Shelby Williams, Texas Equine Education and Horsemanship founder, teaches riders of all ages and abilities at her facility. Courtesy Shelby Williams

Four days a week, preschoolers, retirees, first responders, children with learning differences and a host of others make the drive to Farmersville to take a break, saddle up and breathe. By their side as they place their feet in the stirrups is Texas Equine Education and Horsemanship founder and director Shelby Williams.

Since 2020, the program and its 11 horses and ponies have called 20 acres of pasture on FM 903 home. What started as Williams teaching a friend’s acquaintance’s daughter how to ride a horse has grown into a program that taps into her lifelong love of horses and passion for helping others. She built the three-arena, six-stall facility largely by hand, creating a place where students in every stage of life can hone their horseback riding skills, discover growth in mistakes, become physically stronger and learn things about themselves they’ll carry far beyond the stables.

By Whitney Alswede, Special Contributor

For more on this story see the October 23, 2025 print, or digital edition of The Farmersville Times. Subscribe today and support local journalism in your community.