Testimonials
The best way to learn more about King’s View Acres is to read what our current and former clients have to say about us.
We have been a member of the King's View family since 2017. What we thought was going to be an opportunity for learning for a single school year has now spanned 5 years.
We love our association with Ellen and what she has contributed to the lives of our children through her teaching and friendship. Ellen has approached their training with an analytical eye including my expertise as a physical therapist in matters of balance and stability.
Life lessons occur each day at the stable. Our oldest attributes his confidence to his time spent with the horses and we have watched our youngest learn to be more graceful as she works with the temperaments of the different horses.
We feel very blessed to have been associated with Ellen and her vision.
-Carey
I could easily write several pages detailing what my kids and I have learned about horsemanship in the past 6 months at KVA- but honestly, lots of stables could teach us how to *ride.* There are so many options for that near here- we've had lessons elsewhere, there are adequate options.
In my opinion, though, what sets King's View Acres apart is that it IS truly so much more than a stable or a riding program. It's self-discovery. It's confidence-building. It's teaching me to trust myself again after leaving abuse, and it's teaching my kids to trust themselves, to honor their inner voices and their own experiences. KVA teaches the value and joy that can be found in hard work alongside the euphoria of the lightbulb AH-HA moment, when things finally click in the arena as we piece together something we've been working on for weeks.
Our time at KVA has been marked by healing, growth and learning- but mostly, it has been unbridled joy (pun absolutely intended ^.^ ), family, and peace. It's rarely easy- but it is ALWAYS worth it.
-Lisa B
We are now in our second year with the KVA homeschool program and we are so thankful to have found them! We love how the program goes beyond simple riding lessons and truly lives up to the title of "horsemanship." Our children have learned so much about riding, caring for horses, horse/pack psychology, responsibility, assertiveness, cooperation and teamwork, respect, multi-tasking, communication… the list truly does go on.
The advances in their character and education that we credit to their time at KVA have come about through the style and approach of the program. It has not been solely fun and ponies (though there is lots of that!)…there has also been hard work that has challenged them both physically and mentally. I can say with confidence that they would not have grown in all these ways as individuals had they simply learned to hop on a horse and go.
We are so grateful for Ellen and her staff!
-Shawn and Nichole G.
If you are considering signing your child up for horseback riding here, don’t hesitate, it might just be one of the best things you ever do for your kid. My 9 year old daughter has been attending KVA for 5 months now, she started soon after we moved here from out of state. After researching what’s available in the area, we went to an open house and listened to what Miss Ellen had to say about her program and methodology. It sounded like a refreshing break from what we were used to from the parks and rec program my daughter went to before, and the state of the facility and horses, as well as the positive atmosphere and interaction among the coaches and interns working here persuaded me to give it a try.
Although the word holistic is being overused these days, it applies to the approach Miss Ellen and her team take to teaching kids about horsemanship. They don’t take any short cuts. As a result, the kids are learning so much more than how to look pretty on a horse (don’t get me wrong, they still do look pretty)- they learn how to handle and take care of the the animals as well as themselves; they are taught cooperation and assertiveness. The horses aren’t conditioned to listen to what the trainers say, so the person on their back has to figure out how to get the horse to do what’s required. In short, while the foundation in horsemanship that my daughter is getting here will be a boon to her wherever she will continue to ride in the future, she’s learning life skills that go far beyond “dealing with horses”.
In just five short months, KVA has become home away from home, and it has been such a pleasure to watch my child grow and interact. We will both be sad when we have to move again at the end of the school year and have to say good bye to KVA
-Caroline