Saddle up

WITH its wooden stables, discarded wagon wheels, and cow horns proudly displayed above the words 'Saloon', Sarah Kreutzer's ranch would not be out of place in the Wild West.

Horses wear over-sized stirrups and saddles as well as breast plates; riders dress in jeans rather than jodhpurs.

But this isn't North America; it's North Yorkshire - Ilton, near Masham to be precise - where the cowboys and cowgirls can live out their wildest west fantasies for the day.

Horse expert Sarah, who trained and qualified with the 'horse whisperer' Monty Roberts, is running western riding lessons for all ages and abilities from her base at Hill Top Farm.

She uses the knowledge garnered from horse whispering, where humans learn to communicate with horses in a non-physical way, in her business Learning To Listen, run from her rural hideaway.

Sarah says it will be the first time cowboy capers such as using authentic western equipment, learning western horsemanship and even rounding up the herd will be available in the region.

She said: "It's fantastic if it has ever been your fantasy to be a cowboy or a cowgirl.

She added: "When you come here, it doesn't look like a ranch in York. There's a western feel to it with a saloon and western-style stabling. We use saddles with big horns on the front and we all wear jeans - we go for the American look out here."

Pupils can also try out barrel racing, a furious-paced sport where riders gallop around 44-gallon drums, although Sarah points out that people will go at a beginner's pace.

The lessons will run over three days from Tuesday 18 to Thursday 20 April, split into morning and afternoon sessions. Riders are free to book any combination of lessons, from one through to all six. Places cost £25 for the first session and £20 for each subsequent one.

Sarah is also hosting a kids' camp next month, where children aged from ten to 16 have a chance to enjoy horsing around in the great outdoors. Campers can bring their own animals or hire horses from Sarah. Besides riding horses through the bubbling streams and shady forests and lush green pastures of her back yard ("I've got 200 acres here," says Sarah), the youngsters will also learn the secrets of horse whispering.

Sarah said: "They are introduced to the horses and will learn to communicate with them in a whole new language. It gives kids so much confidence when they can be in control of these animals without using force or abuse."

Sarah said the camp, which runs from April 10-12 and costs £175, gives young folk the chance to sleep under canvas (weather permitting, otherwise they stay in a large mobile home) and enjoy the great outdoors.

She added: "It's great fun and they learn how to enjoy their horses and not be frightened."

For more information or to reserve a place, contact Sarah Kreutzer at Learning To Listen on (01765) 689368, or e-mail learningtolisten@hotmail.com

Updated: 12:09 Saturday, March 18, 2006