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Woodlands Riding Academy debuts brand new facility, Open House set for Jan. 24

By: Cara Pilgrim
| Published 01/18/2016

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas - Woodlands Riding Academy, a premier equestrian facility that offers English riding lessons to both kids and adults of various skill levels, is hosting an Open House event this Sunday, January 24, from 1pm to 3pm. Aside from learning all that Woodlands Riding Academy has to offer, such as their various programs, camps, and lessons available, take a tour of their brand new location: 24796 FM 2978. The spacious venue is complete with outdoor arenas, a covered arena, and picturesque surroundings, making for both happy horses and happy riders.

“It is very convenient for someone who lives in The Woodlands, Tomball, Spring, or Cypress because we are at the corner of 2978 and Huffsmith,” said Nancy Smith, the owner and head instructor of Woodlands Riding Academy. “The great thing is that we have a covered arena, so that no matter the weather we can always ride. Those attending the Open House can tour the barn, they can meet the horses, they can meet me—the instructor—and they can learn about the various programs and lessons that we have available.”

Smith has been in the horse business for over 30 years, and has 15 years of experience owning and operating riding schools. Although she recently relocated to The Woodlands after living in Virginia, Smith resided in Kingwood, Texas from 1988 to 2000, where she owned the Kingwood Equestrian Center. After moving to Virginia due to her husband’s job relocation, Smith followed her passion up north and opened another riding academy near Washington D.C. Now, happy to be back in the great state of Texas, Smith started the Woodlands Riding Academy in 2015.

“We specialize in English riding lessons for children and adults as well as summer camps. We provide the lessons along with professional, friendly and competent instruction,” said Smith.

Woodlands Riding Academy offers year-round private, semi-private, and group riding lessons, as well as camps during spring break and the summer. The Young Rider Camp held every Saturday is also a popular program at the academy. This is the perfect choice for children who have a yearning to learn how to ride in a safe and fun environment, while getting to know the basics of horse care. The Young Rider Camps are for children new to riding who want to see what it's like to learn the basics of riding and to experience caring for a horse, while having fun at the barn. A special feature of the camps is that they are open to Girl Scout troops, including Brownies, Daisies and Junior Girl Scouts. Smith notes that a lot of what is taught inside the arena during the riding lessons can carry over to improving a child’s confidence in everyday settings.

“What I have seen this program do for girls in the past is that by learning to ride a horse, they learn to be confident,” explained Smith. “They learn how to have good communication skills, both with me and the horse. They learn how to assess their situation around them, and they learn how to communicate with the horse and understand what the horse is feeling, seeing and doing. They learn how to be confident and be in charge of their environment. That conveys to their everyday life as they go through junior high, high school and into the job market. It’s a beautiful thing. I did it with my own daughters and it really helped them learn how to be confident young women. Who figured that a furry animal could do that!”

Smith’s passion for teaching English horseback riding to kids and adults is apparent and is what makes her such a successful instructor. Woodlands Riding Academy is focused on developing confident riders while learning the fundamentals of English horseback riding. The academy will be offering camps during spring break and the summer months, and registration is now open for both. Registration and payment can be done online for the Saturday Young Rider camps and Summer camps.

For more information about Woodlands Riding Academy, visit their website, Facebook page, or call 713-560-4144. Be sure to swing by the facility on Sunday to see all that the academy has to offer!

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