FROM LEFT : Newport Equestrian Academy offers horseback riding for all ages ; mindfulness teacher Cindy Kolesinskas co-teaches the stress relief program along with ranch owner Heidi Waldron at Stepping Stone Ranch .
( OPENER PAGE ): PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MCSOLEY EQUESTRIAN AND SUNSET STABLES . ( THIS PAGE ): COURTESY OF NEWPORT EQUESTRIAN ACADEMY AND STEPPING STONE RANCH .
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’ ve fallen off horses more times than I wish to admit . Those clumsy falls — one involved a tricky saddle and not getting my feet into the stirrups in time — might have been avoided had I received the proper training . Whether you ’ d like to become a full-blown equestrian or simply want to connect with the marvelous creatures , book a visit at one of these horse farms or stables to get started .
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Cornerstone Farm Foster
Cornerstone Farm is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year : forty years of offering horseback riding , instilling confidence in first-time riders and teaching clients how to care for horses .
Beth Stone , the owner of the farm , inherited it from her late parents . Stone was a barn manager at Johnson & Wales University and taught lessons on the side before deciding to make Cornerstone Farm her full-time priority in 1984 .
Manning the stable and teaching children and adults how to ride is her childhood dream come true .
When Stone was seven years old , her summers consisted of riding to friends ’ houses on the dirt roads of Foster . Now , she gives other young riders the opportunity to learn how to ride confidently .
“ I ’ ve got one student now who ’ s two years old ,” she says . “ She gets very quiet and calm ; there ’ s something about the movement of the horse that just draws you in .”
Cornerstone Farm hosts a Saddle Club on Saturday mornings , where children spend time riding the horses , learning about horse care , handling horses and more .
“ Confidence is where having the right horse comes in ,” Stone says . “ We have a wonderful group of horses who are great teachers . The horses have to be safe and have a good work ethic . They ’ ll teach anyone confidence .”
The farm also has a program for riders with special needs .
“ Everybody should experience the healing power of horses ,” Stone says . “ Animals have their own personalities , but their intelligence comes in a different form than us . We ’ re very logical and rational ; horses are incredibly intuitive . When you get a good one that wants to work with you , it ’ s amazing the connection you can have .”
The farm has five horse shows a year , all free to the public . The next show takes place Oct . 13 .
Anyone interested in getting on the saddle should visit a show or take a lesson . And who knows ? It could lead to a lifelong love of horses or even a career : Some of her former students have gone on to become successful trainers and veterinarians , and one even became a professional jockey .
Throughout the years , there has been one constant : Stone loves seeing young riders grow into confident teenagers by implementing the focus and confidence they ’ ve acquired from their horseback riding skills .
“ Riding is more than learning the physical skills . It ’ s the emotional skills that come with mastering horsemanship ,” she says . “ I like to think I ’ m making a difference in these horses ’ lives and students ’ lives .” 86 Foster Center Rd ., Foster , 397-9242 , cornerstonefarm ri . com
Sunset Stables Lincoln
Linda Oliveira , the co-owner of Sunset Stables , has worked there since the late seventies , when nearby Lincoln Downs ( now Bally ’ s Twin River ) was one of the state ’ s horse-
92 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2024