Greenacres

Equine Center

The Art of Horsemanship

Greenacres Equine Center offers a safe place for children, ages eight and eighteen, to learn to ride without the financial pressures of owning a horse. As an official United States Pony Club Riding Center, we strive to produce not only confident riders, but students who have a complete understanding of the horse and horsemanship. The Equine Center offers its students the opportunities to learn about the world of horses through both mounted and unmounted education.

Waitlist Closed

Due to extremely high-demand our waitlist is currently closed while we move riders off the list. If you have questions, please contact us.

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Programs

Image of Mounted Lesson

Mounted Lessons

Active Students Only – Currently on Waitlist

The multi-level lesson program develops students who can ride with a basic balanced position and in an arena or across the natural landscape. Students receive mounted evaluations for each level, as well as a written test on safety rules, general horse and tack knowledge, and horse behavior. Safety for horses and riders is our number one priority, so the time spent at each level may vary from student-to-student.

image of horse leg anatomy

Unmounted Lessons

Active Students Only

Unmounted classes are classroom based and customized to the needs of participants. Some examples of past classes include, Colors, Markings, and Breeds: Learn about common and unusual colors, breeds and markings. Braiding: Learn how to braid a horse’s mane for a horse show. Parts of the Horse: Learn and be able to identify all of the different parts of a horse. Tack Puzzles: Learn how to properly clean your tack and put it back together correctly.

Fire trucks in front of equine riding center for first responders equine training

First Responder Training

Teaching first responders how to deal with fires and other emergencies in the stable. In emergency situations, experience and comfort level with animals can mean the difference between saving the animals or not. This program will acclimate emergency workers to horses by teaching them about a horse’s natural instincts, behavior, and proper handling techniques. Staff solicits emergency workers suggestions on how to make the stables safer and easier to protect.

student tacking horse, adjusting stirrups

Scout Troops

This program provides Scout Troops with an introduction to Horsemanship. Participants receive a hands on experience with the horses. This program includes the following curriculum, but is not limited to, learning about different horse colors and breeds, how to properly groom a horse, and how to properly lead a horse. For participants under the age of 8, this program will be completely unmounted. For participants over the age of 8, this program will have both an unmounted and mounted section. For more information please complete an inquiry under Contact Us.

FAQ

How do the sessions work?

Winter Horse Ownership Camp: Open to Greenacres Pony Club members only.

Spring/Fall Sessions: These sessions are 13 weeks long, that are curriculum based (each lesson plan is designed to build on the lesson before). Payment for these classes is due BEFORE the start of the session.
Summer Camps: Open to the general public. Available to riders between the ages of 8-18 and all levels of riding. All Equine Summer Camp registration will take place directly on the Greenacres website.

How long does it take to graduate from each level?

We do not hurry our riders along here at Greenacres. Each rider will progress through the levels at their own pace. We use Checklist Skill Cards for each rider. These cards are filled out by the instructor on a regular basis as the instructor sees that a rider has MASTERED a specific skill. Once all the skills for the level are mastered on a variety of horses, the rider will be moved to the next level.

When will my rider start jumping?

Riders begin pre-jumping exercises and ground poles in Level Intro 2C. Cross-Rail jumping begins in Level 2C.

When can my rider join Pony Club?

Pony Club here at Greenacres is by invite only to our Level 3B graduate riders. Riders do not have to join Pony Club in order to continue lessons at Greenacres. Pony Club membership is required to participate in off-site shows, clinics, and off-site schoolings.

Can parents watch?

Visitors are welcome to watch lessons anytime. Visitors are NOT permitted in the stable. There is a designated Viewing Area at the white table in the courtyard for watching the tacking/untacking process. Visitors are welcome to watch from the comfort of the Indoor Classroom or anywhere behind the green wall in the indoor or on the outside of the arena when the doors are open. Viewing areas in the Cross Country course and Jump Field are at the discretion of the instructor teaching the class. Parents will be dismissed from viewing classes if they are disruptive to the class or are coaching from the rail.

Contact

Department Director
Jessyca Wojtkiewicz

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