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at Greenbriar Riding Academy!

MARCH 2025

Issue 16

The chill of winter Is behind us (knock on wood) and the warm breath of spring is here! It’s time to leave our burrows and enjoy the outdoors as the world starts to turn green again. Greenbriar has a busy calendar of events and activities planned for our students! Our annual spring break camps will take place this month as well as our show team’s first show! And don’t forget about our trip to Chicago to visit Medieval Times! Be like a horse…..start shedding your winter coats and kick up your heels to welcome Spring!

Robin

WHAT'S COMING

MARCH 15

Barn Buddies

11am - 2pm

MARCH 17 - 20

Spring Camp Day Camps

9am -12pm

MARCH 16

Cheer on our Show Team @ Kirkwood Arena

8am - 4pm

MARCH 17 - 22

Happy Spring Break!

No Regular Lessons

Please note that Horsemanship Days for March are Mondays and Saturdays!

Share your experience with us!

What is your riding goal for this year?


What has connecting with horses done for you?

We'd love to hear about YOUR love for Greenbriar!

Summer Camp T-Shirt Logo Contest


Design a logo for our summer camp shirt.  It should include a horse at minimum, it can have people in it.  It will be a one color logo.  It should represent Greenbriar well. Use your imagination!  Please sign your name or initials on the logo somewhere.  The winner will get a T-shirt and crew neck sweatshirt in your choice of color.

EXPLORE ALL OF OUR UPCOMING EVENTS!

HORSE SPOTLIGHT

MEET ATLAS


Our featured horse this month is Atlas! Atlas is an 8 year old quarter horse with a beautiful buckskin tobiano coloring. Atlas has been a beloved part of our program for 3 years and is always making us laugh with his antics. While he can be silly at times, he is more than capable of putting on his serious face when Jackson is riding him for the Greenbriar Show Team. Atlas’ favorite activities are picking on Jake over the stall wall and taking the deepest naps you’ve ever seen. Feel free to say hi to Atlas in his stall at the end of the aisle and you’re always welcome to bring him an apple or a carrot!

The Value of the Unmounted Lesson

Beth Dinoff

Last week in eastern Iowa, absolutely nobody was shocked to awaken to a winter that included the sound of snow plows within a sub-zero arctic freeze. Since moving to Iowa from Alabama six years ago I have learned to bundle up in many layers of clothing, such as hand-warming gloves, two pairs of thick socks, boots lined with fleece, and coats with scientific thermal ratings. No doubt, I can look very much like a navy and crimson puffball; and I'm okay with that as long as it doesn't interfere with my weekly riding lessons at Greenbriar Riding Academy. But freezing temperatures are experienced differently by horses. Horse anatomy requires horses to breathe through their noses. Being obligate nose breathers, intense exercise in the context of very cold dry winter air (below 20 degrees Fahrenheit) makes horses vulnerable to chronic respiratory inflammation and permanent damage. Sadly, equestrians in the area were faced with seemingly endless days of not riding our horses.

Fortunately, Greenbriar Riding Academy had another plan!!!!! Lead riding instructor, Geline Kenne St. John, developed a 3-hour horsemanship class for the student riders. With Geline's equine expertise and more than 20-years of teaching the art of riding to students she designed a class that was based on the experiential learning of horsemanship theory. This class focused on allowing students to build skills in the art and science of correct riding. The students worked in pairs to develop a feel for the uber important goals to enhance the give and take of rein contact. In pairs, we took turns being the rider holding the reins and the horse receiving the rein contact. Geline worked very closely with each pair to ensure that each student learned the correct contact to allow clear communication with her equine partner. Once everyone had the opportunity to be the rider and the horse, Geline then fitted blue barrels with saddles, one English and one Western, so that students could learn in their style of riding how to maintain this soft but flexible contact by using the proper arm and back muscles.

Experiential learning is a process of learning while doing. Through this experiential horsemanship class, I was able to improve the elasticity in my elbows while also keeping my legs long in the saddle. Once we each got a feel for the skills, it was easy to understand Geline's discussion of horsemanship theory, including how and why to use these specific muscle groups and maintain the correct position. Thanks to the clarity of Geline's teaching, I was eager to learn about elastic contact without worrying if I was causing discomfort in my horse partner! Each student was able to learn at her own pace and level. I cannot say which portion of the class was most impactful for the other equestrians. However, I can say that we all shared a lot of laughter and warmth working toward our horsemanship goals during this below freezing winter week in eastern Iowa thanks to Greenbriar Riding Academy.

Horse Lover - Barn Buddy Program

Have you ever noticed the adults and young people who always seem to be at the barn—quietly moving horses, grabbing tack, or sweeping up a corner? These dedicated individuals are our Horse Lovers, people who are passionate about being part of our barn community and eager to learn everything it takes to care for our beloved horses. If you're here, it means you're curious too! Caring for horses is rewarding, but it comes with plenty of challenges.

At Greenbriar, there are countless small but meaningful tasks that make a huge difference in the lives of our horses and the smooth running of the barn. Often, these little details are overshadowed by more urgent priorities. That’s where our Horse Lovers step in and fill the gaps—they’re mentors, role models, and guides for our students both youth and adults who want to dive deeper into the behind-the- scenes work of horse care.

If you want a meaningful role in the daily operations of the barn or lesson activities, becoming a Barn Buddy is the first step! This program is a wonderful opportunity to build connections within our community. It’s a space where students young and adults can learn from each other. Together, we create a stronger, more supportive barn family!

Program Details:

Open to students who have completed Red Level or higher.

Held on the third Saturday of each month, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Barn Buddy Activities: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Snack and Review: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Please sign up on the white board by the Saturday

before to ensure we have a mentor available for you.

Our next session is on March 15th at 11:00 AM.

Don’t forget to bring a snack!

Spend a Day at Greenbriar for Spring Break!


As the weather starts to warm, it’s time to start thinking about our SPRING BREAK CAMPS! Each day will have a fun assortment of ground and riding activities designed to teach certain themes of information. These camps are both fun and great ways of checking off the skills required to move up through our levels. 

MONDAY

Horse Health! Here we focus on skills like taking vital signs, observing normal vs. strange behavior, or wound care!

TUESDAY

Horse Handling! Paying attention to how our actions affect our animals is one of the best ways for us to learn about our horses and keep ourselves safe. Find your inner strength when handling horses.

WEDNESDAY

Tack Knowledge! Knowing what tools you have and how to use them can make your horses more comfortable and easier to work with. Learn how to use those tools and how to care for them!

THURSDAY

Riding Skills! When we ride our horses, we use our bodies to directly communicate with them. The better we are at talking with our seat and legs, the deeper the bond with our horse. Join us as we dive into riding theory so you can improve your skills!

Discover the World of Ponies 2025

What does it feel like to ride a pony?

What does a pony eat?

Just how do you take care of a pony?

Students will learn the answers to these and many other questions while participating in this fun, hands-on learning program.

Tuition for this program is $440.

The session is four weeks and will be held

on Saturdays 2:30-4:00pm in April.

Click below to enroll the horse lover in your life!

Enrollment is limited to 4 students.

See You at Summer Camp!

Save your spot now to ensure a memorable summer for your child. Each session offers 4 days of learning all about horses, making new friends, riding, and fun! Summer Camps will start in June!

Unfortunately, we had to cancel our trip to Medieval Times in Chicago due to not having enough sign-ups. We’re sorry to disappoint those who were looking forward to it and truly appreciate your interest. If there is enough demand in the future, we would love to plan this trip again!

OUR MAILING ADDRESS
Greenbriar Riding Academy

PO Box 435 - Springville, IA, 52336

United States

+1 319-854-7115