Glendale Stables LLC

What a week we had in our first trip to River Ridge! Thank you to the show committee and staff for welcoming us, your hospitality at RR is second to none, we look forward to returning. Thank you Morgan, Marcos, Kathy, Gabby, and all the girls for all your help during the week, proud of your hard work, but especially proud of the way you supported each other. Grateful as always to our home staff for keeping things running smoothly why we are away.

River Ridge 2026 has been a great show for Glendale!

River Ridge 2026

Things your riding instructor wants you to know:
1. This sport is hard. You don't get to bypass the hard…..every good rider has gone through it. You make progress, then you don't, and then you make progress again. Your riding instructor can coach you through it, but they cannot make it easy.

2. You're going to ride horses you don't want to ride. If you're teachable, you will learn from every horse you ride. Each horse in the barn can teach you if you let them. IF YOU LET THEM. Which leads me to…

3. You MUST be teachable to succeed in this sport. You must be teachable to succeed at anything, but that is another conversation. Being teachable often means going back to basics time and time and time again. If you find basics boring, then your not looking at them as an opportunity to learn. Which brings me to…..

4. This sport is a COMMITMENT. Read that, then read it again. Every sport is a commitment, but in this sport your teammate weighs 1200 lbs and speaks a different language. Good riders don't get good by riding every once in awhile….they improve because they make riding a priority and give themsevles opportunity to practice.

5. EVERY RIDE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. Even the walk ones. Even the hard ones. Every. Single. Ride. Remember when you just wished someone would lead you around on a horse? Find the happiness in just being able to RIDE. If you make every ride about what your AREN'T doing, you take the fun out of the experience for yourself, your horse, and your instructor. Just enjoy the process. Which brings me to...

6. Riding should be fun. It is work. and work isn't always fun.....but if you (or your rider) are consistently choosing other activities or find yourself not looking forward to lessons, it's time to take a break. The horses already know you don't want to be here, and you set yourself up for failure if you are already dreading the lesson before you get here.

7. You'll learn more about horses from the ground than you ever will while riding. That's why ground lessons are important, too. If you're skipping ground lessons (or the part of your lesson that takes place on the ground), you're missing out on the most important parts of the lesson. You spend far more time on the ground with horses than you do in the saddle.

8. Ask questions and communicate. If you're wondering why your coach is having you ride a particular horse or do an exercise, ask them. Then listen to their answer and refer to #3 above.

9. We are human beings. We make decisions (some of them life and death ones) every day. We balance learning for students with workloads for horses and carry the bulk of this business on our shoulders. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Of all the sports your child will try through their school years, riding is one of 3 that they may continue regularly as adults (golf and skiing are the others). People who coach riding spend the better part of their free time and much of their disposable income trying to improve their own riding and caring for the horses who help teach your child. They love this sport and teaching others…..but they all have their limits. Not all good riders are good coaches, but all good coaches will tell you that the process to get good is not an easy one.

*thank you to whoever wrote this! Not my words, but certainly a shared sentiment!

It is with great sadness that we bid farewell to Boudreaux this weekend, a truly exceptional lesson horse who has been an integral part of our Glendale family. Fondly known as Fatts, why he was never a fancy show horse, he possessed a temperament that made riders of all ages and skill levels feel at ease, much like sitting on a big fluffy couch. Fatts had a remarkable ability to connect with his riders, from tiny totes to adults, and consistently rose to the occasion whenever needed. Throughout his illustrious career, he participated in a wide range of activities, including lunge lessons, World Cup practices, annual riding clinics, and even horse painting. We extend our deepest gratitude to Fatts for the countless lessons and miles he traveled, helping numerous riders improve their skills. His love for Chippie the mini was evident, with him always dropping grain for him to eat during feedings. Thank you for waiting for me to return to the farm from our annual Clinic with Fairview, where he played a significant role from the very beginning. Rest easy Fatts.

Congratulations & Thank you Rose Haven Farm & the King family for the opportunity to have this wonderful equine for Emma Suedmeyer.

Glendale Stables, in conjunction with Fairview Farm, is pleased to announce our Annual Riding Clinic, featuring renowned World and National Trainer/Instructor Suzanne Haberek, on March 20th-21st, 2025. We invite you to join us for an exceptional weekend of equestrian instruction. To reserve your spot, please contact Kent Swalla at 314-565-5582 or Tonya Brison at 573-645-0845.