Gift certificates are always available!

Updated: December 2014

You don't need to be John Wayne to ride horses! I enjoy teaching very beginners to intermediate level students of all ages to ride. Though I have years of experience in riding and teaching English, I currently teach Western (for pleasure & fun) style of riding only. Most importantly, I try to teach my students to enjoy horses as much as I do. I am not a competitive person by nature so I tend to teach in a way that enables students to learn at their own pace. When I feel that they are competent enough, I will take established students on trail rides.

PLEASE NOTE: For safety, we do not take very beginners on trail rides.

Some of my history with horses

I have been riding since I was 6 years old and got my first horse when I was 12 years old. She was a red roan appaloosa mare named "Filly" (at left) who I had for nearly 18 years. She was an amazing horse who helped teach many people to ride and really helped to get me started as a riding instructor years ago by being one of those horses you could safely put anyone on. Sadly, she passed away years ago but still I have her daughter Sunny who has also been a great school horse along with the rest of our herd. Sunny appears below right, and many of our other horses are pictured through out our web site.

Though I have shown competitively with my horses I try to teach my students to enjoy the horses as I do, in a non-competitive and relaxed environment. There is no pressure to learn to be a "perfect" rider, just a safe, correct one who has respect for the horse and from them. I strive to take as much time as necessary to build a rider's confidence. Teaching safety around the horses is part of every lesson as students learn to groom and tack-up before they ride and cool the horses out at the end of the lesson. You get a feel for what a horse's personality is like if you spend a bit more time with them when you are not in the saddle. To be more specific, I try to teach students to be responsible with the horses as if they were their own. If any of my students go on to purchase their own horses (as many have!) they will have experience in the basic care of a horse as well as how to safely ride them.

Some of the things I've done competitively with my horses include: showing at the local horse shows and the 4H fair when I was younger. I have won my share of championships on "Filly", my appaloosa. I've ridden both English (hunt-seat and balance seat) and Western (pleasure, gymkhana and reining). Team penning and pace events have been fun too. I have also been fortunate enough to have raised and trained many foals. Raising young horses has been a wonderful experience. Most of the young horses I have raised have been part of my lesson program ... See our "beginnings" page for pictures.

Training or schooling horses is something I really enjoy including as part of my lesson program for more advanced riders.

What you need to take riding lessons from me...

HELMETS: As I teach mainly beginners, I require all riding students to wear helmets! I do have a few helmets for new riders to try but strongly suggest that you purchase your own if you are serious about riding.

All new riders are required to sign a release form before riding.

FOOT WEAR: You need to wear a boot or shoe with a heel that is similar to a work boot or roper style cowboy boot. The reasoning behind this is that with a heeled-shoe, you will not easily get your foot caught in the stirrup like you see in those old westerns! A low heel (NO more then an inch high) is best and any zippers should not be on the inside of your boot so they're not scraping your leg or the saddle while you ride.

JEANS: I suggest jeans that are not very baggy. Cowboy cut (boot leg), straight leg or relaxed-fit type jeans are fine. Sweat pants or shorts are not a good idea for riding.

Current Lesson Rates:

Lesson rates are a FLAT RATE of $45/lesson. They've been at the current level for years, despite the fact that the cost of feed, shavings, and gas has continually gone up. We still have one of the most family-friendly lesson rates in the area – rates elsewhere run $50- $70+ per private lesson.

BUYING LESSONS BY THE BLOCK SAVES YOU MONEY!

We do not require you buy a block of lessons but if you pay for NO LESS THAN 5 lessons in advance, lesson rates drop $5 per lesson to $40/lesson ($200/block). Prepaid lessons do not have an expiration date!

FOR NEW STUDENTS: For your first lesson or two, your lesson will likely be private, in order to evaluate your skills. Once you can safely ride on your own (off a lead line) you will likely move to a semi-private or group lesson. In either case, the lesson will be $45 (unless you pay for a block of lessons). Groups here are rarely more than 4 riders.

OFFSITE LESSONS: I have NO time to teach off property. Sorry!

We do NOT rent horses to the public. All lessons are by appointment only and are weather permitting.

GIFT CERTIFICATES are always available! If you know someone who may be interested in trying out riding I sell pre-paid gift certificates for 1 hour-long, private riding lesson for $45 each. Please email me for more information. I can send you the gift certificates by mail after you pay for them via Paypal, send me a check or you can pick them up here at the farm (by appointment only). They're a great gift idea for birthdays or Christmas presents for that hard to buy for person who has always loved horses, etc.! Our gift certificates have no expiration date!

LEASES: Will only be available to current, competent students.

BOARDING: Hurricane Hill Stables is currently full and we are not offering boarding at this time.

WORKING STUDENTS: No working student positions are available at this time. For the future, we are only offering work-to-ride positions to current students who we know well enough to trust to ride and work unsupervised.

TEACHING DAYS: are Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I work as an artist in addition to teaching riding and therefore do not teach on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (or Sundays, unless I'm over booked for Thursday, Friday and Saturday).. I try to schedule all riding lessons in advance (as opposed to day-of) whenever possible. Most students have weekly riding lessons on the same day and time slot though I do offer bi-weekly lessons if a slot is available. I am willing to do a trial lesson for anyone who is interested.

WE GO YEAR-ROUND: I teach all year as long as the weather and footing permit. Riding in the winter months can be quite comfortable if you dress appropriately (layers!). I do try to reschedule when possible for weather related cancellations. Otherwise, I require a 24-hour notice for canceling lessons or you are charged for the hour.

Thanks for reading!