Training
At North Wind Stables we truly believe the horse should come first. We pride ourselves in taking an individualized approach to each horse in our care. We recognize that each horse can perform optimally only if its individual personality and talents are assessed and understood. We do not believe in the “one-size-fits-all” approach to training.
We use medications only as necessary for the health of the horse, and never as a “training aid”. We work closely with our veterinarian to ensure that each horse has any supplements it may need for optimal health and performance. Our farrier, Chuck Ruitenberg, is at the barn each week and the horses all have a set schedule for shoeing.
In keeping with our philosophy of happy horse = happy owner, we put the care and comfort of the animals as top priority. We believe that the stall is the horse’s home, and as such, should be a place where he can be at ease and relaxed. We think that consistency and predictability is crucial to ensuring the horse’s comfort and ultimately, his trainability, so we take care to feed at exactly the same times each day and include a noon meal as well as morning and evening feedings. Water is monitored and refreshed throughout the day. Our competent and compassionate caretakers live on-site, as does our training staff.
In as much as the stall is the horse’s sanctuary, the ring is his “place of work”. When the horse comes out of his stall, he knows it is time to get down to business. The horses will receive individualized training and exercise six days of the week. Monday is their day off.
An integral part of training any one horse is training his partner, as well. At North Wind, we are proud to have a reputation for successfully matching horses with riders, not only to achieve a winning “picture”, but more importantly, to couple riders with horses appropriate to their skill level. We are constantly striving to bring teams to their ultimate potential. With a horse in training at North Wind, you may expect an average of two lesson rides per week on your horse. For an additional monthly fee, you may make use of any practice horse that is available and suited to your riding capabilities. Likewise, our training customers also have full access to practice rides on an assortment of horses in the Saddlebred Rescue ranks at no extra charge.
North Wind Stables prized horses; past, and present.
RWC SS Explicit, Juv. Western |
CH Boardwalk |
