Heritage Oak Rescue & Rehabilitation is not your average horse rescue. Our main focus is educating people to better understand and care for horses. The horses we take in will have a forever home and be used in our lesson program. The basic horsemanship lessons are offered to anyone in Bandera County ages 5 and up. The requirements are broad to include almost anyone with an interest in horses. The lessons aim to empower the community in Bandera, foster personal growth, and create a strong bond between humans and horses.
Director and Founder of HORR Emily Cristofich will be teaching the lessons one on one. The lessons will be 1-1.5 hour long sessions. Students are asked to commit to one lesson a week for four weeks to get the most benefit. Once they have completed four lessons, students will have the opportunity to volunteer. The lessons cover basic groundwork and horse handling practices. Emily does not teach riding lessons. She hopes that by giving people a solid foundation of horse knowledge before they get in the saddle it will benefit horses and humans in the long run. It’s also a great way for people who don’t want to ride to experience the benefits of spending quality time with horses.
Things to know before your lesson
You will be required to sign a liability waiver and an optional photo release
Wear closed toe shoes and clothing you don't mind getting dirty
Cancellations less than 24hrs in advance will not be given the opportunity to reschedule. (We understand emergencies do come up, so please talk with us if that's the case)
Emily’s horsemanship style doesn’t come from any one trainer. It's a blend of every trainer or horse owner she came across that took the time to share their knowledge. Emily recalls the most helpful individuals often times did not charge her anything for their time. They did it for the love of the horses. They knew that if they got through to Emily and taught her the proper way to do things, it would benefit every horse she came across in the future. And they were right! These people inspired Emily to pay it forward and start her non-profit with the same idea in mind of empowering people to help horses.
