Riding and Horsemanship Lessons

We offer private lessons for beginner through advanced riders in English and Western riding, with our lesson horses, or your own horse. 

We teach Classical Dressage through 2nd Level, Western Dressage through Level 2, equitation and horsemanship (patterns), trail and agility obstacles and work over ground poles.  We do not teach jumping.

Horsemanship, stable management and other un-mounted lessons are an important part of our programme and include the following topics - 

* Grooming & Tacking Up, Untacking, Care of Horse and Equipment after Riding

* Lunging & Long-lining, In-hand Training, Ground Work, Obstacles and Agility, Showmanship

* Training and Biomechanics

* Stable Management and Care, Feeding and Nutrition, Behaviour, Types of Tack, Bits, Saddles, Training Aids, and their uses

All our lessons are horse-human relationship based, with a firm emphasis on safety and on learning to understand  horses and their behaviour

We operate our business as a monthly tuition based programme.  Lessons will run from the 1^st through the 28^th of each month and will be based on 4 lessons per month - $300/mo.  The extra days at the end of each month will have opportunities for rescheduling any missed or cancelled lessons.

NO CREDITS, NO REFUNDS

Clients will paying for their chosen lesson spots, RESERVED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THEM, not necessarily for their attendance, which means if they are absent, away, vacationing, sick, or unable to attend the lesson spot FOR ANY REASON,  AND THEY LET US KNOW BEFORE THE DAY OF THE LESSON, then they will have the opportunity and responsibility to reschedule that lesson within a reasonable time frame OR forfeit that lesson fee.

Client cancellations on the day of the lesson will be an immediate forfeit with no option to reschedule.  No exceptions.  This means that if clients text me with cancellation notice and a timestamp of 12.01 a.m., or later, on the day of their lesson, that lesson fee will be forfeited.

If WE cancel lessons due to weather or other circumstances then we will work with clients to reschedule those lessons.

Payments:  Payments must be made by the 3rd of the month. All students will be invoiced using 'Square' with option to pay by credit card online, or by cheque or cash.  No refunds on any pre-paid lessons.

Late Payments: Payments not made by the 3rd of the month will incurr a late fee of $25 

Returned cheques: Subject to a fee of $50, and turned over to collections unless remedied immediately

Cancellation Policy: Lesson cancellations by the student must be received by telephone (719-740-1099 OR 719-321-7014), voicemail or text, by midnight the day prior to lesson day/time. Lessons cancelled by the student according to the cancellation policy may be made up within 30 days, but will not be credited to the following month.

Late Cancelation: Lessons canceled on the day of the lesson, unless for an emergency, will be forfeited 

No Shows: Students who do not give notice that they will be absent from their lesson will forfeit their lesson fee with no option to re-schedule

HCEC Cancellations: Certain extreme circumstances may force us to cancel lessons.  Lessons cancelled by HCEC may be re-scheduled.

Extenuating Circumstances: We acknowledge that in certain cases extenuating circumstances may warrant an adjustment to our policies and we will consider each case with the utmost fairness and consideration

Lesson Duration: 45 - 50 minutes

Unmounted Lessons: Stable management, grooming, tacking up, horse care, nutrition, training, etc.,  are an important part of a comprehensive education about horses.  Although most lessons will be mounted, *some* lessons will include unmounted topics

Helmets: All students must provide their own correctly fitted helmets certified to current ASTM/SEI standards.  Helmets are no longer available to hire due to new insurance regulations and Covid-19 restrictions

Footwear & Gloves: All students must wear stout boots with a heel while present on the facility.  Specific riding boots are required!  No zippers or buckles or metal embellishments which may come into contact with the saddle are permitted for riding.  No students will be permitted to work with horses, or ride, in sandals, tennis shoes, or other inappropriate footwear.  Gloves, appropriate for riding and the various weather conditions, are mandatory for both riding and groundwork lessons.  Students who are learning to ride English must wear breeches or pants appropriate for English saddles, no jeans permitted. 

Minimum Age: Students accepted from 8 years of age

Rider Weight Limit for Lesson Horses: Our maximum rider weight limit is 170lbs for English, 145lbs for Western