There was a time in American history, that folks had to make their horses into reliable & dependable partners. A rider had to sort through the Fight or Flight instincts of a 1200 pound animal & teach it how to:

1. sacrifice the urge to RUN or FIGHT in high energy moments.

2.surender to human aid in both perfect and hectic conditions.

3.adapt to both natural & unnatural circumstances.

4.recover quickly & be ready to "keep it moving".

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It was a time when the American culture's survival needed our horses and the bond forged from the training secured a farmer's harvest, a rancher's cattle... a general's letter. Today, that long and rich heritage of training from the ground up is less practiced and is often misunderstood as "breaking" the horse's spirit when the reality was just the opposite. W.A Riding Academy builds the equine's spirit up using techniques and exercises that nurture the horse's sense of courage, trust, and willingness to try new things with the rider. Building a good horse takes patience, self-regulation, & a willingness to get dirty because the learning process is riddled with messy successes and glorious defeat. The W.A classroom is NOT your grandma's knitting circle but, for those special few willing to step up and follow the boot marks left by our forefathers, we are happy to welcome you back to a horseback heritage that won the West, settled America, and paved the way for the industrial revolution.