Sommer North Equestrian Center, LLC

"There is no horseback riding trainer I would rather ride with, and learn from, than Tina Sommer. When I decided to get back into riding after a 20-year hiatus, I was looking for more than the traditional lesson experience. I was searching for a barn community, a place where I could spend meaningful time with horses and the people who love them, and where I could learn how to care for and connect with horses, not just ride them. Sommer North Equestrian Center (SNEC) is all of those things. A particular perk of riding at SNEC is the Saturday horsemanship lessons where students’ education is expanded far beyond what they learn in the saddle. Getting to participate in both the mounted and unmounted lessons is a deeply grounding experience, which often feels like exactly what I need after a week of balancing work and life stressors. At SNEC, Tina is creating a riding community where riders of all ages can experience the childlike joy of spending time at the barn. This place is a refuge for any child or adult who loves horses and wants to improve their ability to connect with them."

"I have been riding for 7 years now, and I've never found a barn that aligns so strongly with my beliefs and treats their horses so well as Sommer North. This barn is truly a delight to be at. The environment is nurturing and I am not afraid to ask questions - which I still have a lot of, even after riding so long :). The head of the barn, Tina, is absolutely lovely as well. They are also geared towards helping the environment in any way while even having horses. I could never say anything bad about this barn, or the people who run it!"

"Tina Sommer, founder and Chief Equestrian Officer (CEO) of Sommer North Equestrian Center has is an absolutely wonderful horse trainer for students of all ages and all levels. Her philosophy of teaching her students all about horses, is a completely different model than "taking riding lessons". She teaches her students how to take care of horses, interact with them and learn how horses communicate with us two-legged people. In lessons she progresses each student as individuals, even in group sessions. Her love and experience with horses is both fun and contagious. Susan Fischer, Student of Tina Sommer for 2+ years"

"Tina, trainer/owner of Sommer North Equestrian Center, has been my daughter's trainer for the past 1.5 years, and the second I heard that she was leaving our previous riding stable to open up her own riding program (SNEC) I knew that we would follow her there. Prior to SNEC, my daughter rode at three other stables, none of which come close to the awesome experience, and growth, she has had with Tina. Tina doesn't just offer riding lessons - she provides her riders with the knowledge needed to foster a partnership between the horse and the rider. Tina's love and deep respect for horses is clearly visible in everything she does, and the framework of her riding lessons is built upon fostering a mutual level of respect between the rider and the horse. SNEC offers a curriculum-based program with progressive measurable levels so that the riders (and the parents) know exactly what they're working towards. In addition to regular mounted lessons, she also offers weekly unmounted horsemanship lessons where the students learn how to care for the horses. These are all things that we haven't found at any other riding stable, and for kids who eat, sleep and breathe horses like my daughter, this place is a dream come true. From the parent's perspective, what I appreciate most is the constant feedback that Tina provides during the riding lessons. She explains how to do something, why you do it one way and not another way, corrects the rider in a respectful manner, and has a deep level of knowledge that she clearly wants to pass down to the next generation of horse lovers."