Ride From the Start

Specialties

My name is Shelley Bloodworth and I started offering the Pony School program in March of 2012, in response to the many calls I was receiving from parents of toddlers and preschoolers seeking horseback riding lessons. This program is like nothing else out there! Up to this point, very small children have only been offered traditional riding lessons, which are not very age-​appropriate, or pony rides, which have little educational value. Parents want to introduce their children to horses from an early age, just as we see young children starting in gymnastics, ballet, karate, soccer, and other sports at younger and younger ages. This program meets this demand through a carefully designed curriculum of equine activities, and can be successfully taught anywhere in the country. Pony School is offered in sessions consisting of four one-​hour «parent and child» classes. Each class includes stories, songs, hands-​on activities, a horse lesson, a craft/​manipulative, and a short riding lesson.

Meet the Business Owner

Shelley B.

Business Owner

Shelley has been riding horses for 25 years and teaching young riders for over twelve years. She started teaching riding lessons at the age of 14 and taught many dozens of young riders before graduating from high school. She has a B. S and M. A in Psychology, an M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling, and has worked as the riding director at a residential children’s home and as a riding instructor at several other facilities. Originally from Houston, TX, she now lives in Charles Town, WV with her husband, Brian, and two children. Ms. Shelley created Pony School in 2012 in response to the growing desires of parents to introduce their young children to horses. She is proud to have designed a program that goes far beyond the traditional pony ride at a zoo or fair, and teaches preschoolers about all aspects of horsemanship.