Riding Lessons

For riders age six and older who don’t have their own horse, I provide lessons at Gilnocky Equestrian Center in east Berthoud, near I-25.

Map

These sessions include a combination of ground work (grooming and tacking) and riding to ensure a well-rounded foundation in working with and caring for horses. Sessions are available indoors or outdoors depending on weather.

Balance exercises help beginners stay secure in the saddle

These lessons are available to riders weighing less than 200 lbs., in English or western disciplines. Beginners start with foundational skills to keep them safe as they grow in their ability to ride. They can progress through walk, jog, trot, and lope or canter.

 

After mastering their basic skills, intermediate riders can move up and choose more specific goals, such as trail riding, barrel racing, or jumping. Some riders elect to lease or buy a horse for themselves, which I can help find, and we can continue working together wherever the new horse lives. 

Requirements

To keep these lessons safe, all riders must wear long pants, well-fitting, close-toed shoes or boots with a low heel, and a helmet. I have a child’s size helmet available for the first lesson and can recommend where to buy a quality starter helmet for a good price if the child decides to continue with lessons. 

I may make exceptions to the minimum age or the maximum weight if the rider already has some riding experience. (Typically, children younger than six do not yet have strong enough neck muscles to stabilize the weight of their heads and a helmet while on a moving horse.)