Everything you would look for in a place to learn to ride, or care for your horse, and collaborate with you in the training of your own horse is available at Advantage Ranch.

RIDING LESSONS for Children, Youth, and Adults

	We teach both adults and children. Adults generally ride in private lessons (or in couples) since scheduling around the rest of life is a consideration. About half of our adult riders elect to experience, as part of their horsemanship journey, our classes in showmanship: the art of handling the horse from the ground as an exercise in partnership mastery. Many adults enjoy both a showmanship session and a riding lesson each week. Adult beginner riders start in the western style. For experienced riders, and for those who own their own horses, instruction is available in western, hunt seat, and dressage. All instruction is based on the balanced seat approach to riding and founded in classical equitation. The program offered for teens is similar in style and content to our adult lessons and filled with great mentoring, frank conversations, and intentionally lifting up all the life lessons available through experiences with horses. Teens are challenged to take responsibility for planning their rides and riding their plan. They benefit in the areas of focus of the mind, fitness of the body and leadership skills. DISCOVERY Horsemanship Children usually begin their riding journey in Discovery, a stations approach to rider education that encourages children to explore and discover for themselves what their horse interests will be. Beginner children ride in the western equipment because it provides more stability for rider balance and a more comfortable distribution of weight for the horse’s back. In Discovery students have hour long lessons spending 15 minutes in grooming, 15 minutes in ground partnership, 15 minutes in mounted exercises on the longe line, and 15 minutes of independent riding instruction. Discovery classes are offered in 5 week sessions, throughout the year. Riding camps, mini-clinics and occasional field trips are available for Discovery students. PARTNERING Horsemanship When riders competency tests indicate it is appropriate they may advance to Partnering where they will focus on building a relationship and riding experience with one horse. Partnering horsemanship usually begins in a semi-private format and as riders progress other formats may be offered. We tailor the experience to the needs of the student. Partnering students begin to explore Hunt Seat along with making progress in their Western equitation. Team experiences and mini-clinics are available for Partnering students. From the Partnering level riders will also be invited to explore opportunities in competition and to design the rest of their horsemanship journey. PERFORMANCE Horsemanship For the experienced rider of any age who takes on the challenges and opportunities of high performance training of horse and rider, and recognized competitions, we offer the road towards mastery in Performance Horsemanship. The Performance level offers extraordinary learning opportunities that will transform your life! And you will be encouraged to pass what you learn to others. It is in the sharing of knowledge that we can make a difference in the world!
PDF Forms: Rider Registration and Release : Welcome to the Program : Guidelines for Riding Students