Equestrian Academy Specifics

For Youth Ages 6 to 18

Each Semester is now 11 weeks long.

Winter Semester 2024: starts January 9, 2024

Spring Semester 2024: starts April 2, 2024

Summer InterSession 2024: starts June 25, 2024 (7 weeks, see below)

Fall Semester 2024: starts September 24, 2024

Group Class: Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8:30 PM. Each student’s weekly private lesson is scheduled individually with our certified instructors.

Cost per 11-week semester is $1350, including registration, educational materials, and supplies for the weekly group sessions and the 11 private lessons.

REGISTRATION INCLUDES BOTH GROUP & PRIVATE LESSONS REQUIRED TO ATTEND ACADEMY

This program is designed for children who have a true passion horses and want to learn all they can, including advancing their riding skills to learning about nutrition and important basic first aid. Students will also be enrolled in weekly private or semi-private lessons, in addition to their group lessons and horsemanship classes on Tuesday evenings with other like-minded kids. The group lesson and horsemanship classes will be split 50/50 between riding and horsemanship/groundwork/academics.

Program space is limited so that participants get a great deal of individual attention throughout all classes and can build strong relationships and be supported by the group as they learn.

Program runs in all types of weather. Please dress to be outside!

Cancellations within 2 weeks before the original start date will be refunded 50% of the payment. No refunds are issued once the program starts.

Please email ushorsewelfare@gmail.com with any questions or for more information.

Our Academy offers an outstanding opportunity for your child to grow into a well-rounded, well-educated equestrian. Blending riding, horsemanship, and husbandry provides our students with greater knowledge of the sport and the animals they partner with. Children learn to be equestrians from a different perspective.

HOW IT WORKS

During each 3-month semester, students have 11 mounted private or semi-private lessons, one per week, in addition to a 2-hour group horsemanship or mounted class each week. This is determined by the instructor and the readiness of the student. There are built-in “skip weeks” during the semester for vacations, illness, etc. Students may also purchase additional weekly riding lessons during the semester if there is no skip needed so they don’t skip a beat before the next semester starts! Any riding lessons a student misses will need to be made up during the semester and scheduled based on the instructor's availability. A limited number of open slots are available. Lessons are not carried forward into the next semester. As always, lessons must be canceled 24 hours in advance to avoid losing the lesson. Group Horsemanship and Mounted classes run 2 hours per week. Private riding lessons are 30 minutes, and semi-private lessons are 45 minutes.

WHY JOIN THE ACADEMY

It is our philosophy that horses are not tools, but rather, they are your partner. Learning to listen to them is how one truly learns to ride, and therefore, we believe horsemanship is essential to becoming a good equestrian.

The Academy is designed to provide students, beginners through advanced intermediates, with weekly mounted lessons as well as weekly horsemanship classes. Beginners learn everything from the basics of riding, safety around horses, proper grooming, and tacking up for starters, while more advanced equestrians focus on advancing their connection with the horse, dissecting their riding skills on the flat and over the jumps, and learning from others. In addition, students strengthen life skills such as patience, perseverance, confidence, focus, teamwork, leadership, and much more under the tutelage of our instructors. Horsemanship classes are largely conducted unmounted.

We allow for open enrollment, permitting those new to our facility to enter the Academy during a semester on a prorated basis.

CLASS SPACE IS LIMITED. Please reserve your spot now.

MEMBERS: ACADEMY MUST BE PAID IN FULL PRIOR TO THE FIRST CLASS/LESSON. LATE PAYMENTS ARE CHARGED $10 a day. Your child’s weekly lesson time is reserved for them on an ongoing basis unless you or the instructor request a change in time.

**Please note: Program runs rain or shine. In extreme heat or cold, the instructor has the option to alter the mounted time in the best interest of the student and the horse and provide more horsemanship on a given day. The main barn is heated.

Email us at USHorsewelfare@gmail.com to sign up or for further information.