When I was 18, I bought my first horse; a young green-broke quarter horse named Chance. I rode him around bareback for 6 months before I could afford a saddle! My first pony riding guests were from my sister’s summer camp field trips, and my first riding student was a child I also taught gymnastics to whose parents traded house repair skills for horse riding lessons.
I have been teaching kids (and adults) how to work with and ride these wonderful animals for 30 years! Kandy’s Chance Ranch was born when my mom and I drove to Minnesota to get a pony named Star and she suggested that I make it official and start a business. Our first official pony party was held in the fall of 2002 for a little 9-year-old named Elizabeth (who then took lessons and became a counselor before going off to college!) and we were up and running as a riding lesson barn in the spring of 2003.
I love learning new techniques for both my horses and my students! Below is a list of some of the learning opportunities I have attended:
Marty Robert’s week-long horse clinic
Substitute Teaching Certified
USAG KAT Accreditation
Clinton Anderson’s weekend horse clinic
Safety Certified Since 1984
USAG Level 1-4 Skill Evaluation Certified
I cannot remember a time that I didn’t love horses. I didn’t have much access to the ‘real thing’ when I was young, but I made do with what was available; books about horses, toy horses, talking to people about horses… you get the drift.
My first real riding experiences were at a lesson barn while I was in college studying to be a Veterinary Technician. I quickly learned that all the reading in the world doesn’t prepare you for what it is like to ride and work with these big creatures! The instructor was impatient, I was inexperienced, and her schooling horses were all old hands at getting away with bad habits. I didn’t last long as her student, and left feeling very discouraged.
After college I didn’t have another opportunity to spend time around horses until I met Kandy many years later. I began bringing my children out to ride at KCR when they were 6 and 1 year old and absolutely loved how patient and consistent both Kandy and her horses were. Kandy helped me overcome my previous experiences, and I bought my first horse (a big sweet old Percheron mare named Luna) when I was 37. Talk about a long wait to see a dream fulfilled!
My background in veterinary medicine, my present job as a substitute teacher, and all that reading has come in handy while working with the students in Kandy’s programs. I teach some basic anatomy and animal sciences lessons during summer camps as well as watching over the students while they are getting ready for instruction.
My mom loves horses, so when she met Kandy, she started bringing my brother and I out to take lessons. Mom says she likes the confidence and balance we get from riding but I think it was just an excuse so she could spend time around the horses. I’ve done some cool things like learning to ride without a saddle, designing riding obstacle courses, and learning to jump, and I’ve made some great friends at KCR.
I have been riding since I was 6, and my favorite thing to do on horseback is to go fast! Cantering is awesome! As a junior councilor I help out at camps and festivals and I like working with the horses and riders from the ground and helping out around the farm almost as much as I like riding.
Information coming shortly.
When I was five, my grandmother gave me a lesson for my birthday and I have been riding ever since! Once I saw horses it was love at first sight, no one had ever seen such a big smile on my five year old face. The very first horse I ever rode was Oreo and within a few minutes of getting on her the first time she sneezed, making me cry. Everyone thought for sure that I wasn’t going to continue. It’s been ten years, I’m still in the saddle and loving every minute of it!
Jumping is my greatest passion while on horseback; it is so much fun! I also love helping around the barn, at birthday parties, at festivals, or really at any opportunity I get to put my hands on a horse! I love seeing new riders smile wide when I help them ride for the first time. It reminds me of my love for horses and how much I have overcome these past ten years. I love seeing that spark in children and helping them overcome fears, and to help them fall in love with horses like I have.
I was on a horse for the first time when I was under a year old. I have been up on the horses ever since and do not even remember a time when I wasn’t capable of riding. When I’m not riding bareback (which is most of the time) I prefer riding western. I enjoy cantering and have done some jumping, but trail riding is by far my favorite thing to do on horseback.
Even when I’m not riding, I just love being around the horses and all the other animals we have here at Kandy’s Chance Ranch. I have grown up here with my mom Kandy, and I have been helping feed the animals ever since I was young. I vividly remember the day when I fed the horses by myself for the first time; I was only eight years old. I have been helping take care of the animals ever since.
Some people might complain about feeding chickens, horses, goats, and other animals before the sun even rises, but I find it to be relaxing and one of the most enjoyable parts of my day.
