Frequently Asked Questions

"The School" is in the southeast corner of Arizona, in high desert grassland country at 4,500' elevation, in Cochise County, near the town of Pearce, approximately 80 miles south-east of Tucson, Arizona.

Classical means correct and proven over time to be the best way to ride. Stock seat is the original way of saying "Western Riding." We put the two together. They mean, riding a western stock or cow horse correctly, so your horse stays happy and healthy.

The school is about the horse and teaching riders the proper way to ride and handle horses. All under the philosophies of Monte Foreman and Ron McLoughlin, and the age-old theories of Classical Dressage. Classical Stock Seat means correct riding in a stock saddle (or western saddle), although we also work with jump riders and dressage riders. The school trains amateur and non-pro, right up to professional riding instructors, presenting the horse in all of its magnificence.

Monte Foreman started studying and researching the system in the early 1940's. He really got the school going around 1950. Ron McLoughlin started his school off of Monte's principals and theories, in 1972, in Towanda, PA. The school moved to Arizona in 1989. In 2006 Ron McLoughlin changed the name of the school from McLoughlin Horse Handling School to the Classical Stock Seat School of Arizona, and became a non-profit 501 (C) (3) in order to help with long-term student scholarships. This riding program has been tried and proven and keeps getting better!

Please visit our About page to learn more about the history of C.S.S.S.A.

There are 18-25 horses on property, including the American Quarter Horse, Arabians, Paints and Thoroughbreds.