Riversong:
An Equestrian Retreat
Chris Irwin’s 28 years of international
horse industry expertise and his wife, Kathryn Kincannon’s
25 years as hotelier of small luxury Relais &
Chateaux hotels in California and upstate New York
have meshed into a collective vision: to go where
no resort has gone before and combine the best of
both worlds. Their 100-acre Riversong Ranch is a stunningly
pristine wild and scenic river valley with majestic
pines, cedars and poplars, gorgeous meadows and a
mile of rushing river frontage. Situated in the eastern
foothills of the Canadian Rockies east of Jasper and
west of Edmonton, phase one of their development plans
– an insulated year-round indoor riding arena
and event center – opened in the summer of 2008
for horsemanship events. Future development plans
revolve around a holistic approach to an equine-inspired
environment that will become The Irwin Institute for
Equestrian Arts.
 Chris
Irwin’s reputation in the horse world has been
built around the premise “Ask not what your horse
can do for you; ask what you can do for your horse,”
a signature philosophy which will be intricately woven
into every detail of Riversong Ranch. The fully insulated
arena will be complete with 8 stall barn, luxuriously
comfortable viewing Great Room with wrap-around decking,
woodburning fireplace, wet bar and panoramic meadow
and forest views. The arena will host a variety of year-round
events, everything from Chris’ Certification and
EAPD sessions and Kathryn’s Equiana workshops
to Symposiums and Expos. Guests will have a choice of
lodging options – from spacious RV sites surrounding
the 60-acre meadow with electricity and water hook-ups
to an inviting guest lodge to well-appointed riverfront
cabins. Amenities will include a small Spa, non-denominational
(English and western) tack shop and the Riversong Café
for meals and snacks. Guests may enjoy T’ai Chi
sessions with Kathryn by the river, fishing, kayak and
canoeing, and riding excursions into the miles of Crown
Land surrounding the ranch. An artist’s retreat
will be another feature of the property, as Riversong
Ranch plans to specialize in the work of local artisans.
 Then
there are the horses! With a dozen well-trained horses
of every size and breed available at Riversong Ranch,
the fundamentals of equitation – either English
or western – as taught by one of Chris’
top certified trainers will change the way you feel
about riding a horse. The year-round riding school and
training facility will offer a diverse equestrian menu.
Chris being one of the world’s great masters in
equine ethology – the science of body language
– his methodology is a must for anyone who truly
loves their horse. When you learn how to speak to a
horse through your body the way it is speaking to you
with his or hers, a whole world opens up between you
and the horses that you would never have thought possible.
From there, the fine art of lunging and long-lining,
not to mention grooming and basic handling, allows you
to truly reach the heart and mind of any horse. By summer
of 2010, Riversong's indoor riding arena, a beautiful
clubhouse lounge and 8-stall barn will all be ready
for action. Plans include guest rooms on site for clinic
and workshop guests. These units will also allow for
extended stays for 2 and 3 week training intensives.
Chris will be accepting horses in for training in the
summer months and will begin this program again in the
late fall and winter. With a fully-insulated indoor
arena and barn, training can go on throughout the winter
to ensure horses are ready for full enjoyment come spring.
For more about the exciting progress of Riversong, please
visit www.chrisirwin.com.
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