Ramey Riding School — Learning to Ride

Q: What separates Ramey from typical riding lessons?

Per Lauren Mlsna: students do everything—catching from pasture, leading, grooming, saddling, and riding. Most riding programs hand you a ready-tacked horse; Ramey teaches the full set of skills horse ownership actually requires. The difference is real horsemanship vs. controlled simulation.

Q: Is the intensive format worthwhile for casual riders?

Per Lauren Mlsna: yes—two weeks of consistent daily instruction produces faster progress than a year of weekly lessons. The author arrived not knowing how much she didn't know; she left riding beginning dressage movements confidently.

Q: What kinds of horses do students ride?

Per Lauren Mlsna: a variety. Different horses across the two weeks builds adaptable skill rather than memorized routines for one specific mount. Riders progress from easier horses to more challenging ones as confidence and skill grow.

Q: Can absolute beginners attend?

Per Lauren Mlsna: yes—the program teaches from the ground up. Ms. Ramey is patient with new riders and gives appropriate-skill horses for first sessions. Students don't need prior experience, just willingness to learn.

Q: What's covered besides riding?

Per Lauren Mlsna: catching, leading, grooming, saddling, basic horse care, dressage fundamentals, and beginning jumping. Two weeks gives time to absorb both the riding and the surrounding horsemanship that owners need.

Need straight talk about learning to ride the horse at Ramey Riding School from working horse pros?

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Ramey Equestrian School was a Wonderful experience by Lauren Mlsna

Lauren Mlsna writes about Ramey Equestrian School

Dear Infohorse, Thank you for listing Ramey Equestrian Schools on your website. I recently spent two weeks with Ms. Ramey and had a wonderful experience. I had taken lessons at other barns before and arrived at the camp thinking that I knew what riding was: I arrive at the stables, stand nearby as the instructor saddles and bridles the horse I will be using, mount, and then ride around the arena on a horse that is so used to walking, trotting, and cantering in circles that I don't have to do much else aside from keeping myself on his back. During my first day at Ms. Ramey's school, however , I soon realized that there is much more to riding than this, as she put me on one of her horses and I couldn't get him to trot for more than a few steps without stopping. By the end of the two weeks, however, I was confidently riding and performing beginning dressage movements on him.

Ms. Ramey is a wonderful teacher and gives her students a lot of responsibility so that learn not just how to ride but also about the other essential aspects of horsemanship that go along with owning and caring for horses. After the first day I was catching my horse from the pasture, leading, grooming, and saddling him. Over the course of the two weeks I was able to ride a variety of horses as I progressed in confidence, skill, and lessons to be learned and was exposed to both dressage and the basics of jumping. Ms. Ramey is a very patient and insightful instructor and gives her students plenty of time to practice. A typical day involved waking up for breakfast at 8:15, going next door to the barn at 9:00 for a morning lesson, breaking for lunch at 12:30, resting, then returning to the barn at 3:00 for an afternoon lesson. On especially hot days, we looked forward to riding along the two wooded trails surrounding her property, which nicely complemented the arena riding. We generally returned from the barn around 7:00 for a home -cooked dinner that often included fresh vegetables picked from her garden earlier that morning. Evening activities included going to a movie in nearby Owensboro, KY, roasting marshmallows around a campfire, playing tennis at the Tennis House she also operates, or just staying in and relaxing after working hard all day. On the last weekend of my stay I had the opportunity to watch her more advanced students compete in a dressage show, which was not only interesting but gave me something to strive for.

The stables are located near the small town of Rockport, IN (and a few miles from the bigger town of Owensboro, KY) along a small road lined by cornfields. They are situated in between the Lodge in which Ms. Ramey lives (and where I stayed) and a small Bed and Breakfast which she operates. There is a very warm, peaceful atmosphere and in the horses often come right up to the back of the Lodge hoping to be hand-fed a treat. Overall it was a great experience and I can't wait to go back whenever I next get the chance. Lauren Mlsna

Ramey Equestrian School and Summer Camp

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Key Article Takeaways

Per Lauren Mlsna: Ramey Equestrian Schools delivers genuine horsemanship—not just "sitting on a horse."
Two-week intensive turned a ride-around-the-arena beginner into a confident dressage rider.
Students catch, lead, groom, saddle—learning ownership skills, not just riding skills.
Variety of horses across two weeks builds adaptable skill, not memorized routines.
Patient instruction balances dressage and beginning jumping work.

Questions readers commonly ask:

What separates Ramey from typical riding lessons?

Per Lauren Mlsna: students do everything—catching from pasture, leading, grooming, saddling, and riding. Most riding programs hand you a ready-tacked horse; Ramey teaches the full set of skills horse ownership actually requires. The difference is real horsemanship vs. controlled simulation.

Is the intensive format worthwhile for casual riders?

Per Lauren Mlsna: yes—two weeks of consistent daily instruction produces faster progress than a year of weekly lessons. The author arrived not knowing how much she didn't know; she left riding beginning dressage movements confidently.

What kinds of horses do students ride?

Per Lauren Mlsna: a variety. Different horses across the two weeks builds adaptable skill rather than memorized routines for one specific mount. Riders progress from easier horses to more challenging ones as confidence and skill grow.

Can absolute beginners attend?

Per Lauren Mlsna: yes—the program teaches from the ground up. Ms. Ramey is patient with new riders and gives appropriate-skill horses for first sessions. Students don't need prior experience, just willingness to learn.

What's covered besides riding?

Per Lauren Mlsna: catching, leading, grooming, saddling, basic horse care, dressage fundamentals, and beginning jumping. Two weeks gives time to absorb both the riding and the surrounding horsemanship that owners need.