The combination of trail rides and lessons has done well for Kinni Valley.  Beginners who go for rides are often inspired to take lessons, and are comforted to find a convenient place to learn that they are already familiar with.  On the other hand, people taking lessons like the fact that their friends and families, no matter how inexperienced, can join them on a simple trail ride.

"What is the difference?" I asked Carolyn.  "If I can ride a horse along the trail without any training, why would I need lessons?"  Carolyn explained that the horses used for trail rides are so well trained, and are so accustomed to the trail, that they would generally behave themselves even without a rider.  Taking lessons and learning even the basics of riding will expand ones riding horizons enormously.

"Learning how to train and show your own horse is the most advanced level of horseback riding," says Carolyn.  When you learn how to train horses, you learn how to teach horses the skills they will need to understand your directions.  When you learn how to ride a horse, you learn how to make use of the skills that the horse has already learned.

This does not mean, however, that you need to have your own horse before riding lessons are worthwhile.  Ms. Lowe likens horseback riding lessons to swimming lessons.  "You don't need to have your own pool in order to enjoy swimming," she said.  On the contrary, horseback riding can provide so many physiological and psychological benefits that it has sometimes come to be known as "riding therapy."

In the past, riding therapy was considered to be useful only for people with physical disabilities or special needs.  This is due, in part, to the fact that horseback riding strengthens the same muscles in your back that you use for walking, and it also helps people become better with balance.

Now the recognition is growling that everyone can benefit from a good horse experience.  For example, Carolyn explains that kids can learn how to get along with their peers better because of the group atmosphere at Kinni Valley.  They also learn to be more responsible when they learn about the necessity of horse maintenance and riding safety.  Even children who are considered to have A.D.D, Carolyn points out, sometimes gain remarkable amounts of focus when they are interested in the animals.

Kids are not the only ones who benefit, however.  Unlike many other programs, Kinni Valley caters both to children and adults, whether they are experts or novices.  This means that, for instance, shy people of all ages can gain tremendous amounts of self-confidence when they are able to make such a powerful animal heed them.  Even aggressive people learn that softer approaches are required if they want their animals to respond to them, says Carolyn, and that being loud or physical will not yield the results they are looking for.

In fact, according to Ms. Lowe, the fastest-growing group of people who are currently benefiting from riding therapy is victims of domestic abuse.  Not only does the accomplishment do wonders for their often-battered self-confidence, but they also learn how to reassert themselves with other people when they learn how to be assertive with the horses.  When someone learns advanced riding, remarked Carolyn, they are really learning advanced communication skills.

Horses are non-judgmental.  The do not care what you look like, how much you weigh, or even whether you need assistance walking.  This fact can bring great comfort to anyone who feels that they do not fit in for some reason, not to mention that it's a lot of fun.  "Amazing things have happened over the years, with the kids, the parents, and even the horses," said Tom [Lowe], referring to the positive breakthroughs his stables have seen.  For all these reasons, Carolyn jokes that at Kinni Valley they offer "Horses! And so much more!"

Safety is always a huge consideration at Kinni Valley.  Not that the horses are vicious by nature, but they are extremely powerful, and this fact alone can cause accidents.  "Safety keeps them coming back" is a motto at Kinni Valley because they work so closely with children and beginners, and also because they recognize that no one is likely to return to a place they feel is dangerous.

Extremely clean and beautiful facilities, good horses, and great people makes Kinni Valley the perfect place for families, small groups, and individuals to learn more about horses, and to discover something wonderful about themselves.  To learn more about what riding lessons can do for you, or to learn about the Academy's summer day camps, call 715-426-1321.  To get more information about the stables, or to book a trail ride, please call 715-425-6184.  The Kinni Valley Stables and Riding Academy is located on Highway 65, just outside downtown River Falls.  Come and see for yourself why this family-run Stable and Academy wins awards!