Riding lessons for adults and children ages 8 years old and up are scheduled year-round in the early evenings and on weekends. Most lessons are private, 45 minute long sessions with the instructor focusing on the individual rider's strengths and weaknesses. Private lessons are geared precisely for each individual. Unlike group lessons, this format allows the rider to learn at his or her own speed and students are not expected to adjust to the group's learning curve. All beginners start out with private lessons as they are given lunge lessons which maximizes safety and increases the student's ability to learn the riding skills more quickly.

Students

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Most people learn the quickest when they practice more often; this is true with piano, math, and horseback riding. For that reason, we recommend that students take a minimum of one lesson per week. Of course, if they can manage, riders find additional lessons beneficial. Lesson horses are also available for lease on a monthly basis so students can practice recently learned skills. Students are required to take regular weekly lessons to lease a horse.

Gallery Farm believes in building a strong rider foundation with emphasis on safe riding to create an independent rider. A rider must learn to control his or her body (developing a rider's position) before he or she can correctly influence the horse. Dressage is the basis for the training and instruction technique.

In addition to learning how to ride, students are taught to handle horses safely both on and off the ground. To insure an all-around knowledge of riding and horse care, students are taught to and are expected to – groom their horse, tack it up properly, warm up before their lesson and cool down after it, untack, and groom again before putting the horse away.

Lesson Payment Late Fee:
Lessons that are not prepaid must be paid for on the day of the lesson. Late or invoiced lesson payments will be charged an additional $5 per lesson.

Non-Regularly Scheduled Lessons (students that don’t have a permanent time slot):
48 hours notice is required to cancel a non-regularly scheduled lessons without penalty. If it is necessary for you to cancel a lesson without giving this notice then you will be charged the cost of the lesson and will not be given another lesson until the cancelled lesson payment has been made. Of course, this does not apply to a mutually agreed upon cancellation due to weather or etc. Exception to policy - you will receive two late cancellations known as "Freebees" per year without penalty. You must call to cancel prior to the lesson. Please no e-mails. No shows will be charged the regular lesson rate. Rescheduling to a different day to avoid a penalty will not apply to non-regularly scheduled lessons.

Regularly Scheduled Lessons Cancellation Policy:
The privilege of having a regularly scheduled lesson (a permanent time slot each week) comes with responsibility – when cancelling a regularly scheduled lesson, 72 hours notice must be given to avoid a lesson fee charge. If you cancel 24-72 hours prior to your lesson you may reschedule the cancelled lesson to a day prior to the next regularly scheduled lesson to avoid a charge. Cancellations within 48 hours are not to be done by e-mail – phone only (405-990-8963). Each student will receive two Freebee cancellations per year.

Freebee Year:
Currently the Freebee Year runs from January 1st to Dec. 31st. Starting July 1st, 2011 it will run from July 1st to June 30th.

Bad Weather Policy:
Lessons are held in most weather (the beauty of having an indoor arena!) except when the temperatures drop below freezing. Lessons will be cancelled if it is going to be too cold or if the roads are not driveable or if we have thunderstorms with lots of thunder and lightening. If you do not receive an email cancelling lessons on weather questionable days, please call Gallery Farm to learn if lessons are being held. DO NOT assume they have been cancelled.