Services - Recreational Lessons
We run a school of about 75 students a week with the help of our dependable school horses and ponies and some of our boarded horses, as well. Dressage is the foundation of all training at Westar Farms from the beginners through to the national level competitors. This strong flatwork foundation helps build better skills over the jumps with all students progressing based on the principles of balance of horse and rider.
Beginner Lunge Lesson Program
Beginners start in the lunge lesson program on the experienced school horses. Riders and horses are matched according to size and personality (rider’s and horse’s!). The Lunge lesson program has a one-on-one teacher/student ratio. Each weekly 45 minute session covers the basics of safety, horse care, grooming, tacking up, and learning to start, stop and steer. The instructor has control of the horse/pony with the student working in a circle around her using a lunge line (imagine a really a long dog leash). This allows the student to confidently learn and practice individual skills of balance and body control at their own pace. Once balanced at the walk and trot on the lunge line, the student learns to ride around the ring on their own. Students graduate to a group lesson when they can confidently walk and trot off the lunge line and have experienced cantering on and off the lunge line. Lunge lessons are available in packages of four lessons priced at $175 (plus tax). Helmets are available to borrow for the first few lessons until riders are sure that this is the sport for them.
After a rider graduates from the Lunge Lesson program, they progress to Trudi Simpson’s one-hour group sessions. The number of students in a group lesson is typically 4-5 riders. Students are expected to arrive 30–45 minutes before the prescribed lesson time to groom and tack up their horse/pony and spend the same amount of time at its conclusion to groom, put away their mount and clean tack. Horses/ponies are assigned each lesson based on rider experience and
goals. This allows the students a wide range of opportunities to improve their equestrian skills. Within the lesson, students work on both group and individual exercises to learn new skills. When riders are comfortable trotting and cantering in the group lesson, they are introduced to working over poles set on the ground and from there they progress to small jumps. When riders are confident in their basic skills and riding over the small jumps, they graduate to intermediate lessons. Beginner group lessons are organized into packages of four lessons (once per week) and are available at a cost $160/package (plus tax).
Jeff McKessock (NCCP Level 3) teaches all students from this level onwards. Some riders choose to continue to improve their skills in the recreational or school program while others may prefer to work towards competition. A rider who can confidently walk, trot, canter and ride small jumps is ready for the one-hour intermediate group sessions. The number of students in a group lesson is typically 4-5 riders. Students are expected to arrive 30–45 minutes before the prescribed lesson time to groom and tack up their horse/pony and spend the same amount of time at its conclusion to groom, put away their mount and clean tack. Horses/ponies are assigned each lesson based on rider experience and goals. This allows the students a wide range of opportunities to improve their equestrian skills. Within the lesson, students work on both group and individual exercises to learn new skills and consolidate basic skills. Riders with similar goals and abilities are grouped together and lessons are tailored to meet their development goals. Intermediate group lessons are organized into packages of four lessons (once per week) and are available at a cost $180/package (plus tax).