Lesson Schedule:
Currently lessons are occurring on:
- Sundays 10:30 am to 2:30 pm
- Mondays 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
- Tuesdays 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Thursdays from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm
This schedule may change to accommodate increased demand for lessons. Please feel free to come view lessons whenever is convenient for you. You may want to phone ahead to make sure that lessons are on the regular schedule that day.
Cold Weather Policy:
During the winter months we do have heat in the barn, and a warm corner for riders to stand under in the arena. Even so, riders must plan to catch and release horses in the outdoor temperatures, so dress appropriately. The barn is heated to about 5 degrees C when it is required. Above this temperature the barn will not have heat added. There are also spot heaters to allow riders to tack up more comfortably. The viewing room is well heated and very comfortable, as well there is a microwave/kettle with hot chocolate supplies and coffee to help warm you up!
All lessons are cancelled if the outside temperature is –20 or below — we do not consider wind chill as we are primarily working inside.
Lesson Information:
Lesson Horse Lessons are $35 each, per person. Lessons are 1 hour long, and the price will not change if there are less than 4 riders in the group. Groups are never more than 4 students in a group to facilitate the best lesson structure. Occasionally there will be a couple of extra students during preparation for shows, but those lessons are rare. Lesson horse lessons range from kids(or adults) that have never seen a horse before, to competitive riders going to shows. All riders need to purchase their own ASTM approved riding helmet, shoes with a small heel (paddock shoes are best, please don’t buy the rubber riding boots), and gloves are recommended. Riding pants are not required, but they are the most comfortable for riding. Please do not wear loose or baggy pants – they tend to cause saddle sores.
Own or Leased Horse lessons are $25 each, per person with the same details as the Lesson Horse Lessons. Groups are determined by rider/horse abilities, not age. Usually the groups end up with approximately the same age as size/age and ability tend to go together.
Lessons are one hour long, unless we are seeing signs of fatigue from the riders – pushing past this point invites a fall. We try to watch how everyone is doing and let them choose when they feel they are at the end. When planning for lessons, please come 1/2 hour before your lesson time, and plan to leave 1/2 hour after your lesson is over. This time is to get your horse ready for riding, and to put them away afterwards. The barn skills are extremely important, and we consider this time to be as important as the time on the horses back. We have excellent Teaching Assistant (TA’s) to ensure your child’s (and your) safety in the barn. The kids are expected to do as much as they are physically able themselves, and try to put the TA’s out of a job.
Everyone is required to fill out a waiver, contact information, and medical form before taking a lesson (Package).
Billing Procedures:
All lessons are payable to Trendsetting Services Inc. Invoices are sent out at the end of the month for all of the lessons taken in that month. Please prepare to remit payment on your first lesson of the following month. Any outstanding balances will be charged an interest fee on the next invoice. As we don’t do a pre-billing system we do require that students are committed to attending 4 lessons minimum each month.
Horse Shows with Lesson Students:
Lesson students that have demonstrated the necessary skills and consistency are able to take appropriate lesson horses to shows. We host several shows every summer, and travel to many local shows with both boarder and lesson horses. As we approach spring time riders will be made aware of our show schedule, if you are interested in participating you just need to come chat with me! Not all shows are appropriate for lesson horses to go to — the ones that are ok will be clearly labelled.
Lease Program:
We do lease lesson horses to lesson program students. The benefit of doing this is that the rider and family get a taste of the next step in the equestrian journey, without having to purchase a horse and have the bills. This is a way for you to see how much time you are realistically able to spend on the sport, try riding without being in a lesson (this is a new experience for most lesson students — very different when no one is telling you what to do!), and experiment with your skills. Many long term friendships start at the barn, and lease rides are some of the glue that binds those bonds. If you think you would like to lease a lesson horse (or a non lesson horse) come talk to me — there are usually several options available. Anyone leasing a lesson horse is expected to be taking one lesson a week (which is at a reduced rate), then their lease rides on top of that.
