The Highland Horses School of Riding — Local services in McLendon-Chisholm

My daughter started lessons 7 years ago with Laurie, she is now teaching our second generation with her, my son's daughter, my granddaughter. Both girls show, & ride with her. My grand daughter is only 4, & yet rides on her own since she was 3. My daughter now rides and shows a much more advanced, class A show horse half Arabian/ half saddlebred. Laurie found, & facilitated the sale, & transport for buying Captivate me, a Zodiac Matador/Flighty Lady gelding. She over saw & facilitated the sale of my daughter's first show horse as well. Laurie is kind and very insightful of both her riders & horses needs, she can be trusted to put young children one extremely safe animals. She gives just the right amount of motivation, without making a child feel obligated in the show world. My daughter took several years off showing to just ride. She now thoroughly enjoys showing again with Laurie. My granddaughter bursts with pride, after her open shows! She is currently showing on Laurie's well seasoned horses. Laurie is a member, & active deciding member of a fantastic open show club. The children are encouraging to each other, make friends that span years, & truly develop a healthy spirit of the sport. Whether your little one is just starting to ride, or you/ your child want to take horse ownership/ riding to the next level, Laurie can accommodate all levels of interaction with the amazing breed...

While there are a lot of wonderful reviews here, this was not mine or my son’s experience. My hope with lessons was to provide a space for my son to build confidence, branch out to do new things/feel safe doing so, and learn a new skill. My son is 3 and as expected (and as I informed Laurie prior to starting) was nervous to do things independently. Despite her repeated “reassurance” he was okay, my son was not met with compassion when he displayed these behaviors.

When he did not willingly walk up the steps to get on his horse, Laurie told him “you’re acting like a baby, and babies don’t ride horses.” She then proceeded to lecture him on how this was “her barn, and her rules.” AGAIN. He is 3. To call a 3 year old a baby when they are trying to make sense of their surroundings and what is being asked of them is borderline, if not completely, bully behavior. Not once in the two times we went did Laurie get down on my son’s level and try and build any rapport with him or anything. It was an immediate expectation of obedience as soon as he walked in. Oh AND, God forbid I held my son while we were there as well — because all 3 year olds should feel 100% okay standing next to a massive horse for the first time and need no parental...

We moved to Texas from Sweden about a year ago, and finding the right place for my daughter to continue her love of horses was so important to us. Highland School of Horses has been everything we hoped for and more.

Laurie is an incredibly attentive and thoughtful trainer — she takes the time to understand each rider, their strengths, and where they need encouragement. Her patient and caring approach has made all the difference in my daughter’s confidence and skills.

After a year here, my daughter absolutely loves it — she looks forward to every lesson and is always excited to share what she’s learned. The environment is welcoming, supportive, and the quality of training is outstanding. I can honestly say Highland School of Horses has made our transition to Texas feel even more like home.

Highly recommend to anyone looking to excel their...