Zoe B. 

Girl Reporter

Norco​ ​Equestrian​ ​Academy​ ​has​ ​plenty​ ​of​ ​fun​ ​yet​ ​challenging​ ​horses​ ​ranging from​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​hard.​ ​I​ ​first​ ​began​ ​riding​ ​horses​ ​as​ ​an​ ​extent​ ​on​ ​my​ ​undying​ ​love​ ​for animals.​ ​Before​ ​the​ ​summer​ ​began​ ​I​ ​​ ​never​ ​even​ ​touched​ ​a​ ​horse,​ ​much​ ​less ridden​ ​one.​ ​I​ ​had​ ​no​ ​idea​ ​how​ ​much​ ​I​ ​would​ ​learn​ ​about​ ​how​ ​riding​ ​could​ ​benefit me.​ ​From​ ​the​ ​first​ ​day,​ ​I​ ​ ​already​ ​learned​ ​to​ ​take​ ​out my helmet, saddle, pad and bridle from the tack room and which brushes are used to groom each part of a horse’s body. ​  ​I​ ​remember​ ​when​ ​my​ ​trainer​ ​taught​ ​me​ ​how​ ​to​ ​pick the​ ​hoof​ ​of​ ​a​ ​horse.​ ​She​ ​showed​ ​me​ ​which​ ​parts​ ​of​ ​the​ ​hoof​ ​to​ ​pick​ ​and​ ​how​ ​to​ ​be careful​ ​of​ ​their​ ​injuries​ ​and​ ​sensitivities.​ ​ Riding, caring for and learning about horses is something anyone can benefit from.

The​ ​academy​ ​first​ ​started​ ​over​ ​50​ ​years​ ​ago,​ ​it was​ ​been​ ​bought​ ​by​ ​Mrs.​ ​Gail​ ​Lipari.​ ​Several​ ​years​ ​ago​, ​Mrs.​ ​Gail​ ​was diagnosed​ ​with​ ​breast​ ​cancer.​ ​Instead​ ​of​ ​letting​ ​her​ ​illness​ ​takeover,​ ​she decided​ ​to​ ​live​ ​her​ ​dream​ ​of​ ​owning​ ​a​ ​stable​ ​and​ ​sharing​ ​her​ ​love​ ​of​ ​horses. She​ ​wished​ ​to​ ​do​ ​something​ ​meaningful​ ​for​ ​her​ ​and​ ​her​ ​family.​ ​She​ ​trains new​ ​beginners​ ​and​ ​longtime​ ​riders​ ​every​ ​day.​ ​She​ ​hopes​ ​to​ ​teach​ ​everyone​ ​respect,​ ​leadership, responsibility,​ ​trust,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​new​ ​perspective​ ​on​ ​confidence.

Gail Lipari’s​ ​daughter,​ ​Mrs.​ ​Riley​ ​Turner,​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​their​ ​most​ ​experienced​ ​riders.​ ​She​ ​has​ ​been riding​ ​for​ ​about​ ​16​ ​years.​ ​Her​ ​love​ ​of​ ​horses​ ​first​ ​started​ ​the​ ​day she​ ​watched​ ​the​ ​movie​ ​“Black​ ​Beauty”.​​ Mrs. Riley now​ ​helps​  ​both to train​ ​the​ ​academy​ ​horses​ ​and​ ​provide lessons​ ​to​ ​students​ ​of​ ​all ages​ ​and​ ​levels.​ ​At​ ​the​ ​same​ ​time​ ​she​ ​tends​ ​to​ ​the​ ​horses​ ​injuries and​ ​still​ has​ ​time​ ​to​ ​go​ ​to​ ​dressage​ ​and​ ​jumping​ ​shows.​ ​Over the course of her riding career, Riley has owned five horses. ​Wyatt,​ ​ Mrs. Riley’s son, is 2 years old and was​ ​introduced​ ​to​ ​horses​ ​at​ ​his​ ​very​ ​young​ ​age. Riley​ ​feels​ ​that​ ​horseback​ ​riding​ ​has​ ​helped​ ​with​ ​her​ ​to​ ​decrease her​ ​stress​ ​levels​ ​and​ ​has​ ​introduced​ ​her​ ​to​ ​a​ ​new​ ​perspective​ ​on life.

Another​ ​trainer,​ ​Mrs.​ ​Allis,​ ​and​ ​her​ ​daughter,​ ​who​ ​is​ ​22,​ ​hopes​ ​to​ ​teach​ ​everyone​ ​not​ ​only the​ ​“obvious” – the basics of physically instructions on how to ride,  ​but​ ​also​ ​that​ ​horseback​ ​riding​ ​can​ ​help​ ​to​ ​positively​ ​improve​ ​humans  physical fitness and mental health.​ ​Mrs.​ ​Allis feels​ ​that​ ​riding​ ​has​ ​helped​ ​her​ ​to​ ​appreciate​ ​her​ ​life​ ​more​ ​and​ ​has​ ​helped​ ​her​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​control​ ​and balance.​ ​Her​ ​daughter,​ ​Mrs.​ ​Elizabeth,​ ​has​ ​learned​ ​responsibility,​ ​patience,​ ​and​ ​respect​ ​for animals​ ​and​ ​people.​ ​The​ ​number​ ​one​ ​thing​ ​that​ ​both​ ​try​ ​to​ ​teach​ ​all​ ​their​ ​students​ ​is​ ​to​ ​never​ ​give up.

Trainers with kids from 2-22

The​ ​stable​ ​has​ ​several​ ​daily​ ​lessons​ ​from​ ​morning​ ​to​ ​night.​ ​Riders​ ​learn​ ​to​ ​halter​ ​and​ ​take out​ ​their​ ​horses​ ​each​ ​day​ ​and​ ​lead​ ​them​ ​into​ ​the​ ​cross-ties.​ ​Each​ ​of​ ​them take​ ​out​ ​their​ ​own​ ​tack,​ ​saddles​ ​and​ ​bridles,​ ​and​ ​groom​ ​their​ ​horses. Grooming​ ​includes​ ​currying,​ ​brushing,​ ​and​ ​picking​ ​the​ ​hooves​ ​of​ ​the​ ​horses. Each​ ​trainer​ ​thoroughly​ ​explains​ ​each​ ​step​ ​to​ ​groom​ ​a​ ​horse​ ​and​ ​all​ ​their different​ ​parts.​  ​After​ ​students​ ​complete​ ​grooming,​ ​saddling​ ​and​ ​bridling,​ ​their horses,​ ​it’s​ ​off​ ​to​ ​the​ ​arena.​ ​While​ ​riding​ ​they​ ​learn​ ​to​ ​trot,​ ​canter,​ ​and jump.  When​ ​students​ ​complete​ ​their​ ​riding​ ​session,​ ​they​ ​lead​ ​the​ ​horses​ ​back to​ ​the​ ​cross-ties​ ​and​ ​take​ ​off​ ​the​ ​bridles.​ ​Once​ ​they’re​ ​secure​ ​the​ ​horses​ ​get​ ​groomed​ ​and​ ​led back​ ​into​ ​their​ ​own​ ​stalls.

A​ ​few​ ​students​ ​offered​ ​to​ ​share​ ​the​ ​stories​ ​of​ ​their​ ​first​ ​rides​ ​at​ ​the​ ​academy.​ ​Most students​ ​said​ ​their​ ​rides​ ​were​ ​“scary,” though​ ​many​ ​return.​ ​A​ ​small​ ​group​ ​of​ ​students​ ​said​ ​that​ ​their first​ ​lesson​ ​was​,​“something​ ​like​ ​no​ ​other,” ​that​ ​it​ ​was​, ​“fun and​ ​exciting”.​ ​Everyone​ ​felt​ ​something​ ​different​ ​but​ ​still​ learned​ ​something​ ​new​ ​everyday.​ ​Hailey,​ ​a​ ​frequent​ ​rider, started​ ​shy​ ​and​ ​afraid.​ ​Now,​ ​she​ ​has​ ​come​ ​out​ ​of​ ​her​ ​shell and​ ​is​ ​confident​ ​and​ ​brave.​ ​She​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most courageous​ ​people​ ​I’ve​ ​met​ ​at​ ​the​ ​stables.

After​ ​riding​ ​for​ ​several months,​ ​I​ ​have​ ​learned​ ​responsibility,​ ​trust,​ ​leadership,​ ​and confidence.​ ​Each day​ ​when​ ​I​ ​walk​ ​into the barn​ ​knowing​ ​exactly​ ​what​ ​to​ ​do​ ​and​ ​can’t​ ​wait​ ​until​ ​the​ ​next lesson​ ​and​ ​the​ ​next​ ​chance​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​something​ ​new​ ​that​ ​will​ ​benefit​ ​my​ ​life.

Through​ ​confidence,​ ​you​ ​must​ ​know​ ​that​ ​you​ ​have​ ​to​ ​take​ ​charge.​ ​If​ ​you don’t​ ​take​ ​charge​ ​then​ ​the​ ​horse​ ​might​ ​have​ ​well​ ​have​ ​just​ ​bucked​ ​you​ ​off. It’s​ ​not​ ​going​ ​to​ ​be​ ​perfect,​ ​sometimes​ ​the​ ​mistakes​ ​you​ ​make​ ​just​ ​help​ ​you to​ ​learn​ ​something​ ​new​ ​and​ ​beneficial.​   ​You​ ​have​ ​got​ ​to​ ​think​ ​about​ ​all​ ​the things you​ ​are​ ​achieving​ ​and​ ​how​ ​amazing​ ​you​ ​will​ ​feel​ ​once​ ​you achieve​ ​it.​ ​Giving​ ​up​ ​on​ ​what​ ​you’ve​ ​been​ ​doing​ ​won’t​ ​benefit​ ​you,​ ​it​ ​will only​ ​bring​ ​you​ ​down.​  ​So, you​ ​have​ ​to​ ​never​ ​give​ ​up​ ​and​ ​always​ ​achieve your​ ​goal.