About Us

Ruth Van Sweden-Altes has been riding throughout her lifetime and began training in 1988.  Ruth is originally from New Mexico but moved her training and lesson business to California in 1996.  During her career she has competed at the state, regional, and national level.  She has ridden and trained horses and riders to 12 World Championships and 6 Reserve World Championships at Quarter Horse, Palomino, Buckskin and Morgan World Shows. She and her students have shown successfully in Reining, Working Cowhorse, Trail, Western Riding, Hunter Hack, Working Hunter, and Jumping. 

 

Ruth has been teaching western riding clinics in Europe since 1995 and has served as a horse show judge in Texas, New Mexico and California.  Ruth holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from New Mexico State University, where she also had a strong veterinary science background.  She managed a Quarter Horse breeding program for fifteen years.  Ruth has offered diverse and varied training programs in both English and Western disciplines and has run many youth summer horsemanship camps. She has carried her knowledge and experience out into the wilderness and on the trails, leading packing, outfitting, and trail riding excursions since 1992. 

Ruth was also the official trainer for the San Francisco Mounted Police Unit.

 

 She is married to Matt Altes and has two boys Colton and Wyatt who also really enjoy riding.