Adult Rider Development Program
Price
Weekly - $90 per lesson
Casual - $105 per lesson
Adult group lessons
We understand that as adult riders your prefrontal cortex is a little more developed and so you will be wanting to take things a little slower than our youths and really refine your technique so that you feel confident, safe and secure in the saddle first and foremost. Before joining the group lesson you will have an initial assessment private lesson where we can discuss your riding goals, assess your riding skills and decide on which level of riding you are riding at.
As adult riders we understand that other things in your life are your priority (life, family etc) and that horse riding is that break and reprieve that you need for yourself. It is also a great way to get some exercise in a social atmosphere, make new friends and take a break from your mental load. If riding horses does one thing well it’s destressing and taking your mind off things for a while so you can relax and be more present with your family and more focused in your career. Our group lessons are an hour and a half in duration with the first half hour on the ground learning how to read the horses body language and understand cue training and horse behaviour, followed by an hour in the saddle furthering their ridden skills.
level 1 - intro
Our intro level groups learn basic skills required for navigating the arena and arena figures with a maximum of 4 other students. The challenges you will learn further develop your steering skills, working in an open paddock, riding over poles, tuning the horses to be sensitive and responsive to their stop, go, turn aids and starting to learn how to ride with your legs. On the ground we start learning about positive and negative reinforcement, structuring your training session for developing willingness and consent and timing of applying and releasing pressure through basic cues and tricks.
Level 2 - intermediate
For you to graduate into our intermediate school classes you will be able to show a well established, strong and balanced 2 point and 3 point seat. Intermediate lessons involve refining the quality of communication between horse and rider so that you can navigate the harder school movements and if interested start working over cavalettis. We work on developing your ability to better feel your horse to ask for engagement and half halts and introducing how to work into contact and build connection. Riding in the paddock, you will learn how to work with the horses in an open area in walk and trot with periods of canter. On the ground we start increasing the complexity of our tricks and cues as well by combining cues for larger tasks at liberty and in hand. Always returning to our core philosophy of willingness, consent, choice and connection to establish a well rounded relationship between you and your horse.
Level 3 - advanced
For you to graduate into our advanced school classes you will need to pass a theory exam on understanding different terminologies used in training and how they can be applied in different case studies. You will also be asked to perform a simple dressage test and small showjumping round (if you have chosen jumping as part of your curriculum) to demonstrate your skill set and development. You will have the opportunity to join show team outings (if that is of interest to you) and learn the ins and outs of what is required of competing. Advanced lessons involve riding with throughness, swing and relaxation into an established contact, working frame and self carriage. If you have chosen show jumping as part of your curriculum you will start to learn how to jump more complex combinations and heights. In the paddock, you will be learning how to navigate an open area with other horses, walk, trot and canter in preparation for attending shows and competing. On the ground we will be working on the more complex liberty tricks that are trained for horses to be in shows and movies. Again always keeping in mind our core philosophy of how we work with our horses.
Buying your own horse and lessons
We welcome our students who have the ability and desire to buy their own horses and bring them into have their lessons on. We recommend that you ask us for advice when it comes to purchasing the right horse. We also recommend waiting until you are close to graduating to level 2 intermediate classes as this will give you a more well rounded skill set to deal with the trials and challenges that come up owning your own horse. Before joining a group lesson with your own horse, you will have a half hour assessment lesson to grade you and your horses skill set combination to fit into an appropriate group level.
Lesson availability
Contact for group lesson times. Lessons are held Monday to Thursday 3.30pm - 5pm and 5.30pm - 7pm
Ages 18 years +
Hour and a half group lesson
Maximum number of riders - 7
Testimonials
Hear why our students keep coming back
“Katie is a skilled and experienced instructor who is able to assist riders to achieve their riding goals. Her focus is one of continual improvement and challenging riders to take the next step in their journey in a safe and supportive environment. The relationship between the horse and rider is something that Katie values and she is able to assist riders to build confidence and understanding in this area. If you are looking for an instructor, I would highly recommend Katie. She has helped me to build confidence and skills after a bad fall which has allowed me to enjoy riding again”
~ MW
”I’ve been doing lessons with Katie since December last year, after not being on a horse for 8 years it was extremely nerve wracking getting back into the saddle. Katie made me feel so safe and I’ve been able to pick up the skills I’d forgotten and build my confidence again on a variety of horses to learn different paces and build beautiful relationships. All of the horses make me feel safe to explore different maneuvers and work on technique and Katie’s knowledge has really helped me understand the communication between horse and rider to get the best out of every lesson. Highly recommend for anyone wanting to learn to ride or get back into a passion”