From the first time I visited Seventh Farm, I knew I found a very special place. Tom and Liz are engaging, knowledgeable, kind, and generous people. The horses are magnificent, too! I have enjoyed getting to know all of the horses and their distinctive personalities.
Returning to riding in my thirties was a dream come true. I had very little instruction when I was a child but always felt an affinity for horses and knew I'd pursue this interest again.
Riding is hard work. It is physically and mentally challenging. Tom and Liz approach teaching the art of riding in a way that reaches all students. They break up the necessary skills all riders must learn into manageable tasks. When tackling a new skill, I never feel rushed. On the contrary, I feel as if Tom and Liz are with me every step of the way, cheering me on, and they always maintain great patience as I try to learn something new. I appreciate their exceptional attention to detail and desire to not rush the learning process. By allowing students enough time to digest each fundamental skill, Tom and Liz help to build confidence and reassurance in their riders.
It is obvious that Tom and Liz have a tremendous breadth of knowledge and care very much about their horses and students. There is great emphasis in learning horse behavior and the proper way to handle and care for the horses. It's a very well rounded experience at Seventh Farm. I can't imagine riding anywhere else.
age 35, Woodbury
I am a 45-year-old woman who always dreamed of learning to ride, and my dream is coming true at Seventh Farm. Tom and Liz McCadden are excellent teachers: patient, attentive, knowledgeable, dedicated to their horses and their students. They provide a complete experience, from grooming and tack and advice on gear, to equine physiology and psychology, to comporting oneself with a horse, in and out of the saddle.
Liz and Tom believe in a thorough grounding in the basics. They take a slow and steady approach, assessing each student's abilities, strengths and weaknesses on an individual basis. Nothing escapes their expert eye and nothing is beyond their ability to explain, to impart understanding to even the least perceptive of students, like me. They are always positive and encouraging, always constructive in their critiques. Their passion for their horses and for teaching, sharing that passion, is communicated in everything they do.
What began as fantasy fulfillment for me has turned out to be so much better than some dream-come-true. It's been hard work, physically and mentally, but after a lesson with Liz and/or Tom, I come away wanting to work that much harder, and having had another important lesson confirmed yet again: that working is much more rewarding than wishing. Thanks, Liz and Tom, for all I've learned thus far, and for the wealth of knowledge that I know lies yet in store!
age 45, Minneapolis
I began lessons at Seventh Farm a little over seven months ago, and it has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience since day one. I first learned to ride as a kid and spent most of my teenage years working at a stable, but I hadn't really ridden in the twelve years since. My previous experience had been focused on pleasure and performance riding within the world of a specific breed and did not include any hunter/jumper training. So I came to Seventh Farm with a strong background and a high degree of comfortability around horses, but also as a relative beginner in the specific discipline Tom and Liz focus on. I was excited to put riding back in my life and open to learning something new, but having a natural bias toward my past experience, I also wasn't sure what to expect.
I'm happy to report that riding at Seventh Farm has been a fantastic experience, which has exceeded all my expectations. While my background with horses has certainly been helpful to my progress, there are also ways in which I feel like I'm learning to ride all over again. I loved and was very passionate about my previous riding, but I can now see how much of my past training was superficial in comparison to what I'm learning at Seventh Farm, and I have no doubt that I'm on my way to becoming a much better, stronger rider than I ever was before.
Tom and Liz are knowledgeable, thoughtful teachers whose intelligent and deliberate attention to the fundamentals of sound riding helps their students lay a strong foundation upon which competent, confident horsemanship can be built. Their in-depth, holistic approach teaches you how to really connect to and work in partnership with your horse. Equine psychology and anatomy are integrated into every lesson, and Tom and Liz do an excellent job of explaining how you can maximize the receptivity of your horse by understanding and respecting the way the horse's mind and body work. I've been very impressed by the comprehensiveness of their instruction and by how well they are able to explain the complex and subtle ways of using one's whole body to enhance the performance of both horse and rider. It's incredibly satisfying to feel how well you're able to communicate with your horse when you're connected in this way, and I'm excited to continue learning how to strengthen and refine my ability in this area.
Finally, I want to say how great it is to see how happy and well cared for Tom and Liz's horses are. I've been to barns where the school horses are pretty worn down in both body and spirit. You won't find any examples of this among the Seventh Farm horses, all of whom are clearly valued and seem to enjoy their lives and work. It is obvious how much Tom and Liz genuinely love horses and riding, and I think it's this enthusiasm, in combination with their knowledge and skill, which makes them such excellent teachers.
age 32, Minneapolis
I've wanted to learn to ride since I was a little kid. Riding at Seventh Farm is better than I dreamed about. My Top 5 of The Many Reasons I Love Riding Here:
1. Wonderful teaching. Liz and Tom are patient, respectful and really good at conveying new ideas and techniques in plain English.
2. Awesome horses. These guys are the best. There are horses for from-scratch beginners like me, as well as for riders who know what they're doing. And they are all tolerant and well-mannered.
3. Step-by-step progress. I'm not a very bold person, but the lessons move ahead so logically that my skills and confidence have squashed my fears. It's so nice to feel, "Huh! Look what we just accomplished!" instead of feeling fearful.
4. Horsemanship. I'm learning how to handle horses even when I'm not riding! Learning effective and ethical ways to take care these guys just makes riding them easier and builds on the riding experience.
5. Other riders. Riding with the other students I've met here adds another layer of fun to an already super-cool experience.
age 50, Minneapolis
For me, Seventh Farm has it all. The training is all-inclusive and focuses on both horse and rider. As teachers, Liz and Tom not only emphasize position and technique, but also highlight the importance of the relationship and communication between horse and rider. This balanced training method results in both horse and rider's happiness. Liz and Tom are also very good at explaining the "Why" during lessons. This thoughtful approach provides practical insight that further develops a rider's horsemanship. It is also particularly valuable for those of us who need answers to all of life's questions.
But, Seventh Farm is not just about the horses and riding. It is also about the people: Liz, Tom, and the other riders. In the past, I have ridden at barns where the people know how to relate only to horses and, unfortunately, not so well to other people. At Seventh Farm, the environment is supportive and the riders exude energy and enthusiasm. There is a sincere sense of camaraderie at the barn and in lessons and there is never a shortage of shared laughter, story telling and spirit.
age 28, Minneapolis
My first horseback experience was last May at age 66 at Seventh Farm. I had always wanted to learn to ride, and learned of Seventh Farm from an advertisement I saw in the neighborhood where I live. After a few months I increased my riding to two lessons a week and count riding lessons as one of the most satisfying endeavors I have ever undertaken.
Liz and Tom are passionate about their horses and are always looking out for their physical and emotional health. Riders are guided at their own pace with encouragement and extraordinarily gifted teaching by Liz and Tom. I look forward to each lesson, and am amazed at the progress I've made in these past 10 months. I'm especially appreciative of their way of teaching an older beginner, being always encouraging and supportive.
Riding for me provides stress relief, great physical exercise, new friends and the satisfaction of gaining a new skill.
Three cheers for Seventh Farm—Liz, Tom and The Horses!!
age 66, St. Paul
Like most young girls, I often dreamt of having my own horse. Every summer I would beg my mom to send me to horse camp, but for a family with limited means it was out of reach. Now as a grown woman I am delighted to live out my childhood dreams every week at Seventh Farm.
My experience with Liz and Tom at Seventh Farm has been nothing short of exceptional. You can tell they love what they do and truly care about sharing their experiences with students. They take the time to make sure their students understand the why behind horse behavior and always encourage us to ask questions. I never feel rushed in my lessons; somehow there is always time to, as Tom would say, "Do it one more time!"
Coming to Seventh Farm each week is like visiting my favorite family members. Liz and Tom are always warm and welcoming. It's my favorite part of the week and I will be forever grateful for the lessons I've learned from the McCaddens.
age 29, Minneapolis
My experiences as a student of Seventh Farm for almost a year have been something I am truly grateful for.
The teaching style here is something very unique and special. Working with Liz and Tom gives me as a rider an opportunity to truly appreciate how my physical and mental self has an effect not just on my riding, but in how the horses respond to those same things. When I understand that that communication takes place from long before I approach the horse until we part at the end of the lesson, I see how I can be a better horse person and have an amazing experience each lesson.
Liz's teaching style is professional, friendly and warm. Liz tailors each lesson to my learning style and where I am in my learning process and instructs and communicates about horse and rider in a way I can understand and apply at each and every lesson. Her knowledge of horse psychology has helped me grasp a level of understanding and respect for good horsemanship. The importance of riding in a way that is beneficial to the horse, and not just the rider, is something that is very important to me.
Tom's teaching style is also professional, friendly and warm. He has helped me to better understand not just how to improve my riding, but also the importance of horse psychology, how horses communicate and think, enabling me to understand and improve my own communication with the horse. I have learned of my own responsibility as a rider to the horse to create a connection where we work together for our mutual benefit.
The horses at Seventh Farm have been great teachers for me as well. They are well cared for. They are robust, healthy and beautiful. One day I asked the age of one of the horses named Buck. I was told he is 16. I was surprised. I thought he was closer to 7 years of age. I feel very comfortable and confident with the Seventh Farm horses. My comfort and confidence in working with the horses is a direct result of the way the horses have been trained by Liz and Tom.
My overall experience of Seventh Farm is one I wouldn't trade for anything. I look forward to my lessons and leave each one with such a sense of personal accomplishment, appreciation and joy. This is a place I feel fortunate to have found and have the opportunity to be a part of.
age 42, St. Paul