Need Help Finding a Barn to Take Lessons at in Denver

[synergy06]

I just moved to Denver from the East Coast and would like to try out riding western! I grew up riding hunter/jumpers but since I’m out west I’d like to try to learn something new. While I’d be a complete newbie to western, I am a reasonably good amateur, although I’ve had about a month off of riding thanks to the move. I’d need a place that will teach me the basics (i.e. tack) but I’ve got plenty of horse experience, so I wouldn’t need anything like a “how to behave around horses” lesson or grooming how-to.

I’m having trouble finding a place that offers western riding that isn’t just a trail riding company. I’d need a horse to ride, since mine is trained English and is back in Maryland.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the help!

[rtph]

A good place to start;
http://www.coloradostockhorse.com/

[saddleup]

You need to figure out what kind of western riding you want to do. It’s like saying you want to ride English…dressage? Eventing? Jumpers? There are as many variations in the western world. Then you can narrow down your search that way, because any place you call is going to ask you what you want to do.

If you really don’t know or care, that’s another thing entirely. I don’t live there but my trainer knows a lot of horse people there since she routinely hauls to Denver/Loveland/Castle Rock for Paint shows. I show Paints in breed shows, and if those types of shows interest you let me know and I’ll ask her who she’d recommend. Especially since you’re not a newbie your options are greater, I think.

[synergy06]

Having a “duh” moment after reading saddleup’s reply! I know very little about breed shows or any western disciplines…breed shows have pretty much everything right?

Would I be bored just doing western pleasure? I’ve gotten on a friend’s reining horse once and it was an eye-opening experience just trying to flat him, so I feel like I may want to start with the basics. The trail classes have always intrigued me as well and I’ve also heard team penning is really fun.

Is this helping at all or only adding to the confusion?

[UrbanHennery]

Try reining - you should be able to find a trainer that can take you from the basics on - mine has done that for me in WA state.

Western Pleasure is mind numbing (to watch and ride).

[appyreiners]

Definitely try reining.

The National Reining Horse Association Mountain States Affiliate Finals is in Denver at the National Western Complex from September 25-29. That would be a good place to see most of the local NRHA trainers and how they coach. Some of the trainers do have lesson horses.

[Plumcreek]

Which would be better - North of Denver or South? There are many western trainers, some treat horses better than others.
You might enjoy working with an all around trainer that does some horsemanship and some trail courses, changes leads for western riding, all easy on a newbie. I would save reining for awhile - would be too much to think about right at first, and even basic reining is fairly fast…

[synergy06]

Probably south, preferably one that treats the horses nicely

I don’t have a ton of interest in reining, and like I said I don’t know a lot about western anything, so I agree that an all-around trainer might be better. Do you know of any?

[Plumcreek]

[QUOTE=synergy06;7177606]
Probably south, preferably one that treats the horses nicely

I don’t have a ton of interest in reining, and like I said I don’t know a lot about western anything, so I agree that an all-around trainer might be better. Do you know of any?[/QUOTE]
I know mostly show trainers, but you will want a nice indoor over the winter. Most do not have lesson horses, but you would ride training horses or whatever is available.

John and Cindy Weaver (Weaver Training) - Paint show barn south of Castle Rock right on the Freeway. Danielle Libsack, assistant to Kelly McDowell, (McDowell Training) a ways south of Franktown. Good training and barn atmosphere is first rate.
I may think of others.

[LJStarkey]

Bill Bormes in Castle Rock

[QUOTE=synergy06;7176565]
I just moved to Denver from the East Coast and would like to try out riding western! … Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the help![/QUOTE]

If you’re just interested in all-around “learning to ride western,” I highly recommend Bill Bormes just outside Castle Rock. The barn is spectacular and his customers are wonderful women. Bill is funny and charming and a wonderfully patient teacher with his horses and his riders.

He’s at Discovery Farms in Elizabeth, which is just outside Castle Rock.

If you’re specifically interested in reining, Shane Brown in Elbert would be good. He’s a freestyle specialist, but he’s good at teaching the basics as well.