Corti Gardesane: Casa Viva’s eco-sustainable riding stables
How did we start? I met Marco thanks to our love for horses. One summer I was working with a friend of mine in our art summer camp for kids held in a yurt in the middle of a beautiful shady meadow. In the neighboring fìeld Marco was working with his horse Eclisse so my friend and I decided to take the kids from the summer camp down to the field to watch and draw her. And that’s where our story began.
Our friends thought we were crazy for having left our former jobs to open the stables. But the dream of working with horses and people gave us the energy we needed to open our first riding school and stables at Pesina, a village in Caprino Veronese. Our focus was the wellbeing of horses and humans. It was important that we had a lot of space for our horses and the kids that came to learn riding at our school… and that was the beginning.
Our little DIY riding school grew quickly and so the idea of opening an eco-sustainable structure for our horses and students next to Casa Viva came to us very quickly.
What can horses teach us?
Horses are powerful, spontaneous, curious and very generous animals for those who are willing to listen and learn.
By nature, horses are herd animals and within the herd very well defined hierarchies form as a way of creating order between the members. They are also animals that need a lot of physical space in order to remain in their element.
Horses are flight animals, and as predators, it can be difficult and confusing for humans to understand the mysterious equine way of communicating. When treated with respect horses are patient and docile and if we are confident and sure of ourselves in their presence they are dedicated and devoted companions who can teach us many things about ourselves.
These magnificent animals are highly empathic: they have the ability to feel emotions and are able to read people energetically. If we are available to them, they can reveal to us just how connected and energetically integrated we are in the moment that we are with them. They have the amazing ability to help us to become conscious of where we are in the present moment.
As horses are herd animals they are natural followers and need good leaders. Riding can be a good way to learn self confidence, self respect and self esteem. Working with horses can teach us how to be rooted in ourselves, how to relate with others and how to become good, kind leaders when relating with others.
Horses can also help children in character formation. Our riding lessons are based on a method of coaching that can nurture self confidence and esteem and help children deal with ‘negative’ emotions giving them strategies to overcome them.
Horses are powerful teachers, all you need is to be willing to learn.
As well as teaching beginner and expert riders, we also organize a summer camp for children from 5 to 14 years of age.