Children and Youth Lessons

Children’s Program

We offer natural horsemanship and mounted archery lessons for children and youth who are 6-12 and lessons for youth 13+ here in Cherry Plain with our horses. These lessons can include mounted archery for those who are agile and comfortable with their horse riding abilities. We also will travel to you and work with your horses (travel fee for more than 20 miles).

We teach children to learn how to work with the horse on the ground first, establishing a relationship.

We teach bareback riding before the saddle is introduced, with the emergency dismount practiced from the first time a child is on the horse.

After the child becomes solid bareback, and demonstrates confidence, we progress them to the saddle. No fear, solid seat, much confidence. We rely on our parents to volunteer as helpers, especially in the beginning to ensure that all children are safe at all times.

Our training package consists of weekly or bi-weekly lessons to ensure your child receives the building blocks needed to learn concepts such as: Personal space, respect, grooming and care of the horse, cleaning of hooves including beginning farrier knowledge, loose rein handling, then finally, touch and feel. Please note, Zoey and Daisy are our primary horses used in beginning riding lessons, while Spirit and Mama are also very good with more experienced children.

To find out more about our children’s lesson program please email us or leave a comment. We offer a sliding scale for those who cannot afford lessons so that all children who love horses have an opportunity to know and love horses.

Our rates are $60 for 1.5 hour group lessons. If we travel more than 20 miles to you for private lessons, the cost is $60 for 1.5 hours and $20 for travel beyond a 20 mile radius from our farm. To schedule a free visit with us here and see our horses in action, please contact us.

Reesa is our primary children’s instructor. She will tell you that bareback kids make strong riders when they grow up. Our goal is for children to learn to ride well enough to shoot a bow off the back of a horse, go on trail rides and handle excited horses while remaining calm. For riders who want to go on to compete and or ride English, please see our Mentors page for excellent trainers.

All beginner riders at Hearts in Hand Horsemanship LLC start on the ground, gaining confidence and getting to know the horses. Safety is our priority. Groundwork ensures children learn how to be a “horse person.”