Sharon Casares has been teaching horseback riding lessons for over 40 years. She opened Heavenly Horses in 2008 with a vision to share her passion for horsemanship. Her current horse is a Paint named Stetson.
About HEAVENLY HORSES
Welcome! We’re so glad you found us. Our program is like nothing you will find in Northern Illinois! Established in 2008, the Heavenly Horses family has grown to a herd of 26 lesson horses serving over 100 students on a weekly basis. And with God’s grace, we grow each day.
What sets our program apart from other lesson programs is a comprehensive, hands-on, faith-based approach to horsemanship. Safety and fun are our first priorities. We use creative and unique ways to teach proper technique and always provide lots of variety! The program is also managed through a joy-filled volunteer program. Students and their families have the unique opportunity to actively participate in the many aspects of a working barn.
Our family comes together for much more than lessons and chores. We look for opportunities to gather for shows, holidays, prayer, and more. If you are looking for place that increases your love of God and horses and an opportunity to make new, life-long friends, look no further!
HORSEMANSHIP
The primary goal of Heavenly Horses is to introduce and instruct adults and children (ages 5 and up) in the wonderful world of Horsemanship. We want to share our passion and open the world of horses to our students and to share one of God’s most magnificent blessings through lessons, summer camp, trail rides, horse shows and all of the other special events that Heavenly Horses has to offer.
CHARACTER
Moreover, Heavenly Horses seeks to be an overall positive influence in the lives of our students by reinforcing good character traits. With horses ever serving as faithful partners in life lessons, we will reinforce the things learned at home, school and at work such as honesty, integrity, discipline, benevolence and a hard work ethic. We will show them through example how these lessons and traits help them not only become a better horseman, but better people.
LIFE LESSONS
Finally, we believe that interacting with and understanding horses leads to a better understanding of one’s self. We believe the lessons we learn by working with horses leads to self improvement in areas of confidence, responsibility, and discipline.
A Faith Based Program
Our Statement of Faith:
We believe the Bible in its original autograph to be the infallible Word of God, the supreme and final authority for all faith and life.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension and His return in power and glory.
We believe that man was created in the image of God, but fell into sin and is therefore spiritually dead and at enmity with God.
We believe that salvation is the gift of God brought to man and requires belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary death on the cross paying the penalty for man’s sin.
We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict men, grant repentance and faith, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.
Looking Back
Sharon and Stetson riding in a Cowgirl Boot Camp
Owner Sharon Casares rides Crusader at a horse show in 1973
Farus has been our logo horse from Day 1. I was blessed to own and love him for 35 years. I got him as a yearling and trained him from beginning to end. Farus's sweet and loving nature made him a wonderful showhorse, trailhorse, and scouting program horse. He was a Polish Arabian, and his sire was Wayne Newton's famous Aramis. He passed away in 2006 and will always be in our hearts.