Today we’d like to introduce you to Bill Gierisch.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Bill. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started riding at the age of 13 with Smokey Davis as my mentor. Smokey is a horse trainer with three generations of ranchers in his blood. He has also been elected to the Cowboy Hall of Fame. He is well known in Texas as a man with great horsemanship.
I worked on a ranch for 5 years as a ranch hand, helping Smokey break and train horses. I trained horses for 2 years in college on my own and also began “clowning” on the Rodeo circuit.
Over the past 57 years, I have worked with thousands of horses. I currently owns 30+ (depending on the week!) and help my boarders with theirs also (up to 44 at a time)
My son Shane rodeo’d his entire high school career and pro rodeo’d riding and roping. Shane lives at the ranch with me and helps prospect potential new roping horses and train new students. His son, my grandson, Kade, 10, participates in group lessons and always lends a helping hand to new riders.
After honing my own horsemanship skills, those of my son and now my grandson, I have found a passion in sharing my knowledge with others.
I stress basic horsemanship and safety over everything else and I view each situation as an opportunity to gain new knowledge and understanding of horses and help their riders to grow better.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
After losing my job as a National Sales Manager, I borrowed $10,000 to build my first ten stalls. I had experience running my own small barn East of Missouri City and I decided to make my passion my new career.
I started with only 6 horses of my own and realized that in order to build the business and size of my stables, I would need to start acquiring new horses with good potential that I could train to be great horses and make a name for myself in the horse community.
I also discovered a passion for teaching others and after people began taking lessons at my barn, they were lining up to buy the horses I was training and to board them (or their own horses) here.
As the business began to grow, I decided we needed an official name, and thus, Ride the Wind Stables came to be.
It’s been a great 25 years with many ups and a few downs- including my recent stroke in the summer of 2016. However, with the help from my son and the boarders that have become like family to me, I was able to keep the stables running even while recovering in the hospital.
Not even a month after being released to go home, I was back on my trusty horse Cinco- again, with help from my son and boarders!
Horses don’t just help build confidence and social skills. I was told that I may not regain much use in my right arm and leg, but riding 1-2 times a week has built my strength up and I am even able to swing a rope and lope on my horse.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Ride The Wind Stables – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Ride the Wind Stables is a Western horse riding facility. We specialize in teaching lessons in horsemanship and advanced specialties like barrel racing, pole bending, calf and steer roping, and more.
Beginners have over 10 horses to learn on that are gentle and help students to learn. As riders gain experience, there are constantly over 12-20 intermediate to advanced horses that they can slowly master riding. Every horse has a different personality and different quirks. You learn a new lesson on each new horse that you ride. Horses don’t come with instruction manuals and not every horse responds the same way to the same command. That is why it is imperative to ride multiple horses and get out of your comfort zone.
We provide full boarding and unlike most barns, lessons are included with your monthly boarding fee. If your horse is injured or you just want to try something new, I constantly have different horses available to meet your skill level.
We sell horses to meet people’s skill levels and their desired disciplines. But we won’t sell you just any horse. We like for people to try out our multiple lesson horses or multiple for sale horses before making a decision to buy so that you find the perfect match. Most people think they know what type of horse they are looking for, but after we give them lessons, we often show them that a different type of horse would fit their needs better and make them a happier rider.
Our boarders are comprised of families, college students, young and old couples, etc. We have different races, nationalities, genders, and ages. Everyone is able to ride together or by themselves – we sure have enough room!
What sets up apart from others? Many of our current students come to us after trying other local options and not increasing their or their horses’ knowledge and skills. We have a large arena (bigger than most youth rodeo arenas), a smaller covered arena, a covered round pen, huge pastures for turnout and riding, and trails. We are the best at what we do.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We are happy and comfortable with how everything is going right now. After 25 years, we have fixed and upgraded all the things we have desired.
What we look forward to is meeting new boarders, their horses, teaching lessons to new riders. Teaching lessons to advanced riders and developing their skills even higher, and maintaining the great relationship we have with our current boarders.
It is exciting to watch a shy, 7 year old start beginner lessons, blossom into a confident and outgoing individual, and then 8-10 years later cheer them on as they win their high school Rodeos on horses that you and they trained together.
Pricing:
- 1 Hour Lessons – $40.00 for ages 4-18
- 1 Hour Lessons – $50.00 for ages 18+ Adults
- $75.00 if parents want to help with their children’s lessons 🙂
Contact Info:
- Address: 5530 Gerken Road, Rosenberg TX 77471
- Website: http://www.RideTheWindStables.com
- Phone: 281-342-6200
- Email: BillGierisch@RideTheWindStables.com
- Facebook: Ride the Wind Stables
- Yelp: Ride the Wind Stables
Image Credit:
Hollie Hackney
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