Adventures with BRN: Taking the reins for carriage driving lesson

ROWLETT, TX (Sept. 26, 2022) Laurel Ridge Stables is a gorgeous, tree-lined equestrian facility located on Dexham Road, right off Highway 66 in Rowlett. Trainer Hanna Deviney was gracious enough to host my family recently for a carriage driving lesson.

My family loves horses, but we don’t often get the chance to be around them, so we jumped at the opportunity. We didn’t have to drive very far at all to enjoy a unique, equine experience.

Hannah greeted us right away with a bright and cheerful smile. She was everything you would want out of a trainer: kind, bubbly, and super attentive to our young children. She welcomed us into the stables and introduced us to all the amazing horses they have, and it took a while because my kids had to see every horse.

After taking the time to say hello, we saddled up ‘Dolly’ and brought her out to the arena to start the lesson. I thought I was going to have to watch as Hannah demonstrated the sport of carriage driving, but she immediately sat me down and gave me the reins.

I had ridden horses before, and although it had been a while, I was pretty confident in my ability to do this. To be truthful, I probably didn’t even have to do anything as Dolly was a seasoned veteran! We started out at a walk and quickly brought up the level to a quick trot as I rounded the arena. After getting the hang of it, Hannah took my kids around to let them have a chance at riding Dolly; the smiles on their faces were that of pure joy.

Afterwards, we took Dolly back to the stable to feed her treats and show our appreciation for her hard work. You could see that Dolly was just as happy to eat an apple and carrots as it was for my children to feed her, and then they had to feed the rest of the horses.

Laurel Ridge Stables opened its doors in 2021 as a full-service American Saddlebred training and show facility. In addition to driving lessons, they offer English riding lessons, holiday camps, weekend camps, spring and summer camps, and tiny tot camp. Learn more at laurelridgestables.com.

Story by Blue Ribbon News Man About Town “JR”, Lead Designer and Layout Editor, shown here enjoying time at Shenaniganz with his son, a Blue Ribbon News Junior Ambassador.