Riverside Equestrian is expanding its program to teach more riders the ways of the horse.
Juel Sigurdson, owner and operator of Riverside Equestrian, opened the business in January of this year. She offers basic Western-style riding lessons, Western horsemanship lessons, Western games lessons, and hunter jumper lessons. After high school, she knew she wanted to make horse riding her full-time job, and Riverside Equestrian was the way to do it.
Sigurdson has been riding horses all her life, sitting in a saddle before she could walk. She’s learned everything she knows about horses from her mom, who’s also been riding her entire life.
“I’ve just always had a passion for the horse,” said Sigurdson. “I always felt like I belonged with the horse. It’s been my calling.”
Along with riding lessons, Sigurdson offers horse training and teaches people how to train their horses. She’ll take a horse that’s never been ridden before and teach it the ropes so her client can ride it. She also works with clients to train their own horses, showing them just how to do that.
“There’s an electromagnetic field you have when you’re around your horse,” she said. “If you don’t have that, you’re not going to make a horse trainer.”
Riverside Equestrian operates out of Sigurdson’s family farm between Arborg and Riverton. There’s an insulated indoor arena, an outdoor arena, and a barn, and in the near future, there’ll be another barn as Sigurdson’s boarding business is also growing. Yep — she boards horses, too.
Sigurdson also just got certified in equine-assisted learning, a type of therapy in which people work with their horses to resolve their issues.
As Riverside Equestrian gears up for the fall, Sigurdson is opening a few more riding lesson spots. Lessons are on a monthly basis, with lessons weekly for riders in the program. Sigurdson accepts riders of all skill levels and can train beginners on proper riding etiquette or help seasoned riders become competitive.
Her goal is to become a competitive rider. Earlier this year, Sigurdson and her horse Dawn of Destiny (Dixie) were crowned high point champion with a jump of 3’7”.
Because Riverside Equestrian has a heated barn to work out of, Sigurdson offers lessons year-round. To contact her, learn more about her programs, or register, call 204-641-8166.
