LESSONS

At Paso Fino Niagara we take student development very seriously, even if it requires back-to-basics instruction while riding on a longe line. Customized lesson planning brings the student to a level of expertise that insures safety and self confidence in every situation, whether in the show ring or on the trail. Age is never a barrier - whether you are eight or eighty, the Paso Fino is the horse for you!

Come join us and enjoy the activities at Paso Fino Niagara. Your experience will be relaxed and pleasant while being tutored by a Level Two Coach, certified with the National Coaching Certification Program.

If you are looking to buy a Paso Fino, we can act as an unbiased consultant to find the perfect horse for you.

The Paso Fino is the ultimate pleasure horse - experience the ride and you will know!

"Hi all,
Ann Hedberg and I just had the most incredible session with Robert Darling that I had to share the experience with my new gaited friends. Ann & I took our 2 horses Mac and River up to Cobden for a 2 day session. By the end of the first day you would not think they were the same horses. Robert had us ride around the ring in our usual fashion as he observed how we and the horses operated. he then tinkered with the hardware - lengthening stirrups, changing the riders' center of gravity, loosening curb straps etc. The effect was immediate as the horses' heads came down and noses started to tuck in. He also rode each horse for a bit to get a sense of which issues might be horse and which were rider. He has a lovely way with horses - clear, quiet and gentle, but the horses were expected to listen, which they did. By the end of the sessions the horses were relaxed and happy. We riders were grinning like fools. Most of Mac's issues involved corrections to me, so after the first session I scurried home with him and swapped him out for Bob E Lee who is younger and who had more issues. The biggest issue was head tossing. After Bob E Lee's session the head tossing was gone.
The end of the second day was a trail ride, and the horses were as calm and happy and cooperative there as they were in the ring.
Many thanks to Ruthann for starting this group, as without that I would not have been introduced to Robert. If any of you out there are looking for someone to coach you or your horse, check him out for yourself. www.pasofinoniagara.com If you are half as pleased with him as Ann and I were you will be happy campers.
Cheers,
Sally Jorgensen."

"Riding a Paso Fino is like a breath of fresh air. I'd been riding for 25 years off and on and in that time, I always got stuck riding all the horses that other people had difficulty riding. I went from stable to stable trying to find something that I was happy with to no avail. After having some major neck and back problems, I sort of gave up looking, seemingly accepting the fact that I would never ride again. Then I saw and ad in the local paper about one of the Paso Fino demonstrations being held locally. I'd heard that these were the horses you could ride around on holding a glass of wine.. not spilling a drop. After seeing the demonstration, I went to Robert's website and did some homework. My curiosity led me to try a lesson with Robert and his Paso Fino and I was hooked. I've had to sort of learn how to ride all over again because of the different gait, but it is like I've come "home" and are finally able to enjoy my rides because of with what I've found in the Paso Fino. They make a great friend with their docile and intelligent attitude and have made me feel secure and safe even on a trail ride. I will never go back to riding anything else. Thank You Robert " - Susan McLeod

"Bob’s skill and knowledge have helped me purchase and train a wonderful Paso Fino gelding. Participating in his lesson program now has me enjoying trail rides that I once thought I had to give up." - Nancy B.

"I first met Robert Darling at the Royal Winter Fair in 2008 and in January 2009 I moved my two paso fino horses to Bob's stables for boarding and training. I had only just acquired these two horses and they were in need of training as one was spoiled and did not ride very well and the other was somewhat traumatized. I was an experienced rider from childhood but had not ridden for many years and knew very little about the Paso Fino breed. With the assistance of Bob's riding lessons, most of my riding techniques have come back to me and at the same time I learned a great deal about the Paso Fino and their unique differences from other horses that I have owned and ridden in the past. At the same time I was being trained, my horses were also performing much better as Bob worked on them on a daily basis until I could take my lessons on my own horses. The spoiled and stubborn horse has turned right around to being a great trail horse and the other one has improved immensely.
I highly recommend Bob for not only training the rider but for training the horse at the same time. Also, his rates for boarding and training are very competitive."
Enrique Martinez-Beltran, Toronto

"Seriously, thank you so much for the fantastic learning experience at Paso Fino Niagara. I have learned more than I thiought I would. Thanks for putting up with me, and again thank you". Meagan L. EL Crosley H/S Co Op Student. Feb. 17th - June 12th, 2009.

"Hello Bob,
Diane and I are very pleased with the progress that you are making with Dakota and Jade*. I am starting to have a better understanding and appreciation of your approach and theory in working with the gaited horse breeds. As a result of the lessons with you, I am gaining the knowledge of good horsemanship and how it applies to gaited horses in particular. I feel that I am now starting to be able to be more relaxed and enjoy the riding process. It is an awesome feeling to be riding Dakota when she is gaiting. amongst other things, I know I have to work on being in balance with the horse and staying that way. Looking forward to my future lessons with you
Best regards, Harry Mills"
*Dakota and Jade are Rocky Mountain Horses