Cyber Monday Special
Isn’t It Time You Felt Secure in the Saddle and Connected to Your Horse?
Become the Balanced Rider Your Horse Needs
Hay costs have been extremely high this year. California, and much of the American West, is in a severe drought, affecting both grazing and the cost of hay.
Return to Freedom provides sanctuary for over 600 wild horses and burros, and the cost of supporting these beautiful animals is immense.
It will cost approx $85,000 to feed the horses and burros for the rest of this year.
30% of your enrollment fee will go to the Return to Freedom Sanctuary to feed all of their Mustangs and Burros for the rest of this year!
Riding isn’t supposed to be stressful, scary, or frustrating.
Neither should it become stale or boring… like plodding through chores.
Riding can be FUN. Peaceful. Freeing.
What Happens to Our Joy of Riding?
It can fade for a myriad of reasons…
One day, instead of feeling balanced and secure, you realize you’re bouncing in the saddle,
tugging on your poor horse’s mouth, or gripping with your legs…
… worried you’re about to lose control.
Eventually, you’re just hanging on, hoping other riders keep their distance, so nothing crazy happens.
Maybe you witnessed an injury from a spooked horse, and you realize that could happen to you.
When you’re nervous and tight, your horse feels it and becomes restless too.
To make matters worse,
Your well-meaning instructor continues with a litany of commands:
“Get your heels down.”
“Sit up more.”
“Sit deeper.”
“Don’t let him get away with that.”
“Kick him through it.”
Everything’s gotten so darn technical.
And maybe it’s not even that fun anymore.
While other riders and their horses seem happy and content as they work their progressions, perhaps you’re thinking…
Did I buy the wrong horse?
Right now, you’d be just fine getting off and leading this horse right back to his stall.
Maybe put up an ad:
HORSE FOR SALE – I’m broke; he’s not.
This Isn’t How It Was Supposed To Be.
What you really wanted in riding seems out of reach…
… to explore a shaded trail… navigate a rocky creek, jump a log.
… to canter freely across a sunny meadow, feel the breeze in your hair and the easy power of a trusted horse beneath you.
Remember that gentle knicker of recognition from your horse as he trots to the gate to meet you?
The excitement you felt as you brushed, tacked up, breathing scents of horsehair, hay, and leather?
When… your foot goes in the stirrup. You swing into the saddle. And as you give your horse a scratch you think to yourself, I’ve got this.
You feel connected. Peaceful. At ease. Free.
This is why we ride!
Hi, I'm Callie King
As a horse trainer and riding instructor, I’ve experienced similar frustrations. Thousands of my students also have.
But, together, we’ve learned to overcome them.
I believe your challenges are just as solvable.
If you believe that too, please keep reading because…
You Can Be the Rider You Always Dreamed Of
It doesn’t matter if you’re just getting started or you’ve been riding for years…
… or if you’re returning after being away for decades.
You CAN find… or restore your joy of riding.
Even if You Currently Feel Anxious or Afraid
A lot of riders believe anxiety is the problem they need to solve.
I can assure you… it’s not.
Fear exists at every level of riding…
… not because you’re inherently fearful or anxious.
But simply because your brain is wired to protect you.
Your brain knows when your body is not in balance… when you might fall.
What if, in 30 days or less, everything that’s been happening in your riding and with your horse finally made sense?
You have it under control… and you have a newfound confidence that you’re finally on the right track.
Perhaps you live in an area where you feel you don’t have access to quality instruction…
Or maybe have a great local instructor, but you want to learn more, get new perspectives, and learn about ALL the areas of horsemanship that just can’t be covered in the weekly lesson…
Whatever your specific need is…
Balanced Training Will Move You Forward
Not just any training will make you a well-rounded, balanced rider.
What you need–what everyone needs–is Balanced Training and Balanced Riding methods.
- Balanced riding is holistic. It covers all six essential areas that span everything from scientific training methods, riding skills, health-and-well-being of both you and your horse.
- Balanced training instills a sense of security and safety – the very foundation of Confidence. The kind of confidence that can carry you over jumps or try more advanced skills.
- A Balanced approach treats you and your horse as individuals and helps you customize your riding plan.
- Balanced training provides you a roadmap for your journey without imposing a particular agenda. It adapts itself to any discipline, any goal, any style of riding.
Imagine having a clear path forward in your riding, with clear instructions and step by step guidance, so you can be confident at your current level and excited about what you can master next.
This is what I have spent my career, my life, creating.
My Story... And the Birth of “Balanced Riding”
When I was nine, an old rancher presented a chestnut gelding named Scotch. (Named after his favorite drink.)
“You want him?”
What does a 9-year old girl do with a 32-year-old quarter horse gelding long retired from ranch life?
That’s a silly question, you ride!
Each summer day, I would pack a lunch, and Scotch and I would head out to explore the vast back-country of Colorado.
Along the way, I’d confide in Scotch; sometimes, he’d turn his head and look back… flicker his ears a bit as though he understood.
Have you ever felt connected like that with a horse?
Have you ever vowed to yourself…
No matter what else happens in life, it’s going to include horses?
Between you and me — I thought my early riding classes were boring.
Making circles around an arena can be mind-numbingly monotonous.
Not only that, the training methods often made me feel disconnected from my horse.
But discovering new trails around the mountains with Scotch—now that was entirely different!
Scotch taught me about connection and trust, and I will forever owe my love of not just riding, but being with horses, to those summer days together.
My “professional” training began when I was just 13…
A friend’s pony, Thunder, was refusing the jumps. The solution our then instructor proposed was to stand to the side of the jump, whip at the ready, and punish Thunder if he stopped.
This “training” technique made such an impact that Thunder and my friend decided jumping was the last thing they ever wanted to do!
The maverick in me emerged…
I devised an approach I thought Thunder would prefer… I dismantled the jump and led him through. Then I added one pole at a time, going through at walk, trot, and canter until he was confidently sailing over the jump again.
This experience with Thunder was my start.
It ignited a fire in me to understand how horses and people learn. And how to build connection through trust.
It’s at the heart of everything I strive to teach.
That’s why, instead of following the traditional route of only apprenticing with other horse trainers, I went outside the horse world to study psychology, behavioral science, and learning theory.
Incorporating this study, I asked the question…
How Does My Horse Feel About What I’m Asking Him To Do?
When working with horses or students, in person or in my online course, I would always ask –
What’s a better way to teach this concept that is even more clear—that builds trust?
What’s a better way a rider could communicate a request that encourages “connection”?
Am I considering my horse’s background? How might he understand my request even easier without feeling threatened?
Horses and people learn best when they have clear guidance and they feel safe to explore and experiment.
Wouldn’t you like to be a trusted friend for your horse?
As our relationship changes with our horse, so can our riding.
"After just 30 minutes with your instruction, I've never felt this secure in my saddle before."
I Created the Balanced Riding Course to Help Riders Like You.
With 85,000 riders in our international community who come from all riding disciplines… I have had the opportunity to help riders and their horses through all kinds of challenges.
I want to help you remove the barriers that get in the way of the genuine relationship and connection you can have with your horse.
Whether it’s groundwork, feeling secure in the saddle, or having better communication with your horse.
Introducing the Brand-New, Re-Imagined And Re-Created
Balanced Riding Course
The Balanced Riding Course shows you how to:
- Develop a healthy and trusting relationship with your horse using communication cues your horse understands and accepts.
- Go with your horse’s movement, so you don’t feel tired or sore after a ride
- Discover your super solid seat - so you can ride out those unexpected spooks or bucks with confidence and ease...
- Recognize you no longer have to “be the boss” of your horse but a confident, assertive, and trustworthy friend.
- Find your new confidence at each “next” level of riding
- Choose the right local trainer (and understand what they really mean with instructions such as “sit up straight” or “don’t lean forward!”)
- Get to the root of any problem you’re having with your horse (instead of guessing, putting on band-aids, or hoping it will resolve itself)
“I can't begin to express how this course has changed my world in horses”
- Rosanne Wellmaker
“I am loving this course! You are truly an inspirational educator.”
- Mary Beth
“Any lesson online that offers many aha moments is worth its weight in gold!”
- Linda C
“Your way of explaining riding and training is so concise and easy to understand”
- Eileen Shaw
“Your approach is so positively based and therefore so kind and gentle while still being very effective. You work with the horse and not against him”
- Brooks Debra Conforti
Module 1 Who is the horse?
In Module 1, we will explore how the horse experiences the world.
In this module, discover how the differences in our sensory experiences can easily lead to misunderstanding.
- Discover how horses sense things differently than humans. How they see differently… hear differently, and what that means for your training.
- Learn what influences a horse’s behavior (hint: it’s not just one thing)
- Find out how to clearly communicate with your horse, even when they are fearful or distracted.
My confidence soared, and I can go back and review when/if needed! I feel my horses, and I have bonded tremendously with the positive reinforcement method. They learn so quickly this way. Thank you, Callie!
— CARLA COVERT
Module 2 The Science and Art of training
In Module 2, discover the training systems that instill trust between you and your horse and the training that erodes that trust.
With the principles you will learn in this module, every training session with your horse will be an opportunity to create more trust and connection.
- Discover the training techniques that help you change your horse’s behavior (and why they work)
- Find a way to work through any training problem using my 6-step Problem Solver Checklist
- Learn how to “thin-slice” a behavior for results
- Learn fun and positive ways to help your horse be calm and confident
I am only on week 2 but can’t say enough good about this course. I absolutely love Callie’s way of teaching. She is so thorough and makes things easy to understand.
— Elizabeth Maxwell
Module 3 Healthy, Balanced Movement
How our horses move affects how they feel physically and emotionally.
In this module, you will learn groundwork that not only builds the relationship between you and your horse, but also prepares them for riding.
- Discover why the way a horse moves is also affects how calm and relaxed they are
- Learn to read a horse’s body language on the ground or in the saddle
- Find out how to lunge a horse for better balance while you are riding
- Discover simple in-hand exercises to improve your horse’s bending and suppleness
Thanks so much for these lungeing videos, Callie! Your tip on sending the horse out to the circle helped me so much–seeing how your shifts in body position and energy influence the horse.
— Julianne Rowland
Module 4 The Foundation of Riding
Effective riding is about balance, alignment, and movement principles, taking into account the differences in each rider’s body.
But what does alignment feel like? And how can you use riding aids in a way that allows you to move effortlessly with your horse?
This module will give you specific exercises to ride with balance and ease.
- Discover what the elite in almost every riding discipline have in common and how you can implement that in your own riding
- Learn the different types of seats (and why they matter)
- Find out how to ride the walk, trot, and canter so you can stay balanced and not feel “bouncy” or unsteady.
- Where you hold tension–and how to let go
I am a huge fan of Callie – the time she puts in to present each video/lesson/blogs in a practical easy natured way (beautiful horses too), so easy to understand and put into practise, and any lesson online that offers many aha moments is worth its weight in gold! This online course was just brilliant, a grand investment. I’ve watched many times as a reference point. Thank you so much.
— Linda Cox (& Boy), Melbourne, Australia.
Module 5 The Journey of Improvement
Finally understand riding concepts such as bending, frame, and collection – and more importantly how and when these apply to you and your horse.
In this module, you will learn how to develop the subtle cues and finesse of the riders you most admire.
- Learn why the classical training scale applies to every horse and rider – and where you are on this scale
- Discover how jumping can improve other riding skills (even if you’ve never jumped before)
- Understand concepts such as collection and bending – a straightforward explanation for any level of rider
Callie helps pull riding knowledge together. She has the missing links other instructors tend to leave out!
— SK
Module 6 Riding in the Real World
In this final module of the course, we hit the trail – talking about how to respond in emergencies, determining if you and your horse are indeed a good fit for each other, and discussing what truly creates confidence.
- Learn how to respond to real-world emergency situations
- Apply your riding skills on a trail ride
- Discover what is different on the trail and what to watch for
- Learn skills to be in the right mindset (so that fear or worry do not overwhelm your riding)
I got off track after a bad accident and was never able to get myself back in the saddle on a regular basis. This course is really great with basics and also learning theory. A plan each day really helped me feel excited about riding again
— Eliza Read
Extra Bonuses
Included For Free When You Join
Get Personalized Feedback On Your Riding With Video Coaching
Have a riding challenge you just can’t solve? Is your horse doing something you don’t know how to change?
You can send me up to 3 videos throughout the course (within one year of purchase)–and I’ll send you a video back with personalized feedback for what you can do to turn things around.
Practice and implement what you learn with our 180-page workbook
In addition to all the video lessons, you’ll also get a 180 page printed workbook with all the theory, explanations, and exercises you need to practice what you learn and excel in the course.
This is truly your Balanced Riding Course textbook that you can study at home and take to the barn.
There are even QR codes included with each lesson, so you can easily navigate to the accompanying video and demonstration in the portal.
This printed workbook will be shipped right to you – no matter where you live!
KIND WORDS FROM STUDENTS
Here are a few questions you may be asking…
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“What if I’m just getting started with horses? Is this course still beneficial for ‘older riders’?”
We have students of ALL ages. Some of our alumni students even started riding in their 80s!
Our students are proof that age truly is just a number. What matters most is your mindset and willingness to learn.
Also, our 6-part bonus video series, Getting Started with Horses will help you master the basics of riding and horsemanship.
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By the end of this mini-course, you’ll know how to:
- Catch a horse in the field safely and in a way that starts your ride off right
- Go in and out of a gate, even with other horses around
- Safely move in and out of even a narrow stall door
- Tie with quick-release knots
- Choose the right equipment for you and your horse
- The little things to do while tacking up to prepare for your ride
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“What if I’m already taking riding lessons?”
Having an excellent local instructor is terrific! The Balanced Riding Course is designed to help you get even more out of your lessons–so you understand what your instructor really means when they say things like “bend your elbows” or “sit straight!”
You’ll learn many things that you probably won’t get in your riding lessons in the course. You’ll learn how to diagnose horse behavior and read body language…how knowledge of anatomy improves your riding…the theory behind riding cues and position…so you know when to use them…. and SO much more.
Our bonus mini-course, Getting the Most From Your Riding Lessons bonus, also teaches you how to handle typical “lesson horse” behavior, how to communicate with your riding instructor, tips for riding in groups…and more.
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“Some may wonder why I take your courses when I ride 3 days a week with a wonderful trainer.
The Answer: I can sit quietly, focus, absorb and digest your lessons, visualize myself taking the correct steps or procedures, and hit “rewind” as many times as I need (which is impossible in the arena. LOL!)
The Payoff: I can see a marked improvement in my skills since taking your courses!”
– Penny Wilson
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“Can you coach me while I’m riding?”
With 6 Along for the Ride Audio bonus lessons, you’ll have me right in your ear, leading you through warm-up exercises, getting on the horse, feeling your body and setting your posture.
One of our students used a technique from the audio lesson to get her slow horse to trot easily…
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“Two years ago, when I was just starting out, it took about 4 weeks of lessons for me to “get” my lesson horse Wings to trot, because I was doing that thing you talk about in the audio lesson — where I wasn’t actually ready to trot, so even though I seemed like I was cueing her to trot, she absolutely refused to trot.
All of sudden — with no other cue — just moving my legs back and opening my hips… she started to trot!!
Thanks!!! This course is amazing. Worth every. single. penny.”
– Pamela Thacher
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“I’m already overwhelmed… what if I can’t finish this course?”
We are here for you to keep you moving forward – no matter what!
You will be receiving 3 months FREE membership in Leg Up Coaching, a membership led by myself and Equestrian Life Coach, Jenna Knudsen. The program is designed to help you change your mindset and achieve your riding goals with exercises, real-life training examples and a community of like-minded horse-lovers.
Leg Up Coaching also includes my Training Journals library, a resource of training videos with real-life examples to complement what you’re learning in the Balanced Riding Course.
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With Leg Up Coaching, you get instant access to:
- A library of training videos for all levels with all types of horses, from young Thoroughbreds to Gaited Trail horses
- Monthly focus calls on a mindset topic with Jenna (so you can discover what’s holding you back)
- Our Goal Setting Series to help you track your progress
- Horse Care Mini-Series with industry experts, covering topics such as horse dentistry, first aid, body work, and equine arthritis
- Event recordings of clinics and other events
- Monthly book club with Jenna
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“What if I want to understand my horse even better?”
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I’m confident that by the end of the course, you’ll have a deep understanding of your horse.
But if that’s not enough, the bonus Horsemanship of Connection Series will take a deep dive into horse communication and behavior. It includes:
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- A 5-part mini course with my mentors, Tim and Bettina Jobe of Natural Lifemanship
- Conversations with Horses, a recording that studies videos of wild horse bands (to help us better connect with our own horses)
By the end of this series, you’ll know how to:
- Read the horse’s emotional and physical state
- Respond when you feel ignored or threatened by a horse
- Use pressure without even touching the horse
- Use your body posture and energy to communicate with your horse
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One last thing: We love to spoil our students...
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When you join, you’ll want to keep an eye on your mailbox–cause I’ll be sending a few goodies your way (no matter where in the world you live)!
I can’t say any more about it (mum’s the word!), but I think you’ll like what’s inside.
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“Ok, I’m starting to feel overwhelmed... what if I don’t have time for all this?”
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That’s why we offer lifetime access! So you can take the course on your own timeline. No need to rush or finish by a specific time.
Another bonus of lifetime access? Any time we update or add new course material, you’ll get access.
Many of our alumni have actually taken the course multiple times, gaining new takeaways each time.
“The Balanced Riding Course is excellent, the best I have ever seen!! This is my third time to go through the course, and each time around, new things catch my attention!!”
— Teri Henrichs
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“But… there are a lot of horse training courses out there.
How is the Balanced Riding Course different?”
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Great question! Many other courses have training videos on different topics, but it can be hard to follow or know where to start. The Balanced Riding Course teaches you how to become a confident rider from the ground up. The order is logical, with each module building upon the next, so you won’t be left wondering “what video do I watch next?”
Also, many other programs take a single-solution approach, whereas the Balance Riding Course takes a holistic, open-minded approach. We get to the root of the problem.
For example, if your horse is bucking, the solution isn’t punishment or just hanging on. The key is to consider why this is happening so you can solve the core issue.
Your horse may have pain, they may be unbalanced, or you may be sitting and using your body in a way that’s restricting them. Together, we’ll figure out the cause and how to solve it!
The Balanced Riding Course isn’t only about riding or training. It combines behavioral science with learning to “feel” what is happening with the horse.
This course is comprehensive, and the curriculum is diverse, covering theory, practical exercises, self-reflection, and real-life case studies.
We know that everyone learns in different ways. Whether you’re a visual or auditory learner (or both!), our multimodal lessons (workbooks, videos, and audio lessons) make it easy to learn.
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Let’s recap. When you join the Balanced Riding Course, you get…
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Your Course Includes:
- 6 modules of video lessons, released over 8 weeks
- An 180-page workbook with linked QR codes to video lessons to help you practice what you learn
- 3 submissions of video coaching, with personalized feedback
- All your questions answered via the comments section
- Lifetime access to the Balanced Riding Course and any future updates
- A 60-day “Enjoy the Ride” Guarantee
- A community of like-minded riders going through the course with you
PLUS these Bonuses:
- SPECIAL BONUS “Get Ready to Ride” Exercise Series to help you gain the strength, balance and mobility you need to feel comfortable and stable in the saddle Getting Started with Horses mini-course to help you master the basics of horsemanship
- Getting The Most Out of Your Lessons mini course to help you gain a better understanding of lesson horses and how to communicate with your riding instructor
- 6 Along for the Ride audio lessons on riding and groundwork if you want to have me coaching you while you’re in the saddle
- Horsemanship of Connection Series with Natural Lifemanship so you can understand how horses behave in the wild (and what that means for your horse)
- Getting Started with Horses mini course to help you master the basics of riding and horsemanship
- 3-month membership to Leg-Up Coaching if you want help changing your mindset and setting (and achieving) your riding goals. Dig into this one fast!
- A surprise goodie box sent straight to your doorstep (because who doesn’t like free riding stuff??)
- EARLY BONUS (Ends Oct 21)“Get Ready to Ride” Exercise Series to help you gain the strength, balance and mobility you need to feel comfortable and stable in the saddle Getting Started with Horses mini-course to help you master the basics of horsemanship
Join me in the riding course that goes deeper than technique
I want to invite you to join me on the journey through this course.
There is something missing from conventional riding instruction and it breaks my heart to see this hurting so many horses and riders.
This missing piece led me to leave my busy lesson barn and move across the country to spend a year working with mustangs. I didn’t ride much that year. But I spent countless hours watching the horses in their herds, and working with the horses from the ground, helping them accept a first touch, and then a halter, picking up their feet, leading, and learning that humans could be ok after all.
I rediscovered my joy with horses, and now I would love to help you!
The Balanced Riding Course will take you even beyond your current riding goals.
That’s because it lays the proper foundation built on trust and connection with your horse to bring joy back into your riding.
I would love to be your online riding instructor through my Balanced Riding Course! I invite you to join me below.
Yes, I want Lifetime Access to The Balanced Riding Course!
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60 Day Full Money Back Guarantee
My team and I are SO passionate about helping you become a confident, happy rider and want to make it as easy as possible for you to say “yes!”
That’s why we’re offering the 60 Day Full Money Guarantee. If you don’t feel more confident, secure, and happier in the saddle after going through the course, just email [email protected] within 60 days of your purchase, and we’ll give you your money back. No questions asked.
Still got questions? Here are your answers.
Our free content is a great place to start! But the Balanced Riding Course is meant for you if you want to make every ride count.
In the course, we piece everything together into a structure that makes it easy to learn. So instead of just watching random videos and piecing together the takeaways, you can consume the content in a logical, structured order. We also provide resources that facilitate learning, like our 180-page workbook and audio lessons.
PLUS, you get one-on-one video coaching (and individualized feedback on your riding and horse’s behavior).
It depends. Are you planning to return to riding? If so, I recommend enrolling now, at the current price so you’ll lock in lifetime access at this price.
Then use this time to learn and digest the contents so when you get back on your horse, he (or she) will notice a marked improvement in you… and you will in yourself.
There are a number of exercises that you can practice at home without even having your horse around.
When you come back to rewatch the videos when you start riding again, you’ll be miles ahead of where you would have been.
You’ll get access to the digital workbook and bonuses immediately.
The course is released over an 8-week period (one module per week, with two week breaks built in for you to practice the course exercises so far).
That way, you have time to watch and digest each module (and don’t feel overwhelmed with everything all at once).
Many current members don’t own or lease a horse; they ride friend’s horses or ride at a local lesson barn. The Balanced Riding Course is perfect for riders who are just starting out, and this year, I’ve included the mini-course How to Get the Most Our of Your Riding Lessons to provide specific help for riders just like you.
I’m a firm believer that the basic training of horse and rider is the same across disciplines. Horse behavior and the science and art of training don’t change with the saddle a horse is wearing.
Also, the principles of good alignment, balance, and riding effectiveness apply no matter what style or discipline a rider chooses. Many students in the course ride western, or have Aussie or trail saddles, or ride Saddleseat, and some don’t even ride at all! All disciplines and types of riding are welcome in the Balanced Riding Course!
So... Is the Balanced Riding Course right for you?
The answer to that question is a resounding “yes!” if you...
- Have been riding for years but never learned the basics (and you still feel like a beginner)
- Always feel insecure and nervous in the saddle–and you want to enjoy the riding experience more
- Are currently taking riding lessons, but you are hungry for more
- Just got your first horse and now feel like there is SO much to learn
- Are having a behavioral problem (or two) with your horse and need help solving it
- Want to understand and communicate with your horse better
- Feel like “there has got to be a better way”
Meet A Few Of Our Balanced Riding Course Alumni
Yes, I want Lifetime Access to The Balanced Riding Course!
Days
Hours
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Seconds
Your Course Includes:
- 6 modules of video lessons, released over 8 weeks
- A 180 page workbook to help you practice what you learn
- 3 submissions of video coaching, with personalized feedback
- All your questions answered via the comments section
- A community of like-minded riders going through the course with you
- Lifetime access to the Balanced Riding Course and future updates
- A 60 Day Full Money Back Guarantee
Plus These Bonuses:
- BONUS Horsemanship of Connection Series
- BONUS Getting The Most Out of Your Lessons mini course
- BONUS 6 Along for the Ride audio lessons with Callie
- BONUS Getting Started with Horses mini course
- BONUS 3 month membership in Leg Up Coaching
- BONUS A Surprise Goodie Box