Christina L. Young - Owner / Trainer
Christina has been riding and working with horses all her life; and has been training horses for almost as long. Her philosophy is that you can't force a horse to learn. You must create an environment where the horse wants to learn. Horses are much safer and more reliable if they look to you as a leader rather than a disciplinarian. And any horse, if they are treated with love and respect; and are taught using consistent methods, is capable of just about anything.
She began riding at 3 years of age with her best friend, Allison Zlepnig - successful international Show Jumping competitor. As a young girl, Chris rode all manner of horses - from the broke as broke, been there done that show pony, to the rankest thoroughbred any track has ever seen. Each horse taught her valuable lessons, and this translated into Christina always trying to figure out how a horse ticked. This also taught her how to stick like glue and get past obstacles to attain a specific goal.
Since the age of 10, Christina worked and voluneered at many stables - English and Western, competitive and non - in the Ottawa and surrounding area; mucking stalls, exercising horses, and seeing their general well being.
Around the age of 16, Christina's interests broadened to include veterinary medicine and animal welfare. She began working in different vet clinics in the Ottawa as a Veterinary Assistant, including Manotick Veterinary Hospital, Alta Vista Animal Hospital and Carleton Veterinary Services.
In 2005 Christina graduated from Algonquin College's Veterinary Technician program (with honors); passed her Veterinary Technician National Exam, and became a Registered Veterinary Technician. She has since left the veterinary profession, but maintains her continuing education in order to keep on top of the most advanced veterinary knowledge.
Chris has also spent many years working with racing Standardbreds, either as a paddock groom, or helping rehabilitate them and retrain them after their careers at the track have ended.
Her main areas of expertise are nutrition, health care, and training and conditioning young or remedial horses. She provides expert training in ground work; focusing on manners and "handiness" and starts horses under saddle with a strong foundation for all riding disciplines. Her background in Veterinary Technology gives her the perfect tools to provide horses with everything they need to live as naturally, and as healthy as possible.
Nowadays Chris spends her time training and competing in distance riding. For the past few years, she has had the priveledge to train and ride with some of Canada's top riders. This Summer she had the opportunity to crew at the North American Endurance Team Challenge in Millbrook Ontario. That was a huge learning experience and opened her up to the world of high level endurance riding.
This Fall, she completed her first 50 mile/80km Endurance race at the Tay Valley ride just outside of Perth on FS Starlet of Wildfire Arabians.
Madison Henning: Madison is a young rider who has been admiring horses from her city based home for her whole life. After haing countless visits to the farm over the years, Madson has finally gotten a horse to ride of her own. While she learns the ropes from YougDale's more experienced horses, she is also actively taking part in the training of her young horse Saber.
Madison will compete in her first 25 mile/40km ride in the 2016 season.
Christina has been riding and working with horses all her life; and has been training horses for almost as long. Her philosophy is that you can't force a horse to learn. You must create an environment where the horse wants to learn. Horses are much safer and more reliable if they look to you as a leader rather than a disciplinarian. And any horse, if they are treated with love and respect; and are taught using consistent methods, is capable of just about anything.
She began riding at 3 years of age with her best friend, Allison Zlepnig - successful international Show Jumping competitor. As a young girl, Chris rode all manner of horses - from the broke as broke, been there done that show pony, to the rankest thoroughbred any track has ever seen. Each horse taught her valuable lessons, and this translated into Christina always trying to figure out how a horse ticked. This also taught her how to stick like glue and get past obstacles to attain a specific goal.
Since the age of 10, Christina worked and voluneered at many stables - English and Western, competitive and non - in the Ottawa and surrounding area; mucking stalls, exercising horses, and seeing their general well being.
Around the age of 16, Christina's interests broadened to include veterinary medicine and animal welfare. She began working in different vet clinics in the Ottawa as a Veterinary Assistant, including Manotick Veterinary Hospital, Alta Vista Animal Hospital and Carleton Veterinary Services.
In 2005 Christina graduated from Algonquin College's Veterinary Technician program (with honors); passed her Veterinary Technician National Exam, and became a Registered Veterinary Technician. She has since left the veterinary profession, but maintains her continuing education in order to keep on top of the most advanced veterinary knowledge.
Chris has also spent many years working with racing Standardbreds, either as a paddock groom, or helping rehabilitate them and retrain them after their careers at the track have ended.
Her main areas of expertise are nutrition, health care, and training and conditioning young or remedial horses. She provides expert training in ground work; focusing on manners and "handiness" and starts horses under saddle with a strong foundation for all riding disciplines. Her background in Veterinary Technology gives her the perfect tools to provide horses with everything they need to live as naturally, and as healthy as possible.
Nowadays Chris spends her time training and competing in distance riding. For the past few years, she has had the priveledge to train and ride with some of Canada's top riders. This Summer she had the opportunity to crew at the North American Endurance Team Challenge in Millbrook Ontario. That was a huge learning experience and opened her up to the world of high level endurance riding.
This Fall, she completed her first 50 mile/80km Endurance race at the Tay Valley ride just outside of Perth on FS Starlet of Wildfire Arabians.
Madison Henning: Madison is a young rider who has been admiring horses from her city based home for her whole life. After haing countless visits to the farm over the years, Madson has finally gotten a horse to ride of her own. While she learns the ropes from YougDale's more experienced horses, she is also actively taking part in the training of her young horse Saber.
Madison will compete in her first 25 mile/40km ride in the 2016 season.