Solitaire Ranch in Bandera, TX
(830) 796-4764
NATURAL PHILOSOPHY
THE RANCH
TRAINING
STARTING UNDER SADDLE
PROBLEM HORSES
BOARDING
Natural Philosophy
ONLY NATURAL training and handling is based on a reverence for the horse as a sentient being. Planning, intention, focus and a respectful collaboration are the keys to forming an alliance with the horse. Methods and techniques are fluid and adaptable to match the feel offered by each horse's personality.
ONLY NATURAL Training embraces the instincts of equines rather than fighting against them. Many traditional and popular methods are based on compliance or domination of the horse by means of force, intimidation or punishment-based theories of correction. There is no place in the ONLY NATURAL philosophy for any interaction that resorts to combative tactics.
The Ranch
The Solitaire Ranch mission is to provide a safe and comfortable home for horses and peace of mind for their owners with a healthy environment, safe handling methods, and 24-hour care. Forty-one acres of pastures allow the horses plenty of room to roam, play or graze throughout the day. 
Each evening the horses are housed in individual stalls or corrals where they are fed grain and hay for the night. Boarders have access to most of the pasture area for riding in addition to an arena and round pen.
Training
Karen opened Solitaire Ranch in 1999. Prior to establishing her own training facility she spent 10 years working with trainers in a variety of disciplines, including western pleasure, English pleasure/Park, cutting and reining, and hunter/jumper, and starting many horse under saddle.
At Solitaire Ranch, Karen focuses on providing horses a safe learning environment for learning basic all-around skills and re-starting horses who need a second chance. A long-time student of natural horsemanship as taught by Tom Dorrance, Ray Hunt, Pat Parelli, Nuno Oliveira, and Dominique Barbier, Karen utilizes their teachings in her work with horses. A limited number of horses are accepted for the training program at Solitaire Ranch.
The key to success in training or rehabilitating horses is the active participation of the owners who must be prepared to study horse behavior and natural instincts, the psychological and physical needs of horses, as well as develop adequate riding and handling skills.
Horses of any age, breed or background are trained or re-trained utilizing the principles of the ONLY NATURAL philosophy to ensure that the horse has a solid, well-rounded foundation, and to fulfill the specific desires of the owner. Natural training produces mental dexterity, emotional stability and physical strength. Natural methods also prepare the equine athlete for more demanding performance skills and exposure to new and different stimuli by the time the foundation program is successfully completed.
A truly SOLID foundation teaches the horse how to use its body athletically and economically, respond to the rider quickly and respectfully, and control its emotions to the point of overriding its innate instincts in the face of whatever human-world "monsters" it encounters.
It takes years of professional training to equate the real world experience old time ranch horses gained by age 5 or 6. Much of the training horses receive today is in specialized arena work. Frequently the horse becomes adept at a specific job, maybe even becomes a champion competitor. Or, in the case of horses intended for recreational use, they may get a few short weeks or months of training before being asked to perform like a seasoned trail horse. Horses rarely get a complete foundation. For the sake of their own safety, owners should understand that time is a major ingredient in the proper preparation of any equine companion or competitor. The actual amount of time is directly proportional to the owner's horsemanship skill level and knowledge of equine psychology.
Starting Under Saddle
Horses over the age of 36 months can be started under saddle. Special care is given to protect the horse from physical or mental overloads. Each horse is evaluated prior to the start of training to determine the current physical condition, general attitude and personality. A training program is then mapped out based on the owner's goals for the horse and it's ability to handle the stress of training. Each horse is worked in a progressive exercise program to develop the muscle and skeletal systems within the limits of these physical capacities. Ground manners and trailer loading are included in the foundation education.
Problem Horses
Rendered dangerous, unpredictable or non-responsive by the excesses of misguided handling, many horses lose their ability to function in the human world. Once labeled as a "problem", these horses seldom find a happy or permanent home.
Karen has successfully rehabilitated numerous troubled horses over 
the years. Time is the key ingredient to reaching the depths of these horses. By focusing on the actual causes rather than the symptoms of misbehavior, Karen is able to assist the horse in re-evaluating the human world.
Re-training horses consists of replacing fearful reactions to punishment-based cues with positive mental experiences which evoke the desired physical responses. However, should the horse be ridden or handled in the same manner that created the bad behaviors, it is likely that those behaviors will resurface. Therefore, especially with troubled horses, the owner's commitment to change his or her riding and handling methods, as well as his perceptions of horses, is critical to success.
Full Care Boarding
Solitaire Ranch provides full care boarding in a facility consisting of barn stalls with attached runs and outdoor covered corrals. All boarding programs provide free choice, top quality, coastal hay, grain, and group turnout in large pastures on a daily basis. A farrier is on site every other week for shoeing and trims. A veterinarian is scheduled twice a year for standard health maintenance and is available for ranch calls if needed. Horses are paste wormed every two months.
Solitaire Ranch - Bandera, Texas
(830) 796-4764
email: karen@karenbrownonhorses.com
