We offer a down-to-earth and family friendly atmosphere. Some of us show, some of us trail ride, but we all love the time we spend with our horses and other riders who exhibit good sportsmanship.
The riding lesson & training aspect of the business was started as “Barnes Paddock” by Kaye Barnes in 1998 hosted at Hidden Oaks Farm in Pinellas Park, FL. A relocation to Angier, NC in 2000 brought the business to its current farm location and would now offer horse boarding and in-house horse training.
In 2007 the farm was given a ‘business make over’ and the name was changed to Starting Point Stables to better reflect the horse training, riding instruction and over all teaching methods & theories.
Business Owner & Instructor, Kaye Barnes
Kaye started riding in 1980 learning western pleasure with a local instructor and then showing on the local circuits. She then started showing english pleasure (stock horse style) through 1983. Through 1984-1985 she took lessons with (then) AHSA ‘r’ rated Hunter judge Audrey J. Brey. And finally in 1985/1986, she changed riding disciplines to dressage and lessoned for a summer with USEF long-listed Deborah Adams out of Painted Lake Stables in Pinellas Park FL.
In 1986 she was extremely fortunate to stumble upon a local gem, a retired horseman named Harman Haakman. Harman had a superb classical background which not only changed her understanding of riding and horsemanship in general, but changed her views on life. All she learned and experienced with him as a mentor she found so familiar with the writings/teachings of Bertlain DeNemethy, Waldemar Seunig etc. Kaye rode with Harman on and off over the years as she started a family, and even went back to FL to lesson with him after moving to NC.
Over the years Kaye has audited clinics with favorite authors and / or prominent figures; Paul Belasik, Ralph Isselhort who was one of Reiner Klimke’s apprentices, Erik Herbermann, Conrad Schumacher.
After realizing that raising a family was her priority and that achieving Grand Prix dressage goals was going to take more money than she had at her disposal, she changed riding priorities and focus.
I started to accept the types of horses I did have access to and began seeing each horse as a ‘learning puzzle’ to be figured out. The shift came from not being ‘hell bent’ for the purity of classical dressage and the highest achievements, to now looking at each individual horse’s potential with in the sporting or working disciplines (flat work, recreational riding horse, dressage, jumping, endurance etc).
