HORSES : Kids Learn More Than Riding at Ortega Center
When Kathy Holman arms her young pupils with paintbrushes and day-glo colors, the horses come out a mess, but the greenhorns will be able to tell a forelock from a fetlock by the time they’re through.
Holman, in one of her basic horsemanship lessons at the Ortega Equestrian Center in San Juan Capistrano, calls out a part of a horse, and the kids paint the word on half a dozen tethered mounts.
Few students--some who had never touched a horse before--ever forget what they’ve learned, Holman said.
Holman has been using this hands-on approach for more than a decade at the riding center next to Cook Park and San Juan Creek on Calle Arroyo, just off Ortega Highway.
The Saturday classes are sponsored by San Juan Capistrano’s Community Services Department. This eight-lesson introductory series--in which students don’t actually do any riding until the last class--costs $49. (The center also offers riding classes for $80 for a series of eight--about half the price of lessons through private teachers.)
Anyone over age 8 can sign up--you don’t have to be a resident--and boots and helmet are required. Holman supplies the horses.
The class doesn’t stop at hands-on learning--in some cases its feet and mouth, too--as Holman tries to teach students what it feels like to be a horse. During one session, for instance, youngsters are urged to sample bits of hay, alfalfa, oats and bran--typical horse cuisine--so they get an idea what the stuff actually tastes like.
During another session she lays out the estimated monthly cost of supporting a horse--from feed to shoeing and vet bills--so prospective horse owners know exactly what they’re getting into.
Holman, a 30-ish powerhouse, stands in the middle of the arena, mingling shouted orders for “heads up, heels down!” with rousing encouragement.
She knows all students by name, has a low tolerance for whining but displays an abundance of patience.
“This is a healthy atmosphere,” Holman said recently, eyeing a group of students trotting around the ring. “Kids learn discipline, responsibility, pride in self and the horse.”
Interrupting the conversation, she shouted at one young boy, “Did I just hear you say ‘I can’t’? We don’t say that here.”
One girl, a discouraged 10-year-old, walked over to Holman, whimpering about how hard it was to make her horse obey commands. Holman offered gentle but firm encouragement.
“Yeah, it’s going to hurt; you get sore,” she said, giving her a sympathetic hug.
She looked up at two other young girls astride their horses and elicited moral support. “It’s hard, isn’t it?” Holman asked them.
“Yeah! You bet!” they said, nodding in heartfelt agreement.
“See?” Holman said to the crying girl, who dried her eyes and climbed back on her horse.
“Nice to know you’re not alone, huh?” she said encouragingly as the girl trotted off.
“You see that?” she said, nodding proudly toward the young rider. “She got back on. She didn’t give up. She won’t forget that.”
* Kathy Holman’s next eight-lesson introductory series starts Jan. 9 and costs $49. The Ortega Equestrian Center is at 27252 Calle Arroyo in San Juan Capistrano. Information: (714) 493-5911.
