@kate.jumpss Well done!!! We will have your prize delivered to the barn next week :)

Answer time! Horse #1 Shelby, Mare, Front shoes, lives with Mikey, Anne Horse #2 Riley, Thoroughbred, Cribbing, Left lead, 3 socks... Horse #3 Dasher, Barefoot, dragging kids to the grass, Welsh, 9 years Horse #4 Halle, Mare, Barefoot, jumps anything, American warmblood (fresian, wb, paint cross) Horse #5 Alex, Mare, barefoot, almost 1.5 years, fast Horse #6 Rosie, Mare, Slow, Founder, 14 Horse #7 Jack, retired, jumping, 11 years, barefoot Horse #8 Ferris, gelding, full shoes, Noni, 1.5 years Horse #9 Dixie, mare, appaloosa, likes to roll sometimes under saddle, past student Horse #10 Sorbe, mare, Fresno State, she doesn't tie, super smooth canter Well done everyone! Will tally up the answers and post the winner this week!

School's out for summer! How are you celebrating?

Trivia post #10 I am wrapping this up with the OG strides horse that turned 26 last month! Answers to wll the posts and the winner will be posted later this week! 1- What is my name? 2 - Mare or gelding? 3 - Where did I go to college? (Yes seriously)... 4 - What is my bad habit? 5 - What is my best trait? See more

I am slow on the trivia this month! Number 9 out of 10 here we go 1- Who am I? 2 - Mare or gelding? 3 - What breed? 4 - What is my naughty habit?... 5 - Where did Maggie get me? See more

Today's trivia 1 - Who am I? 2- Mare or gelding? 3 - Full shoes, front shoes or barefoot? 4 - What Strides trainer has known me the longest?... 5 - How long have I been in the Strides family? See more

Enjoying the fan today!

I'm trying to confuse you by making him look brown! Today's trivia 1 - Who am I? 2 - What is my current job title?... 3 - What was my favorite thing to do before I had this job? 4 - How long have I been in the Strides family? 5 - Shoes or barefoot? See more

Today's trivia pick 1 - Who am I? 2 - Am I am mare or a gelding? 3 - Do I prefer to go slowly or fast? 4 - Do I have any special health issues?... 5 - How old am I? See more

Today's trivia post! We are now half way through and this is horse #5 1 - What is my name? 2 - Am I a mare or gelding? 3 - Do I have shoes or am I barefoot? 4 - How long have I been in the Strides family... 5 - Do I like to work fast or am I lazy? See more

Who am I? 1 - What is my name? 2 - Am I a mare or gelding? 3 - Shoes or barefoot? 4 - What is my best quality as a jumping horse?... 5 - What breed am I? See more