30 SIDELINES MARCH 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
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Sidelines Success
Back to Basics
By Arianna Delin
Stop gradually. Turn right and turn your head while you take the
corner carefully. Make sure that you don’t turn too sharply.
These
statements all sound like basic car driving instructions, however,
those same basics can be applied to riding a horse. In fact,
British Riding Instructor, Louise Jordan-Beam, says these words
to her students on a regular basis.
Growing up, Louise bounced around between military bases,
but there was always a barn available on site. In her early 20’s,
Louise bought her first horse, whom she soon learned was not
cut out for jumping but was more suited to the world of dressage.
While pursuing her competitive dressage career, Louise was also
completing her British Horse Society Certification, allowing her to
care for horses and teach others how to ride.
“I always wanted to ride; and loved horses,” said Louise. “I told
my parents, you should have gotten me a pony earlier, because
then I wouldn’t have six right now. I would be happy with a dog.”
At her small riding school, Corner House Farm, in Douglasville,
Pennsylvania, Louise teaches the fundamentals and basics of
riding to her pupils. They learn everything from how to care for
the horse to understanding the psychology of the horse. Her
students are capable of everything from grooming to competing.
“I start my students off with basic riding: how to steer and stop
and turn and understand that the horse is a live animal, not a
bicycle. They need to understand that this is a living thing, and if
you pull too hard it’s going to hurt,” said Louise. “So many riders
that come to me don’t know the basics or understand that your
body language affects the horse.”
Twenty-one years ago, Louise ventured to the United States from
Scotland to experience the American way of handling horses.
Her plan was to live in America for six months while learning new
techniques and horse care. After meeting her future husband,
her plans changed, and she has never left. “I came to learn
about the differences between the American and British way of
horse care and horse society,” explained Louise. “I had gone
through the training for that and had my own horse at home and
had competed, so I wanted to have some different knowledge. “
After being in the States for about five years, she began her own
riding school. Her 12 students are able to train on the cross-
country course and over stadium jumps, although the majority of
them focus on dressage.
A few of her students have participated in Interdressage.com,
an online-based competition, which allows riders of all ages and
levels to compete from home in monthly video competitions. All
dressage tests are judged by the British Dressage competition
standards and allow riders to compete internationally.
Louise’s students all ride once a week and are still highly
competitive in the Interdressage arenas. Her students have
competed against 22 other riding schools around the world,
while collecting individual points as well. They compete under
Corner House Farm and last year, six of her students placed in
the Interdressage.com Championship Show. Three of the Corner
House Farm students were in the top five of their divisions,
proving that practicing the basics can make all the difference.
Since living and teaching in the United States, Louise has
noticed some major differences between the American and
British, incuding how differently owners care for their horses.
“People around horses have no knowledge of how to care for
their horses, and they just blindly believe the barn manager. It
just amazes me. They just come, ride and leave. In Britain you
get more do-it-yourself stables where the people look after the
horse themselves,” said Louise.
She has worked to instill this work ethic and compassion in her
students by having them care for their mounts from the first day
they set foot in her barn.
For more information on Corner House Farm and Louise Jordan-
Beam, visit
. For more information on
the Interdressage competitions, visit
.
at Corner House Farm
Corner House Farm was the 2013
Riding School of the Year. Left to right:
Sandy, Kim, Kira, Talia, Angel, Isaiah,
Leigh and Louise.
Photo courtesy of Louise Jordan-Beam
