Lesson Programs
Lessons in Horsemanship and Horseback Riding
We are CLOSED: Dec. 21st-Dec 2nd
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What makes us ideal for beginners...
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Small class sizes: 3:1 Student to Instructor Ratio
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Access to a great herd of calm, patient, and kind lesson horses
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Experienced instructors who specialize in beginner equestrians
Our programs are a good fit for equestrians who:
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Want to learn to ride in a relaxed and positive, youth friendly environment
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Want to learn horse care and groundwork in addition to riding
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Have recreational aspirations or are interested in competing at a low level
Intro to Riding $95:
Little Riders $75:
Pony Time $40:
Learn how to tack up, do basic horse care, lead safely, mount/dismount and begin learning the fundamentals of riding. These lessons are 45 minutes long. Once capable of independently tacking up and mounting, they can progress to our regular lessons $65.
Typically it takes between 2-3 lessons before a child is comfortable enough.
For those that are simply too small to be able to tack up safely on their own! 30 minute private lesson where the horse is prepared for you ahead of time and put away for you after the lesson.
Not comfortable around horses yet and not sure if you want to be on top of one? Pony time is a private 30 minute session to help gain confidence grooming and being around the horse without the pressure of riding. There is no minimum or maximum age for this!
Intermediate:
Can tack up independently and lead on ground safely.
Assessment/Trial Lesson $80:
New students are required to take an initial lesson to best determine their competency and knowledge of tacking up and horsemanship. This allows us to show the new student around, select the best horse for them and develop an individualized lesson plan for the student moving forward in regular recurring lessons. These lessons are 45
minutes long.
Regular Group Lessons $65
Once the trial lesson has been completed and the student has been matched with a horse, they can join regular lessons. These are 45 minute classes in groups of 2-4 and must be booked on a monthly commitment basis. Please make sure you arrive at the barn with enough time to tack up your horse and mount prior to the start of your lesson time. This can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes before and after your ride.
Regular Private Lessons $75:
We encourage group classes, but if a student would prefer private lessons there may be limited availability depending on instructor schedules. These are 30 minute private lessons and must be booked on a monthly commitment basis. Please make sure you arrive at the barn with enough time to tack up your horse and mount prior to the start of your lesson time. This can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes before and after your ride.
Seaside Vaulting Club
Recreational & Competitive Vaulting Lessons:
What is Vaulting?
Vaulting is a unique combination of dance, acrobatics and horses. It helps to improve
riding as well as general physical literacy. Vaulting builds strength and flexibility,
improves balance, quickens motor skills and develops a great mind body awareness.
Our favourite thing about the sport is watching the confidence grow in young children when
they start getting comfortable moving around or even standing on top of a horse.
Team sport?
While vaulting is primarily done as an individual sport, the group atmosphere and
sharing a horse gives it a team sport feeling. It provides a much more social and active
alternative to riding as the students work together as a team to help with the horse and do
drills and warmups together. Intermediate students can even do pairs and team routines
on the horse!
Competitive $45:
Our Competitive program is for vaulters who are more serious about their training and would like to participate in local shows. Vaulters in this program will get a freestyle designed for them with their favourite moves and song to perform it to. This program is
more intensive with drills and skill building. Athletes in this program can progress through competitions from walk, to trot and eventually to canter. To enter into this program, twice a week lessons are mandatory. This can be two vaulting lessons, or one vaulting and one Cross Training lesson (circus, mounted archery, gymnastics/parkour/flips).
Recreational $45:
Our Recreational program is a great introduction to the basics of vaulting where the students can progress at their own pace. These are hour long group classes where the athletes practice their skills on the ground, the mechanical barrel and then finally the horse. A strong emphasis on safety is introduced from the very first lesson. This
program is done at a walk only. Vaulters may stay in this program, or they can choose to progress into our Competitive Program.
Intro to Leasing $45:
For students looking for more time in the saddle, to progress their skills and work on their homework from lessons. To help bridge the gap between structured lessons and
fully independent rides we offer an intro to leasing. We offer a designated time on the weekend where students can come tack up and ride together, while an instructor is there to supervise. Not a formal lesson, the instructor is only there to help when needed
or answer questions.
Safety and Vaulting:
We are frequently asked why vaulters do not wear helmets. Similar to gymnastics,
helmets can reduce a vaulter’s ability to balance properly which increases the chance of
falling. Vaulting has been documented as the safest equestrian activity and safer than
many everyday activities, such as playing soccer or on a jungle gym. Before any vaulter
ever gets on a horse, they learn how to safely fall in an emergency or loss of balance.
Continual education on fall safety is an essential part of every vaulting class. For more
information on vaulting and safety please refer to https://vaultcanada.org/About-
Vaulting/Helmets-and-Vaulting
*All prices subject to GST*
CEC
Cross Training:
In addition to our regular riding & vaulting lessons, we offer a few extra unique classes: Circus, Parkour & Mounted Archery.
Circus $35:
Silks, Trapeze, Hoop and Acro
Circus classes are popular especially for our vaulting students as a fun form of cross
training! Enjoy a fun, non-competitive activity to continue to develop body awareness, coordination and build strength and flexibility. We have a variety of apparatuses and equipment to play with! Hour long group classes are booked in two-month sessions and are only open to current students in either the riding or vaulting program.
Mounted Archery $45:
Intro to Mounted Archery
Learn the basics of the historic sport of mounted archery! Archery is a fun way to try a
new equestrian skill and challenge yourself. Practice skills on the ground and on the
horse. Hour long group classes are booked in two-month sessions and only open to current
students in either the riding or vaulting program.
Parkour $35:
Parkour/Flips/Gymnastics
Learn the basics of jumping, swinging, climbing and flipping. Run by Josh, our stunt
performer/gymnastics coach/parkour expert. Popular with our vaulting students as cross training. Hour long group classes are booked in two-month sessions and are only open to current students in either the riding or vaulting program.
Payment & Policies
- Lessons are billed on the 20 th of the month prior and due no later than the 23rd.
Payment must be made in advance of lesson. We accept cash, etransfer or credit card.
- Your lesson time reserves the exclusive use of a school horse (riding) or your
spot in a group (vaulting), therefore cancellations will not be for any reason rescheduled or refund. Any lessons cancelled by CEC will be rescheduled or you
will be given a credit.
- Lessons strictly adhere to their listed time and anyone more than 15 minutes late
forfeits the remainder of their lesson time.
- We run year-round, regardless of weather. If conditions are too extreme for the
horses to safely work then we will modify the lesson to involve groundwork,
horsemanship, barrel time or mechanical horse practice. Horses are living
animals who need to eat and be taken care of whether we can ride or not, so in
order to ethically run this program we need our clients to understand that some
days your lesson may not be physically on the horse. We want all our students to
understand that riding is only one small part of being involved with horses. There is
so much to learn about their care and psychology that is often overlooked. We
feel strongly that including this policy will foster mature, responsible and
empathic kids.
- All riding students must wear appropriate gear to their lessons; this includes
closed toe shoes with a 1” heel, long pants and an approved riding helmet. A
bicycle or ski helmet is not sufficient. We have helmets available for rent for $5
per lesson. If you are not in appropriate attire, the student will not be taught, and
the lesson will still be charged in full.
- All vaulting students must bring soft shoes for during class (vaulting shoes,
runners, watershoes) and closed toe shoes for tacking/untacking/wearing around
the barn. Comfortable clothing like leggings or yoga pants, with a fitted top (no
oversized baggy hoodies). Please make sure long hair is up and all dangly
jewelry (necklaces, etc) are removed. No helmet is required.
- HORSE COUNCIL BC: HCBC is a not-for-profit association representing the
interests of the equine industry in all sectors throughout BC. It is not mandatory
but strongly encouraged as it provides extra insurance. See www.hcbc.ca for
details and to sign up.