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Be sure to bring your signed liability waiver and give it to your instructor. Your lesson cannot start without it.
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Arrive at least 30 minutes before your lesson time. Consult the dress code information sheet on attire. (No shorts, sneakers, tube tops, or sweat pants.)
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Please think before you park your vehicle be sure you're not blocking any traffic. Please do not park beside the outdoor ring – we often have trailers that need to park here.
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To find your instructor: Enter the front of the barn. The indoor arena is attached to the stable area. If no one turns up, try the outdoor arena. Please stay out of the stable area without your instructor.
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Your first lesson will be a private lesson, regardless of your riding ability. Besides instruction, we use it as a means to evaluate your riding level skills and an orientation to our program and facility.
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We'll show you our routine of grooming, tacking, and mounting. Then we'll focus on building an equestrian vocabulary. Communication is essential, and we get started at the first lesson. Every instructor uses and every horse responds to different stimuli.
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Please don't handle the barn cats and resident dogs.
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All dogs must be on a leash. If they're unsociable or chase cats it's easier on everyone if you leave them home.
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In preparation for your first lesson, it would help if you read some of the books suggested on this site. Learn the parts of the horse and the equipment (saddle & bridle).
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We prefer you leave small children at home, however if you need to bring them, please follow safety procedures. A 1000 lb. horse is always a potential danger to small children, even well trained gentle horses. No strollers in the barns. Never put toddlers or babies on the ground in the barns, they must be held in your arms and out of contact with the horses. And please keep those little fingers (which look like carrots!) out of harms way.
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If you don't hear or don't understand, ask. Never assume. Mistakes cause injury.
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Equi-Products and Greenhawk Saddlery are the stores we recommend you shop for your riding equipment. The items you buy will be of excellent quality, the correct item with the correct fit.
