Riding Program

Riding Lessons +

the Academy Program

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ABOUT THE HCS RIDING PROGRAM

At High Caliber Stables, we are guided by the principal that riding not only develops equestrian skills but additionally, and more importantly, it cultivates responsibility and lifelong relationships. Additionally, we are guided by the fact that riding helps individuals recognize the hard work and commitment required to recognize and achieve ones goals.

Our riding instructors are excited to bring out the best in each individual that sets foot at High Caliber Stables for a riding lesson! Whether you are a seasoned pro with the goal of competing at the national level, a recreational rider looking to have fun and improve your skills, or a young kid looking to start a new journey, High Caliber Stables has something just for you.

WHO will teach me?

We are so fortunate to have multiple amazing riding instructors on our team that help aid in the success of our academy program and riding lessons. Each instructor brings a unique teaching style to the team, allowing us to match our riders and instructors based on personalities and goals.

We never guarantee a specific instructor as our scheduling has many moving pieces to it, however we do guarantee our students have a safe and fun experience. From the barn owners to the office manager- we all have experience teaching riders of all ages, levels, and goals.

WHEN are lessons taught?

Our riding lessons are taught mostly taught on Mondays through Thursday. starting as early as 2PM and lasting through 7PM. During the year, occassionally lessons might be cancelled in addition to extra riding days added depending on horse shows, events, weather, holidays, etc. We do not offer weekend lessons, in order to give our staff and amazing lessons horses a break after a busy week of teaching.

HOW LONG do I ride?

All of our lessons are approximately 30-minutes in length. Every rider starts in a private lesson regardless of ability. This ensures that basic skills taught in lessons at High Caliber instructors teach are observed. Once the basic riding skills and safety established and seen consistently by the instructor, the rider may be moved into a pair or a group.

While we place much of our emphasis on riding the horse, the skills learned in taking care of the horse and equipment are equally important. Your riders lesson time might be 30 minutes, but sometimes part of that 30 minutes is on the ground learning how to safely interact and handle horses. This is incredibly important for our new riders.

HOW do I schedule or cancel?

All scheduling is done through our lesson cell phone (336) 908-6841 or through our lesson email lessonshcs@gmail.com. All instructors as well as our office manager have access to these contacts.

Cancellations or additional riding spots must be requested by noon the day of to avoid penalty.

LESSON GUIDELINES

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled lesson time, in order to keep lessons on time.

Please arrive in the recommended attire (long pants, closed toed, solid shoes). If you arrive to your lesson without the proper clothing, we will not allow you to ride.

All Riders must complete a registration form before they ride.

What do I wear to my lessons?

For the first lesson or two, we will instruct you on what to wear: long pants, socks, closed –toe shoes with a hard sole, and borrow a helmet. As with any sport, once you make the decision to continue taking lessons on a routine basis, we will recommend you get the proper equipment. Here is what we recommend, in order of importance.

We recommend zip-front paddock boots. These boots have a heel of ½ inch to 1 inch tall, which keeps the foot from sliding through the stirrup, creating a danger to the rider. Boots also protect the foot from being crushed when getting stepped on by a horse. These boots also support the ankle and prevent dirt and shavings from getting in the rider’s shoes.

We recommend the Ovation Deluxe Schooler helmet. This is an inexpensive but very safe choice of an ASTM/SEI approved headgear. While this is more important than the correct foot gear, we put it at priority number 2 because we know you can borrow the correctly fitting helmet from us if needed. Please DO NOT use a bicycle helmet –they are made for falling from a bicycle, not a horse.

We recommend the Kentucky jodhpurs or Irideon or Kerrits Boot Cut riding pants. In addition, we would like all of our riders to have underpasses or tie-downs to keep the pants straight and from riding up their leg and creating a more comfortable ride and giving a more streamlined look to allow the instructor to see what the rider’s leg is doing.

We REQUIRE gloves when the temperature is below 50 degrees and we prefer our riders to ride with gloves throughout the year. Gloves that are primarily leather work and fit the best.