Finding a New Stable
Part 1 of an on-going series, cuz finding a good place to ride is NEVER easy.
Last semester, as I toiled on my long paper, I decided that in the Spring I was going to do something nice for myself as a reward. I would again take up some activity that I enjoy, and I centered my attention on either yoga or ballet. I was really taken with the idea of doing ballet again. . .for awhile. Even doing simple developpe a la seconde at 90 degrees makes my hip sockets crack though, sometimes painfully, and sometimes going a little too deep in port de bras keeps my lower back in pain for the next few hours. Yoga would keep my body happier, and I would even look into volunteering at the place where my classes would be held. It seemed like a really good idea. But.
Then I had my "amazing revelation" about working (or at least volunteering) at one of my favorite places in the world, the Kentucky Horse Park. Wouldn't it make sense to work around horses again prior to shipping myself off to Lexington? And I have been missing riding-- just the scent of horses and hay is enough to leave me in a happy stupor. ^_^
The biggest barrier to taking riding lessons again is, not surprisingly, MONEY. It is in no way cheap to ride horses. A few summers ago I took 1 hr long private lessons once a week-- for $50 a pop. That's pretty typical. Less expensive places can be found, but oftentimes the quality of instruction goes downwards, too. Another complication is that I'm not a beginner. I'm not USET material or anything, but I am well beyond the stage of say, learning what diagonal I'm posting on. A lot of barns don't have someone that can teach beyond the basics of staying in the saddle at the walk, trot, canter, and maybe (if you're lucky) over a few small jumps.
SO. . .my goal is this:
To try and find a stable in RI that
1) is not Faith Hill Farm, Clouds Hill Farm, or Tower Hill Equestrian Center. I've ridden at all those places and do not wish to return for various reasons.
2) is not overly expensive when it comes to hour long lessons (preferably private, but I don't mind riding with one or two other people)
3) has a good intermediate level instructor (preferably who knows a little about dressage and/or jumping, since just straight-up ring work gets b-o-r-i-n-g)
4) will let me volunteer or be a working student! I don't claim to know how to do everything, but I can reliably clean stalls, tack up horses, dish out feed, etc. and I am willing to learn (since I am not, as the instructors at Virginia Intermont wanted me to believe, lazy and incompetent). I am well liked at work and at school, and I think I could be an asset to any barn willing to take me.
Wow, I'm feeling exceptionally positive today. ;p ^___^
I have a short list of places I plan on checking out when the weather gets warmer, but in the meantime I have to save enough money to buy new equipment. I need a new helmet, a new pair of tall boots, and a new set of half-chaps since all my current stuff is seriously about 10+ years old!
So anyway. I will keep you updated as I go on my search. I already scoped out one barn in West Greenwich yesterday (just drove by) and tomorrow I plan on checking out a place in Lincoln. Should be interesting.
Last semester, as I toiled on my long paper, I decided that in the Spring I was going to do something nice for myself as a reward. I would again take up some activity that I enjoy, and I centered my attention on either yoga or ballet. I was really taken with the idea of doing ballet again. . .for awhile. Even doing simple developpe a la seconde at 90 degrees makes my hip sockets crack though, sometimes painfully, and sometimes going a little too deep in port de bras keeps my lower back in pain for the next few hours. Yoga would keep my body happier, and I would even look into volunteering at the place where my classes would be held. It seemed like a really good idea. But.
Then I had my "amazing revelation" about working (or at least volunteering) at one of my favorite places in the world, the Kentucky Horse Park. Wouldn't it make sense to work around horses again prior to shipping myself off to Lexington? And I have been missing riding-- just the scent of horses and hay is enough to leave me in a happy stupor. ^_^
The biggest barrier to taking riding lessons again is, not surprisingly, MONEY. It is in no way cheap to ride horses. A few summers ago I took 1 hr long private lessons once a week-- for $50 a pop. That's pretty typical. Less expensive places can be found, but oftentimes the quality of instruction goes downwards, too. Another complication is that I'm not a beginner. I'm not USET material or anything, but I am well beyond the stage of say, learning what diagonal I'm posting on. A lot of barns don't have someone that can teach beyond the basics of staying in the saddle at the walk, trot, canter, and maybe (if you're lucky) over a few small jumps.
SO. . .my goal is this:
To try and find a stable in RI that
1) is not Faith Hill Farm, Clouds Hill Farm, or Tower Hill Equestrian Center. I've ridden at all those places and do not wish to return for various reasons.
2) is not overly expensive when it comes to hour long lessons (preferably private, but I don't mind riding with one or two other people)
3) has a good intermediate level instructor (preferably who knows a little about dressage and/or jumping, since just straight-up ring work gets b-o-r-i-n-g)
4) will let me volunteer or be a working student! I don't claim to know how to do everything, but I can reliably clean stalls, tack up horses, dish out feed, etc. and I am willing to learn (since I am not, as the instructors at Virginia Intermont wanted me to believe, lazy and incompetent). I am well liked at work and at school, and I think I could be an asset to any barn willing to take me.
Wow, I'm feeling exceptionally positive today. ;p ^___^
I have a short list of places I plan on checking out when the weather gets warmer, but in the meantime I have to save enough money to buy new equipment. I need a new helmet, a new pair of tall boots, and a new set of half-chaps since all my current stuff is seriously about 10+ years old!
So anyway. I will keep you updated as I go on my search. I already scoped out one barn in West Greenwich yesterday (just drove by) and tomorrow I plan on checking out a place in Lincoln. Should be interesting.
posted by Erica at 2:07 PM
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