This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
PENNSYLVANIA FURNACE — For Gillian Warner, her love of horses started at a young age. Now, she is reinvesting that passion for the equine world back into the Centre County community through Warner Equine, an equestrian business offering horseback riding lessons, training, clinics and more.
Based out of Tadpole Lane Farm, 213 Pine Hollow Lane, in Pennsylvania Furnace, Warner is using the skills she has cultivated throughout her life to demonstrate the impact learning how to care for and ride horses can have on Centre County youth.
“I started riding horses when I was 4 years old. I was always the horse obsessed kid,” Warner said. “You know, my poor parents would be driving past a field of horses and I would freak out. I would just want to go see the horses, pet the horses.”
After Warner’s parents threw a pony-themed birthday party for her, there was no turning back.
“They were probably not expecting the outcome that came from that,” Warner said. “But it was nonstop ever since. After that, I started taking riding lessons.”
Throughout her adolescence, Warner competed in a mix of hunter jumper riding and eventing and worked for industry professionals to gain experience. Warner decided to pursue higher education locally at Penn State University’s College of Agriculture. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in community, environment and development, and is currently completing a graduate certificate program from the University of Washington in applied animal behavior.
After completing her undergraduate degree and a stint of time working in North Carolina as an equestrian director, Warner felt the call back to Centre County.
“As that job was wrapping up, I thought, ‘You know what? I want to, I really want to connect back to the community,’” Warner shared. “I wanted to utilize equestrian sports as a way to build communities as well as providing insight and training to horses and helping the communication between horses and riders.’”
She launched Warner Equine in January 2022 and has since used her studies and experience to cultivate a community driven business with the science of animal behavior at the forefront of the training she provides.
“My tagline and motto for Warner Equine is ‘building partnerships,’” Warner shared, noting how that includes both community building and focusing on the science of animal behavior when training horses. “In my lessons, I work to identify goals that the horses and riders have together, work to clarify and assist in better communication with our equine partners as well,” she explained.
For Warner, much of what she teaches is based on the lessons she’s learned herself.
“A lot of my research at Penn State focused on how horses can help personal development. And also growing up with horses in my life for so long, I’ve experienced it myself and seen it among my friends,” Warner said, sharing more about the benefits for children in learning the ins and outs of the equestrian world.
Warner noted that though horse riding is an excellent opportunity for people to stay active, the benefits of being an equestrian extend far being the physical advantages.
“I think horses can be incredible teachers of responsibility. Having to care for another being and to show up with that dedication is critical. Horses, of course, are living, breathing animals that do require a lot of work,” Warner said. “It’s a lot to commit to, but they do teach people the responsibility and the dedication it takes to care of another being — which is also critical for developing empathy. Thinking about how another being is feeling or their experience in the world and how you can have an effect on that can be a really meaningful awareness to develop.”
Warner noted that one opportunity for local youth interested in developing these skills is through one of Tadpole Lane Farm’s summer camps. More information on independent courses and summer camps can be found at tadpolelanefarm.com.
While Warner has independent clients through Warner Equine, she also teaches in the lesson program through Tadpole Lane Farm. Lessons can be done in either 30-minute or one-hour sessions. And Warner noted, the lessons include “much more than just riding.”
“There’s the grooming of the horses, packing them up, understanding some of the body language and the cues that they give us. As we get started, we go through safety talks, make sure you’re confident being around the horses, handling the horses,” she explained. “And then as you get going under saddle riding, we’ll start where the student is at. If it’s their first lesson, we cover a lot of the basics. We cover the position on the horse, we make sure you can stop and steer and have that control, you know, and then we build from there.”
But apart from the technical skills, Warner also noted the impact horses can have on a student’s overall mindset and well-being.
“Horses live in the moment and so I think they teach you to be very present and very aware,” Warner said. “They teach you how to be aware of your own body language and they teach you how to communicate with kindness and consistency. You’re experiencing life with them in the moment that you’re in. And I think that’s a very grounding experience.”
For more information on Warner Equine, visit warnerequine.com.
