Hi! I am Beth and I am the barn owner and clinician at Running Horse Ridge located just 8 miles west of Cedar Falls on a hard surface road.  We named our small horse farm Running Horse Ridge because my husband Steve, is an Ultra Marathon Runner - Hence, the "Running" part. Our house and barn sit on a tiny hill which could be a ridge so the name Running Horse Ridge was born!  
   I have been riding horses since I was about 5 years old. When I was 5, I rode my cousins horse "Cherokee" around for an entire summer, then the next year she bought a new horse and I rode "Alaska" for another summer and we rode though the Washington State National Forest that was across the street from my cousins house.
    It was then that I knew I would never wanted to be with out a horse! At 10 years old, my mom FINALLY bought me my very first pony! He was a 13 hand jet black welsh/Shetland cross gelding that was green broke and naughty!  Over the years I owned him, I trained "Little Horse" to be confident, ride through anything and to be as honest as any pony could be. 
   We rode through the hills of Riverside County in California, we went swimming and galloped through orange groves and watched many baseball games at the park that was down the street from my house.  We had some wonderful times together, but at 5'5" I out grew him.
    When I turned 15, I sold Little Horse and bought "Washeik". Washeik was a beautiful flea-bitten grey Arabian gelding who had a heart of gold and loved to go on endless trail rides. He was the love of my teen-aged life. We did a lot of the same things that Little Horse and I did - the swimming on horseback, riding through California orange groves, galloped and raced cars next to highways, etc. We were fearless...and probably not very safe! 
   To pay my horse board, I often trained horses for a local horse trader that had a barn down the street, I bottle fed his day old calves, cleaned stalls, you name it, I did it. I loved it! Being in the barn was my home away from home. It was an amazing childhood! 
I joined the U.S. Navy when I was 20 years old. I was forced to sell Washeik but once I got to my duty station in Eva Beach, Hawaii, I quickly found out that there was a stable on base! I rode and showed numerous horses Western Pleasure while I was stationed there for several of the officers that were on deployment.  I then went 20 years with out a horse to ride or love because I was busy raising children. I missed the smell of sweaty leather and having an equine friend. 
     At age 38, I bought Toby. He was 2 years old Appendix gelding and I quickly fell in love. He is a very handsome guy, standing 16.3 hands, sweet as the day is long and kind as well. I recently had to put Toby down as he had some conformational problems that let to an early retirement. We have had numerous other horses over the years, but currently we now own Romeo, Dolly, Little Groovy (LG), Lucky Penny and Blue. 
​     Romeo is a 7 year old, off the track thoroughbred gelding that is proving to be a great addition to our farm. I purchased him as a project to retrain and give him a new resume and then to resell however, Romeo has turned out to be a true Romeo and won my heart and now he will stay! I have been thinking I may do low level Dressage with him and possibly try some musical dressage with him for 2022.
​      Dolly is an 15 year old paint mare who is ground work and walk only and for my beginner lesson students. She is safe, quiet and where everyone begins. She is also available for people who need some stress relief in their lives and is an amazing therapeutic horse. If you need some stress relief - please let me know!
​      Real Hot N Groovy - AKA LG is my 15 year old paint gelding who loves to go to horse shows, jump tall jumps in a single bound and is quite the athlete! Sadly, LG sustained a suspensory injury and is now a flat only riding horse for advanced lesson students. He is also available for onsite lease now that he is sound and ready for work.
​     Blue is a 16 year old small draft cross gelding that teaches children how to ride. How to be confident and is SO kind and sweet.
​     Lucky Penny is a 13 year old Irish Sport Horse Warmblood. She is 17 hands tall, and is my daughter Katie's Eventing Horse. Katie spent 2017 summer getting to know her as Penny was a project horse for Katie. In 2018, Katie successfully evented Penny at the Beginner Novice level.  Due to Katie being busy in college, she has put competitive riding aside and is enjoying an occasional trail ride and schooling in the arena. I now mostly ride Penny and will be competing her in 2022
    I was also in the United States Pony Club Horsemaster group for several years and earned my D3 in horse management and D3 traditional flat because at the time that was the highest level a Horsemaster could go. Horsemasters members are adult volunteers who follow the USPC curriculum to increase their knowledge and skill in all things equine. I have taken thousands of riding lessons from various clinician's around the area and continue to grow my knowledge base daily.
     I have shown in several dressage shows, attended probably hundreds of clinics, numerous hunter equitation classes, jumper classes and have ridden in several hunters paces - always placing in the top of my classes. I look forward to teaching you or your child how to be a competitive and confident rider!
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