Summer 2020 Update…
Hey, everyone! The heat is finally here! Please remember to bring water with you to the arena — I never deny any of my students a drink while riding. (Unless, of course, you’re on Rambus, who loses his mind at the sight of clipboards and the sound of water bottles . . . you have to dismount to hydrate when piloting him.) Otherwise: water! Bring it! Drink it!
I also wanted to share an important tip that every good horseman and woman should know regarding warm-weather riding: temperature plus humidity should dictate whether or not you ride. That’s how you calculate where the healthy, safe cut-off is. On our farm, we start cancelling lessons when that total reaches 165. So, for example, if you see that the temperature is 87 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity is sitting at 79%, your lesson will be cancelled. If, on the other hand, the temperature is 93 degrees Fahrenheit but the humidity is sitting at 71%, lessons are still on. Yes, it’s hot in July in North Carolina – we all know this. The horses can still work, provided we are careful and observant of the aforementioned guidelines.
On to the good stuff . . .
We’ve now added the “Beginner Group” and “Intro to Horsemanship” classes to the scheduling calendar. Beginning in mid-August, right around when school starts, these lessons will be available to fill. The “Intro to Horsemanship” class has been limited to 8 riders, ensuring we don’t violate social distancing protocols. The “Beginner Group” class is limited to 4 riders. You’ll note that there are two age groups available for each type of class: under 15 years of age and over 16 years of age. If you elect to sign up for any class, please help us out by downloading, printing, and filling out the release forms available here on the website and bringing them with you to your first lesson.
Another class that we’ve added is “How to Fall Off and Other Bad Things That Can Happen”, slated for September 5th. We’ll have fun falling and flailing about in the arena sand as we learn to master the “tuck and roll” and other safety exercises. Mark your calendars and please join us!
We’d like to issue a huge shoutout to Olivia and Nikki for each turning in a fabulous performance at their first show of the season! Nikki received a second and third and Olivia earned two fifth-place finishes. Great work, guys – all of your hard work is paying off!
Finally, we do have a stall coming available, so please share with anyone you know who may be interested. There will be preference given to those looking to take lessons or put a horse in training.
Summer is in full swing – stay safe!
See you in the arena,
Shaunna