Western riding -

 a different way of riding

Most people who interact with horses are longing for the optimal contact and relationship with their horse.  Getting a two-way communication with the horse is a wonderful experience. Here at  Jultorp Ranch you can learn a maybe different way to handle the horse. Apart from western riding, we also show you how to motivate your horse to perform with the slightest cues. If you are a horse owner, you should be able to transfer what you learn to your own horse without much difficulties.

At Jultorp Ranch you learn to ride and handle the horse in a maybe different way. We offer 2 and 3 days intensive courses in riding and horsemanship.  We welcome both experienced and novice riders. It doesn't matter what kind of riding you do at home, or if you have never sat on a horse.  We will try to make you realize that the horse is a fantastic partner worth sharing so much of your time with. 

It is impossible here to write about every thing you will experience and learn. But the most important is the basic handling of the horse, which is necessary to get an obedient horse that is a pleasure to be around.

The horse should be able to stand untied when you groom and saddle him. You will learn how to be a leader for your horse, which is absolutely necessary to avoid accidents.

You will learn how different bits act in the horse's mouth, and how to saddle, and to fit a saddle. You learn to ride with one and two hands. How to stop and rein-back without pulling the reins.  How to ride labyrinths, turn your horse in a little square (130x130cm),  sidepass and more.

You will walk, jog, trot, lope and canter. Further on you will do rollbacks.

These excercises will show you how sensitive, and at the same time powerful, a horse is.  Doing a rollback from a canter is a great feeling! 

The right seat is also important- like sitting to the canter without bumping the horse's back. When the rider falls off, the reason often is that he leans forward, and then looses balance when the horse change gaits, or takes a little jump. We will help you to get a secure seat in a safe and simple way. In 12 years and 145.000 lessons we have only had 37 people falling off their horse. We make great efforts to find safe and suitable horses to make the rider feel confident. 

About 40 % of our riding guests are men, about 10 % are novices, and almost every course have people coming for a second, third and up to tenth time. 

95% of the riders have experience only from English riding, and come here to try something different and add to their excisting experience. 

Since the western saddles cannot accomodate short legs, the courses are mainly for grown-ups and adolescents.

According to research at The Spanish Riding School, the weight of the rider increases 3 times in canter and 2,5 times in trot.

We ask for your understanding that we have a limit to the riders weight of 14 stone.

The 3 days course will get you much further in your riding than the 2 days. Her we have more time for a deeper look in to both riding and communication. You will learn to ride with one and two hands. How to increase and decrease the speed with your weight and position in the saddle. 

We teach you to stop fast from all gaits, and how to rein-back without reins. If you are able, even rollbacks. This is the horse stopping and turning back at the same spot at a gallop.

If the weather is nice, we ride outside in the fields, if not in the indoor arena.  You stay here with full board, single room available at a slightly higher price.

We have 25 well-trained western horses, most of them Quarter Horses. They are all geldings, and all except one are barefoot.  We have a big indoor arena, lots of outdoor schools and huge fields. After riding, you might want to relax with a whiskey, and a nice meal with beer or wine. 

You can of course stay here and not ride.