Riding & Horsemanship Lessons

Upper levels, lower levels, western, traditional dressage, english, and jumping-all with a dressage-based approach. For more information on our riding coaches, please see: WHO WE ARE

Lessons start at $65/session.

Please scroll to the bottom for more information as well as our lesson policies.

What should I expect in my lesson?

First lessons are to help us know where you’re at in your horsemanship and riding skills and what you hope to gain from instruction. Often goals for riders change as they follow their riding journey, but having a goal in mind when you start can help focus our time together.

If you’re new to horses, we’ll talk a lot about safety and horse behavior, and we’ll do a ton of “how to” so that you can be more self-sufficient in preparing your horse in the future.

Teaching general horse and equipment care will be part of our lessons.

Please note that our lesson time begins when we are together and working. For your first lessons, that includes gathering your lesson horse from their paddock, grooming, tacking up, and putting the horse away at the end. Once you’re able to tack up and put away your horse safely and without assistance, most of your lesson time will be riding. Younger kids do best when a fair part of their lesson is involved with the brushing and care of the horse as it boosts their confidence around these large animals.

On days when the weather is fabulous, we try to spend as much time riding as possible. On days when the weather is less cooperative, we take some time to learn to wrap legs, practice basic horse massage and ground exercises, as well as other important horsemanship skills. Not every lesson will be a riding lesson.

If you are working on training your own horse, we love doing “check-in” sessions where you can bring your horse, show us what you’re working on, and then train together to help you reach the next step in your progress.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RIDE TO COME TAKE A LESSON. If you’d like to have more of a horse “experience” rather than a riding lesson, please reach out! There is much to be gained by using your hour in ways other than riding – grooming, ground-driving, leading, lunging, etc.

Happy to take cash, check, venmo, or paypal.

HERE’S a note on pricing

HERE’S a note on lesson progression

LESSON POLICY:

*Lessons start at $65/session. Many lessons will be pairs or group lessons. Individual lessons will likely be shorter, while larger groups will be longer. The cost is the same.

* Horsemanship (ground handling, feeding, care, and training) will always be part of what we teach. Not every lesson will be a ridden lesson.

* If at any point during your lesson you need to take a pause, please let us know! If there is something particular you’d like to work on or play with – we’d love to help you move toward the things you’re excited about doing.

* If we push you past your comfort zone, please tell us because while we sometimes do need to push ourselves to learn more–not every lesson day is a day in which we need to make big strides forward.

* If you’re late to your lesson, your lesson is shorter. The hour you reserve ends at the end of the reserved hour. If you are 30 minutes (or more) late, your lesson and payment are forfeit.

* Your lesson begins the moment an instructor’s help is needed. For some lessons (especially as you’re just getting started or if you switch to a new horse and/or discipline), this will include tacking up and putting away the horse.

* Minors may be dropped off at the beginning of their lesson and picked up at the end ONLY IF parents, instructor, and child have talked about the schedule beforehand, child can gather, tack up, and put away their horse without help, and Instructor has agreed before the lesson. Child needs to be picked up promptly after lesson time as we cannot have minors in or near the barn without adult supervision. If guardians are more than 30 minutes late, another lesson fee will be charged. Please note that we are happy to accommodate if prior arrangements have been made.

* 24 hour notice is required for a lesson cancellation or payment is forfeit. Emergencies will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

* Your child will, at some point, fall off a horse. We know zero riders who have never hit the ground.

* No lessons will be given without a signed waiver.

* Lessons may be cancelled by instructor due to weather.

* Payment for lessons is an acknowledgement that student and/or parent understand the lesson policy.

* If lessons are pre-purchased in a package, all lessons must be used within six months. We offer a discount if you pre-pay for 5 or 10 lessons.

* Any borrowed tack or equipment must be put away in the same (or better) condition than it was found. Please make time to wipe down or clean tack when appropriate.

* We love our barn community. Please help us keep it tidy!

A NOTE FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT OWN OR LEASE THE HORSE USED FOR LESSONS:

* Plan time for proper care of the borrowed horse – replacing blankets, flymasks, flyspray, special hoof care, and/or warmup, cool down, and stretching time.

* Some lesson horses have particular needs in regards to care or warm-up and cool-down times. This care will be part of our lesson time.

* No scissors or clippers will be used on horses without express permission from the owner.

* Unless you own or lease your horse, we cannot guarantee which horse will be available for your lesson.

* We cannot accommodate children under 7 who do not own their own horse.

* Please note that horses with more advanced training, as well as jump horses in jump lessons (anything more than very low crossrails), will have a “horse use” fee of no less than $25 added to the lesson.

* We also ask that students ready for jumping (even low level) provide jump boots. Please ask Jolene for brand/style recommendations as not all boots are created equal, and we are dedicated to doing our best for our equine friends.