Riding Lessons
What is a riding lesson? A half hour of horseback riding? Is it a chance to be around a horse? Is it supposed to be about "learning to ride a horse"? Or is it a chance to participate in the equestrian sport?
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It's amazing that we don't unpack that concept a bit more when we ask around for "horse lessons".
Riding Lessons Should Build Character
At Stable Minded Solutions, horseback riding lessons are offered in a supportive, non judgmental, and encouraging environment.
Horses have the capability to teach us about ourselves. Everyone starts by learning to handle horses safely on the ground and in the saddle. Our lessons utilize Equine Facilitated Learning methods to teach riders to communicate more effectively with their horse, which also teaches them to communicate more effectively with the humans in their lives.
The only difference between therapy clients and lesson clients are the goals they identify and work towards for themselves.
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Riders are encouraged to experience both English & Western styles of riding. Karla has over 30 years of experience in both English & Western riding. Lessons will emphasize both Classical and Western Dressage skills which can be used to further goals in almost every discipline. Karla has successfully trained and competed in classical dressage, hunter jumper, eventing, drill team, western showmanship and horsemanship, speed events, and gymkhana games. She would be happy to discuss your horsemanship goals and develop a personalized plan for you.
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Equine Facilitated Learning Clients require the same paperwork/health forms/consent forms as Equine Assisted Therapy Clients.
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EFL Lessons are only offered on Stable Minded Solutions horses. Horse will be selected according to suitability of client goals, experience, and physical needs.
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EFL Lesson Clients may be eligible to participate in experiential learning opportunities such as local fun days, horse exhibitions, or clinics if participation is in accordance with their learning goals.
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Most health insurance companies reimburse Equine Assisted Learning services under mental health coverage.
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In a traditional riding program, students take a single introductory private lesson to assess capability. Then they're placed with a group of riders of similar capability and once or twice a week they take a lesson on a school horse (owned by the program) with that group. Occasionally, if their instructor feels they're capable, they might have an opportunity to ride a school horse in a horse show held at the farm. They might even have the chance to take that school horse to an off property local show if time and finances allow. Sometimes the lesson program allows for individualized lessons, but rarely are these tailored to individual student needs.
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Private lessons are usually structured for those who own a horse and wish to show that horse or wish to expand their skills or those of their horse. The lessons are either given at a boarding facility where owners pay for services, or if the owner keeps a horse at home they might trailer their horse to the instructor's facility or pay the instructor a travel fee to come to their home for lessons.
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The issue with both of these more basic traditional models is that unless you own a horse, you have no real opportunity to learn about building a real relationship with a horse. You might learn how to boss a horse around in an arena, but you don't often have the chance to learn how what YOU DO as a rider and how YOU INTERACT with that horse can deeply affect the horse's ability to perform it's job. A weekly program student would rarely have a chance to learn from the ground up how a horse is supposed to move, how it's body works, and how it thinks and reacts compared to how YOU experience life.
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Riding is a highly psychological sport at all levels. Because of the immediate physical feedback from human to horse, riders must be self aware at all times. Riding a horse is trusting in non verbal communication with an animal four times your size. Equine Assisted Learning bridges that gap by using riding to promote self awareness, resiliency, increased distress tolerance, and empathy.
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If you're curious about this services, please contact us now. For more information on pricing, click HERE.
