Our Approach
At this family oriented facility our top priority is developing confident Horsewomen and Horsemen that have a fun, safe and rewarding relationship with their horse. All disciplines are welcome, however we do offer lessons with specific focuses. We have resident trainers that have years of experience in their respective fields: Natural Horsemanship, Eventing and Youth programs.
Our open pasture format keeps horses happy and healthy by allowing them tons of space to run, buck, roll, socialize and play. There are plenty of run in shelters for inclement weather but we find that more often than not the horses like to be out in the weather with the wind in their manes.
Meet the Owner: Margaret
I purchased my first horse (Sweetie) when I was 20 years old, she was 4 years old at the time. As a new owner with a young horse I battled with fear issues, so much so that it took me a full year to become brave enough to ask her to canter. I joined a local riding club so we could participate in a variety of activities together: a drill team that showed off our skills at parades, running barrels, pole bending and trail rides to name a few. At that time I did not take any lessons and was just learning on my own.
In 1995 I met Pat Parelli and I had the opportunity to ride with him in Banff, Canada for a week. The focus was learning Natural Horsemanship skills in real life situations on the trail (ie. obstacles, water crossing, fear in horses and/or riders and how to overcome them etc.). I loved it and it changed my life forever. In 1996 I decided to pursue a formal education in Natural Horsemanship. I enrolled in a 3 month intensive program in Pagosa Springs, Colorado at the Parelli Ranch to study under Pat's tutelage. In 1997 I became a Parelli Certified Instructor and eventually reached status as a 3 Star Instructor within the program.
Over the course of my career I have had the opportunity to learn from and ride with so many great horsemen:
- Pat Parelli
- Linda Parelli
- Craig Johnson
- Roni Willis
- Tom Dorrance
- Jack Branard
- Dr. Robert Miller and many more...
In January of 2000 my parents and I bought 20 acres in the Northfields of the Heber Valley with the dreams of turning it into the facility its today. It was fenced with barbed wire and had no structures on it. We had our work cut out for us but with some serious blood, sweat and tears we removed all of the barbed wire by hand and began planning our vision.
For years I had been studying every barn, arena, feeder, gate, fence, pasture configuration and horse property that I visited. I took notes on what worked, what didn't and how I could improve upon others ideas to support a sense of safety, ease and flow for both horse and human. I spent a myriad of hours planning out the logistics of our facility, painstakingly measuring out were to put all of the buildings, features, arenas and pastures. My goal was to do it right the first time so we wouldn't have to do it again. Everything was designed for horses to have the best quality of life possible while in my care. I accomplished this vision by allowing horses to live in small herds with large turn out areas, enabling them to have the most natural living conditions possible. I also wanted to provide riders with what they needed to have the best experience as well. We have an indoor arena, outdoor arena, round pen, large play ground to ride in, tack room, grain room, trailer parking and more.
Around 2010 I developed syncope, a medical condition which caused me to get dizzy and fall down several times a day. This forced me to take a break from riding, which ended my official Parelli instructorship. It took me 3 years and a hysterectomy to recover. Within the same time frame my husband and I were blessed to adopt two beautiful boys, Jack and then Matthew. They are my heart and for the last few years my main focus has been raising them and being the best mother I can be. This fall both boys will be in school full time and I am looking forward to begin teaching Horsemanship again. I also intend to pursue an education in becoming a life coach. I am incredibly excited to add this new dimension to my life, as it will allow me to bring an integrated approach to my teaching style.
I started my horse journey with fear. I came up against fear many times during all of my training, I was always pushing my limits. Coping with my syncope diagnosis and the debilitating dizzy spells that it caused forced me to deal with fear on a whole new level. This journey has taught me so much about myself, in ways I never could have expected. I am excited to begin my foray into life coaching so that I may help riders move through their fears with relaxed confidence. I look forward to teaching them not only horsemanship, but the cognitive skills to become their very best no matter what they choose to focus on in life.
Trevor Howard
Trevor Howard is a skilled horseman and teacher. He is passionate about all aspects of horsemanship and takes pride in his work. His three love in life are family, horses, and fly fishing. His approach to horsemanship is ever evolving and comes from a culmination of many different experiences in different disciplines in the equine industry.
Early on in his time with horses he realized there was a better way to be with them. Simple things he was struggling with like trailer loading, riding out, and getting his horses to do what he wanted seemed to come naturally to others. It was when he attended a horse expo and witnessed a horseman work a untouched horse from the ground and put its first ride on that he realized he was missing a lot of the key components of good horsemanship. From that day until current he has been a student to the horse and good horseman. He is a dedicated student and has invested countless hours to understanding horses and how think and operate.
What began as a hobby pleasure riding, soon became a passion, and eventually a lifestyle and career. His first paid experiences involved training outside horses for family, friends, and the public. This led this to opportunities to teach horsemanship to the public. His work experiences range everything from teaching private and group lessons, attending and teaching horsemanship clinics, running summer horse camps for kids while developing and maintaining the horses for the program, training horses in a dressage and eventing barn in a western saddle, starting colts and restarting and continuing horses training.
On a personal level he continues to ride and develop his own horses. He has many years experience training and showing horses for different western events. Roping and cattle events are his favorite to compete in, for many years he partnered with his dad in team roping. He and his wife also competed in various speed events like barrels, poles, and keyhole. He has also competed in judged events and has been discovering what it takes to put a reining horse together. Skijoring is now on the radar as he recently found fun and success While competing isn't his current focus, the mindset, skills and wisdom he has gained are valuable assets to approaching horsemanship and training horses. He has a great respect for the time and preparation it takes to get a horse ready for any discipline.
Next Steps...
If you're interested in boarding, training, or visiting, we would be happy to meet you.