“Good horsemanship starts from the ground up,” says Kim Lenahan, owner of Shady Tree Training Stables in San Diego County’s Ramona. “People should learn more from a riding lesson than just how to stay on a horse. They should also learn how to be safe around horses. Our focus is hunters and jumpers with an emphasis on safe horsemanship. We included dressage basics, western, gymkhana and trail riding in our program.”


Kim grew up in San Diego County on her family’s boarding and training facility, Shady Tree Ranch. Her father bred and raced Thoroughbred racehorses and her mother coached her elder sisters to county championships on the AQHA show circuit. Kim was encouraged from a very young age to handle and care for the young foals, halter breaking and imprinting them. Aside from the breeding aspect of the farm, from an early age Kim was immersed in the care and training of the racehorses that her father managed.
“The mind of a Thoroughbred has always intrigued me, and I enjoy working with them,” says Kim. Over the years, Kim worked and/or trained with several well-respected training barns including Hunter Hill Farm, Hidden Fox Farm, Belvedere Stables and Heartland Ranch Equestrian Center.
In May of 2006, Kim proudly purchased her own private training facility in Ramona. Formerly known as Lauren Schurr Performance Horses, Kim decided to continue on with the family tradition by naming the barn Shady Tree Training Stables as an extension of her family farm. The property is set on four acres and the facilities include two sand arenas with jumps, a roundpen, an 11-stall barn with attached in and out paddocks and large turnout paddocks. Kim is in the process of building additional paddocks for school horses and will be installing a hot walker later this year.
“I believe in quality, not quantity,” explains Kim. “We will never have more than 18 horses on the farm. Shady Tree Training Stables is a full care, full service barn. I handle all of the horses’ daily care from turnout to feeding and blanketing. If your horse gets an injury, after calling you and/or the vet, we’ll take care of the injury until further assistance is needed. You never have to worry.”
Kim provides the same high quality, personal attention for her students in lessons that she provides to her horses at Shady Tree. She offers lessons for riders of all ages and experience levels.
“We have some awesome lesson horses for every kind of rider,” says Kim. “They are confidence builders, yet well trained for proper instruction.” Lessons are available in a variety of disciplines including hunters, jumpers, dressage, gymkhana, western and trail riding.
Kim encourages riders that are interested in showing to join Shady Tree’s show team, which competes regularly in the San Diego area. Kim feels that students of all ages and financial backgrounds should have the opportunity to ride and show if they wish. Shady Tree Training Stables always has a nice selection of county level show prospects available for sale.
“My goal is to go to one show a month,” says Kim. Shady Tree students compete in Greater San Diego Hunter Jumper Association shows around the county. Kim also encourages her students to attend local horsemanship, vet and riding clinics.
“We are constantly striving to continue our education as a team,” says Kim. “I want to cater to students who don’t necessarily have the money to go to a big show barn. We provide high services at a lower price. If my students want to be a trainer one day, my goal is to teach them what it takes to get there. It’s not just how you ride and show, it is also how you handle yourself around other people. We encourage camaraderie and friendship within our team, which will give them the necessary tools to be an instructor down the road.”

Success In and Out
of the Show Ring

If students acquire an itch that a few riding lessons won’t scratch Shady Tree offers partial leases in addition to boarding and lessons. Students pay a flat fee which covers their board and weekly lessons and in turn they then have the opportunity to ride and show their lease horse.
“The lease program encourages the rider’s growth and gives them a special chance to ride regularly,” explains Kim.
In 2007 Kim will begin hosting bi-monthly horsemanship programs at Shady Tree Training Stable. The program will focus on horse care, barn management, how to read body language, proper feeding/equine nutrition and how to keep the barn’s facilities in good working condition.
“It’s everything you need to know to keep yourself and your horse safe,” explains Kim. “It’s horsemanship and horse keeping lessons for beginners, parents whose child wants a pony and for those who already have a horse and want to learn more about how to properly care for their horse.”
Whether students compete and attend clinics or just ride on trails, Kim’s goal is that all her students become better horsemen. Her motto is success through understanding and she believes that knowledge and experience are the keys to establish a successful relationship between horse and rider.
For more information about Shady Tree Training Stable call 619-517-8433 or email Kim at lenahan75@msn.com.