Falling Star Ranch - Home of Arabians, Paint Horses, Quarter Horses and part-bred Arabians. Falling Star Ranch offers horse training, riding lessons, horsemanship clinics, horse sales, stud services.

Falling Star Ranch

Contact Info

"Ask not what your horse can do for you.
Ask what you can do for your horse."

- Chris Irwin

Click here to listen to background music

Back to the top

Welcome to the Falling Star Ranch

Home of Arabians, Paints and Quarter Horses

Riding Lessons, Horsemanship Clinics, Equine Behaviour Workshops, Short Courses and Demos

Falling Star Ranch offers Horsemanship Clinics

Based on Chris Irwin's Non-Resistance Training Principles

With Chris Irwin Gold Certified Trainer and Coach Birgit Stutz

Click here for more information.

Click here for Schedule of Events.

Are you new to horses and would like to learn how to ride?
Would you like to learn how to ride with confidence and trust in yourself and your horse?
Would you like to improve your confidence with horses both on the ground and in the saddle?
Would you like to improve your horsemanship skills?
Would you like to improve your partnership with your horse on the ground and in the saddle through trust and respect?
Would you like to know how to play horse games by horse rules?
Would you like to learn more about ground work exercises
Would you like to learn how to become a pro-active rider?
Would you like to have a happy, willing, calm, level-headed, collected, focused, supple and balanced equine partner instead of an inverted, braced, angry, sullen, high-strung horse?
Do you dream of being perfectly in tune with your horse?

Birgit can help you with all this and more, by teaching you how to become the better horse through gaining mutual trust and respect and by building the horse's and your confidence.

Birgit teaches horsemanship skills to any age, skill level or background that is neither English nor Western, it is simply HORSE.

Birgit's relaxed and friendly attitude combined with her knowledge and skills provide you with the right environment to learn how to ride, regain your confidence, improve your riding and/or develop a stronger relationship with your horse.

Let Birgit help you and your horse to create the riding experience you have been dreaming of!

Falling Star Ranch offers riding lessons/coaching, horsemanship clinics, equine behaviour workshops, short courses and demos in English and Western style based on the language of the horse.
Birgit is a Chris Irwin Gold Certified Coach and Trainer, and all teaching and coaching is based on Chris Irwin's non-resistance training principles.
All lessons include basic handling, horse care/grooming, groundwork and safety discussions. Students will also gain an understanding of horse behaviour (why horses do what they do).
Students learn how to ride with a balanced seat and learn the correct use of aids, both on the ground and in the saddle.

Specializing in customized one-on-one instruction
Birgit works with you and your horse to help you achieve your goals.
Beginners welcome
Lesson horses available (see riding horses)
Will travel to clients

Be the better horse, by playing horse games by horse rules. - Chris Irwin

Running horses Philosophy
Priorities for Lessons and Clinics
Types of Lessons/Coaching Offered
Horsemanship Clinics
Requirements
Additional Information
Pictures of Lessons

Back to the top of the page

Philosophy

Birgit's mission is to help riders of all disciplines and levels improve their partnerships with their horses, ride with confidence and make their riding experiences safer and more enjoyable.

Birgit's teaching emphasis is on developing and strengthen the relationship between people and their horses by developing mutual respect, trust and understanding between horse and rider. Birgit teaches people to reprogram their bodies to change innate predator behaviour and adapt it to the prey behaviour of horses, and how to confidently manage the behaviour of their horses by developing relationships built on mutual trust and respect.

Birgit's training technique is based on an understanding of horse psychology, body language, body mechanics and fundamental riding skills. Birgit believes that in order to become true leaders and to communicate clearly with the horse, riders have to learn to understand the horse's perspective, learn its language, and become truly well-balanced, both physically and mentally. Therefore, the rider has to learn how to effectively use his or her body language with consistently centred riding aids that are supple and as soft and as strong as necessary.

Birgit's students learn how to be pro-active when working with horses, be it on the ground or in the saddle, in order to prevent problems instead of reactively fixing them. Awareness, consistency, perseverance, assertiveness, focus, calm, patience, compassion, empathy, courage and the ability to multi-task are all important traits on the journey to becoming a good horseperson.

" Ask not what your horse can do for you. Ask what you can do for your horse." - Chris Irwin

"Horsemanship is an ongoing journey that requires practice, patience, perseverance, calm, compassion, empathy, assertiveness, awareness, focus, courage and the ability to be pro-active while multi-tasking to a high degree. These qualities of the rider's mind can only be communicated clearly to the horse by a rider who can effectively use his or her body language with consistently centred riding aids that are supple and as soft or as strong as necessary. The more we know, the more willingness we can get from our horses with greater ease and less resistance." - Chris Irwin

Back to the top of the page

Priorities for Lessons and Horsemanship Clinics

Safety of the horse and handler/rider
Consistency and clarity of requests
Psychological well-being of the horse
Confidence building for horse and rider

Back to the top of the page

Types of Lessons/Coaching Offered

Falling Star Ranch offers lessons and coaching in the following areas:

Basic safety, handling, grooming and beginner riding (English and Western)
Intermediate riding (English and Western)
Groundwork (in-hand leading, round penning, lungeing, long-lining)

Back to the top of the page

Requirements for Lessons and Horsemanship Clinics

You must wear hard-soled shoes or riding boots with a heel (not too wide) for all activities (no tennis shoes).
Comfortable clothing, not too tight and not too loose, should be worn. Please wear jeans or riding pants (breeches). Chaps are optional.
ASTM/SEI approved helmets are mandatory for all riders while mounted (no bike helmets). Falling Star Ranch has a few helmets available for students. Riding gloves and protective vests are recommended.
No dangling jewellery. Long hair must be worn in a pony tail or be braided.
Every participant/rider must sign a liability release waiver as well as a medical release form prior to lessons and clinics.
Riders are encouraged to purchase a membership (liability insurance) with Horse Council BC. For more information, check their website at www.hcbc.ca
All students and visitors must comply with the Safety Rules posted in the barn and tack shed.
Safety discussions are part of every lesson, with explanations as to the "Why."
Lessons to be paid in advance. Cash or cheque only. NO CREDIT!
Students are expected to get here 20-30 minutes before their lesson to groom and tack up (put on saddle and bridle). They then get between 45 minutes and an hour ride time. Novices will be shown how to properly and safely groom and tack a horse as part of their lesson. Each student is expected to untack the horse afterwards and put it away unless another student is going to be riding it. There will be an additional $10 charge if Falling Star Ranch gets the horse ready for you or puts it away for you.
If the student is sick, Falling Star Ranch must be notified 24 hours before the lesson or the lesson time is forfeited. If a student does not show up for a lesson without making prior arrangements with the instructor, the lesson is forfeited and there will be no refunds.
Restriction Policy: It may be necessary to restrict some people from riding. Children under 9 years of age or riders weighing over 200 lbs. will be considered on an individual basis.

Back to the top of the page

Additional Information for Lessons and Horsemanship Clinics

Falling Star Ranch offers a friendly, relaxed, family-oriented, fun atmosphere.
Riders are instructed in an encouraging, not discouraging, manner.
Students (and horses) are not pushed beyond their comfort levels or limitations.
Falling Star Ranch's equipment and tack is of good quality and kept in safe working condition.
Lessons are given year-round, with ground and/or theory sessions given occasionally during inclement weather.
Abilities and contributing factors (such as weather conditions) are all considered for every lesson.
In the wintertime and sometimes during the rainy season, lessons are given in an indoor arena in McBride. There is a fee for hauling lesson horses to the arena ($5/student if there are four or more lessons scheduled per day or $10/student if there are 2-3 lessons scheduled per day). HCBC membership is required in order to use the indoor arena. HCBC membership is highly recommended for any equine activity at Falling Star Ranch.
Well-trained lesson horses are provided. However, you are welcome to bring your own horse to lessons (check with Birgit for health requirements) and Birgit will work with you both.
Lessons can be arranged at your place as well (mileage fee will apply).

Back to the top of the page

Pictures of Lessons







	Lessons in groundwork

Back to the top of the page

Please email or call us for information regarding sale horses, stud services, horse training, riding lessons, horsemanship clinics, equine behaviour workshops and/or demos. We look forward to hearing from you!

We invite you to stop by and have a look at our horses (please phone ahead to make sure we are around). We will be happy to show them to you, and we hope that you will enjoy them as much as we do.

Birgit teaching a groundwork lesson

Birgit and her Russian Arabian gelding Machlon

Page last updated February 11, 2010

Back to the top of the page

Home || Horse Training || Lessons and Clinics || Facilities

Trainer Bio || Events || Volunteer Positions

Horses for Sale || Stallion || Broodmares || Foals || Riding and Lesson Horses

Photo Gallery || News & Info || Directions || Links || Gift store || Sitemap || Articles

Click here to listen to background music

(You need RealPlayer to listen to the background music. If you don't have RealPlayer, you can download a free copy of RealOne Free Player at www.real.com.)

Thank you for visiting our Website!

Site hosted by WebServe Canada

This site best viewed with Internet Explorer
at 1024x768 pixels screen resolution.

Site statistics provided by StatCounter.com

Back to the top of the page