Client Testimonials
Read for yourself...
"I am writing this letter to recommend that you, as the parent of a child who is interested in learning to ride, give the strongest consideration to having your daughter be trained by Natalie Goodwin.
When my daughter Brooke, who has loved horses since she was born, came to me at age 11 and asked me if she could take riding lessons, I reached out to friends in Santa Barbara for recommendations for a trainer. They all gave me the same name: Natalie Goodwin - if she will take you. And by that, they meant that she is in high demand and will only take on a limited number of kids. Fortunately, Natalie had space for my daughter Brooke, because having Natalie as her trainer proved to be critical to Brooke's development both as a rider and a person.
Natalie is an excellent trainer, and over the course of six years Brooke progressed from a novice jumping over cross rails to a champion hunter jumper. But Natalie is much more than just a trainer; she is a true role model for the girls. They all love and respect her because she treats them all like family and insists that they support each other as a team. Of course, the girls compete individually and they all like to win, but none of them is ever disappointed when they lose to someone on their riding team. Rather, they are genuinely happy to see their teammate succeed.
Brooke is now off to college, so she is no longer riding regularly. But, Brooke still takes lessons from Natalie in the summer when she is home from school. I like to think it is because she has riding in her blood. But I think it is more than just that. While she likes going to the barn and likes being with the horses, I know that she goes there because of Natalie.
I hold Natalie in the highest regard - both as a person and a trainer. I am confident that you will too if you choose her to train your daughter."
J. Paul Gignac (Father of Brooke Gignac)
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"We discovered Natalie Goodwin, and her lovely barn, after my daughter, Hana, rode with at least four other trainers in Santa Barbara. Hands down, Natalie Goodwin is the best thing that ever happened to Hana and her riding. Natalie runs a safe and very well supervised barn, a mile above what we experienced anywhere else. The atmosphere between the riders is always very upbeat and supportive, not catty or competitive or bullying, a real breath of fresh air for a teenage girl at a vulnerable time in her life. Natalie makes every girl -- and every horse -- feel special. She helped Hana find her "dream horse," and under her watchful eye and nurturing training, Hana and Tango became a fabulous team. Natalie made horse shows not only great learning experiences, but fun. She encouraged sportsmanship, kindness and excellence. There was not one accident at the barn the whole time Hana was there. As a parent, I appreciated the supervision and presence that Natalie always provided. Whenever Hana hears a young girl say they want to learn to ride, or improve their riding, she pipes up, Then you must ride with Natalie!"
Julia Loggins (Mother of Hana Loggins)
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"I'm honored to say that my daughter Isabelle Kamin (Izzy) has been riding for Natalie Goodwin for over 5 years. From the first day I brought her to Natalie I felt very at ease with her teaching but most importantly her safety. Natalie works with all the different skill level until she feels they are proficient to move forward while making sure she doesn't hold them back. She is always encouraging and praises my daughter even while correcting her mistakes. My daughter has gone from no experience in a western saddle at age 7 to competing in horse shows both here and away as a hunter/jumper. I'm truly grateful for all Natalie has done for Izzy she has played a large part in her life that has made her the confident young woman she is today. Natalie's experience and love for what she does comes through in her riders."
Tiffany Kamin (Mother of Izzie Kamin)
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"We have fond memories of when our daughter Eva began riding with Natalie at her barn in Hope Ranch. Natalie was the perfect teacher - a great combination of gentle instruction with the ability to promote confidence in a novice rider. Eva was not only taught how to ride through focus and concentration (including the crucial lessons of safety) but she also learned the important responsibility of grooming and caring for her horse and tack. Natalie created a sense of family fun down at the barn that was held to a high standard of behavior. We all learned a lot about horses and it was a great way to spend extracurricular time. Natalie's friendly and informative approach translated to Eva (and others) - a life-long love of horses. It was a very special time."
Joanie St. Denis (Mother of Eva St. Denis)
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"Natalie Goodwin, head trainer, made the High Flying Farm community feel like an extended family. My older sister and I started riding with Natalie when I was 4 years old. I immediately fell in love with the sport and our barn. Throughout the past 15 years of riding with Natalie I have grown as a person and as a rider. My horse was treated with the highest of care, as were all the other amazing horses and ponies at High Flying Farm. It is not just a great training facility, but a great home for horses and clients alike."
Erin Linehan (Rider, competitor, champion)
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"Natalie Goodwin has been a part of our lives for many years. We have 3 children (now grown) and one cousin who lived with us for a few years who all rode at Highflying Farm. Two of the kids at the time continued on to ride Hunter Jumpers with Natalie. One being my son Spencer which was rare for a boy. He absolutely loved it and did really well in the competitions. The environment was always very professional and fun. It is a working barn meaning the kids all learned how to care for their horses and gear, which is great. Natalie is a good and contentious trainer and safety was of upmost importance. We also had two mini ponies Nicky and Freckles who lived at our house. Natalie would let us walk them down and board them for us if we ever away for extended times .They loved all the attention they got there. I would recommend Natalie and her barn it was a very good time to look back on for all of us. I was not a horse person at all growing up but now I am!"
Vicki Dusebout (Mother of Jessie and Spencer Dusebout)
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"I started riding lessons with Natalie as a wide eyed six year old, anxious to be involved with anything horse related possible. I ended up staying with Natalie for my entire riding career, only stopping riding regularly to leave for college. Words cannot explain my gratitude and truly outstanding experience I had growing up with Natalie. She served and still serves as a role model, mentor, and great friend. Besides tremendously improving in my riding skills over the years due to her training, she always makes it a fun experience for her riders. She deeply cares about us and wants to make our riding experience as tailored to our wants and needs as possible. I most certainly grew as a skilled rider and person because of her influence.
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Nathalie Giller (Rider, competitor, champion)
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"Natalie was my daughter's riding teacher 6th grade through high school and I can't imagine where my daughter would be without Natalie and the dedication she showed my daughter. She is kind and patient woman and a very skilled teacher both riding and personal. She has great ethics and shows kids boundaries both at the barn and caring for the horses. I would definitely recommend Natalie and High Flying Farm."
Denise Caracas (Mother of Stephanie Caracas)
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"For the past 17 years of my life I have been training under Natalie Goodwin and this experience has shaped me both as a rider and a young adult. I have gone through my entire school career under Natalie and am now making the first steps on my career path with her guidance as well. Not only does High Flying Farm provide above and beyond care for our horses but a great environment for its riders as well. I would recommend this barn to any rider looking for a positive experience around horses filled with fun and good people. It is a professional barn with great teaching, but at the end of the day it is also a home away from home."
Erin Gomez
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Happy trails!
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