Lessons

Lessons are geared toward beginning riders and focus on safety, horsemanship and fun. Our instructor teaches both English and Western classes based on the Secure Seat Method taught by the American Association of Horsemanship Safety.

Preparation for your First Lesson

We encourage new students to arrive approximately a half hour in advance or be willing to stay an extra half hour to read and fill out the rider release form and ask any questions that arise. Please bring a water bottle with you, especially in the summer (it gets hot here!) New students are expected to dress appropriately in the following attire:

a. Boots or closed-toed shoes, with 1/2" heels

b. Comfortable, form-fitting shirt or blouse

c. Good riding pants--either thick, full-length jeans like Levis or Wranglers, or breeches

d. An SEI-certified riding helmet.

What to Expect

Regardless of your previous riding experience, we typically start students the same way. Experienced students most likely will find that the "refresher" course allows them to brush up on previously learned skills, redevelop riding strength and balance, and perhaps learn additional horsemanship and safe handling techniques.

In your first lesson, you will learn about horse behavior, safe handling techniques, grooming, tacking up, and mounting. Be prepared to spend a good part of your first lesson on the ground instead of on the horse.

Once you graduate to the saddle, we will work on developing your riding skills starting with improving your balance and establishing good seat and leg positions. After you have developed reasonably good balancing skills, you will move on to controlling the horse with rein and leg aids. All work during this phase of riding is done at the walk and trot. Depending on your past experience and level of progression, this process may take several lessons.

Once balance and control have been reasonably learned, you will move on to more advanced techniques such as transitions between the gaits, loping and cantering, maintaining consistency in the gaits while reversing, turning, etc.
 

Cancellations

Please give at least 2 hours advance notice if you need to cancel a lesson. Lessons are subject to cancellation due to weather conditions. Additionally, Krista sometimes attends outside events which will require lesson rescheduling. Students will be notified in advance in the event of a cancellation due to weather, illness, etc.

Instructor

Please refer to About Usfor more information on our instructor, Krista Christian.

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