About
Here at Willow Ridge, we share our passion for the Morgan horse!! The oldest American bred horse, there is something for everyone here at the farm!!! From instruction on horse care to honing your riding skills, we offer saddleseat lessons for the very beginner to world champion competitors!!! A very encouraging and safe environment, Willow Ridge also offers a totally heated facility with a full bath, a viewing kitchen that not only overlooks the arena, but also the grooming stalls. Bring your child to the barn to learn patience, listening and responsibility.
Meredithe Bodnar has had instructor experience for the past decade, and took over the role of head instructor when Willow Ridge opened its doors in 2018. She has grown up riding and showing Morgans, Hackney ponies and American Saddlebreds on the world and National level. Her positive attitude and teachable mentality has made her a favorite with her students. Along with Meredithe, safe and reliable equine instructors are also an integral role in teaching, both in and out of the saddle!!! Come and meet our amazing team!!
Willow Ridge Farm strives to introduce new students to saddleseat, huntseat, and driving disciplines in order to pursue competitions, whether it be through barn tournaments, Academy Program shows, or World and National competitions. We also stive to pair the right rider with the perfect horse to achieve show ring goals!
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My name is Meredithe Bodnar and I have spent my whole life showing horses and sharing my passion for the Morgan, Hackney and American Saddlebred show horse. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of me and my mom traveling to horse shows, competing together and spending quality time doing something we both enjoyed.
I love introducing new people to our horses and preparing them for the show ring. Some people think training and showing is all about the blue ribbon, and while winning is nice, it's the life lessons about hard work, determination, responsibility and the love of the sport that drive my riders. I teach then that it's not about winning, but being your personal best, on and off the horse. Competing at the regional and world level is not just about the glory - more often than not we don't bring home the championships, but memories that will last a lifetime. Pairing a horse and rider to make those memories is my favorite part of the job.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I call my first lesson a “get to know you Lesson” - I get to know your skills and you learn how I teach. It is also a meet and greet our horses!!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Throughout my childhood and early adulthood I competed at the world and national level, experiencing what it takes to win world championships myself as well as how to be humble when things didn't go 100% my way.
I lived in Kentucky where I held jobs working for horse magazines and the American Hackney Horse society, but I spent a lot of my free time at the barns I had horses in, learning about running a business and honing my skills. At one barn I taught lessons for almost a year, ran camps and had a insight into teaching lessons and taking academy riders to competitions.
From these experiences, I have developed my own methods and continue to attend seminars on the art of saddleseat riding to further my skills as an instructor.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
We have an array of lesson options:
introductory package of four lessons (25 minutes each) for $100
1 Lesson is 30 minutes for $40
5 lessons at 30 minutes each are $190
10 lessons at 30 minutes each are $375
How did you get started teaching?
I got started teaching quite by accident. I had a trainer who had recently bought her own business and her instructor at the time abruptly quit. I asked her if she needed someone to fill in temporarily until she found another instructor and she said yes. So I learned how to teach lessons from my former trainer, a world champion and trainer of world champion riders.
What types of students have you worked with?
All kinds!!! Tiny tot beginners to advanced riders! I have taught several beginners who have always wanted to ride, but was never a possibility until later in there lives - it's never too late to start this passion, and with driving, a person can enjoy it long into their lives!!!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
My advice would be to try it! You just might love it!