About Us
Sales Page
Boarding Information
Training
Riding Lessons & person Lessons
Lease & Lesson Program for Students
Trail Riding Program
Clinics, Classes & Seminars
Summer Camps
Clinics, Classes & Seminars
Horse Handling Classes
Nutrition Basics & ABC Supplements
Before & After Pictures
Saddle Fitting
Natural Hoofcare
Importance of Equine Dentistry
Other Barn Services
Our Stallion
Mares and Foals
Hamel Days 2007
Photo Gallery
Links
Summer Specials
Main Page

.



Building Confidence Within Yourself While Learning Riding Skills


Lessons

Riding is secondary to teaching our students about the care & handling of the horses in the safest way possible. We base our program on natural horsemanship and use techniques from many natural & classical horsemen, past and present, that we’ve studied for over 35 years.

IN ALL SESSIONS: For your safety you MUST wear boots with a heel, long pants, and an ASTM/SEI approved helmet. Helmets are provided by LPF

All sessions are 1 hour in length.

Minimum age requirement is 4 years old.

All Single Lessons & Lesson Packages are good for 60 days from day of purchase unless otherwise noted.

Riding and Ground Work Lessons
English - Western - Gaited
Private (Beginner)$45
Beginner lessons will cover all aspects of grooming & tacking as well as riding.
Private (Intermediate)$40
Private (Advanced)$40
The definition of an intermediate and advanced rider is that they are capable of grooming and tacking the horse without assistance.
Semi-Private (2 students) $30 each
For intermediate and advanced students only.
Lessons (your home, your horse) $60 each horse/rider combo
(Travel fee within 50 miles included in price.)


Accelerated Lessons
3 hour Intense riding & horse handling session designed for children & adults with busy schedules that do not allow them to ride more than 1 day per week. These lessons are also good for the student who wants to accelerate their learning or get a better idea of what is involved in horse leasing or horse ownership. Beginner, Intermediate, & Advanced Riders WELCOME!!

~NEW~ 3 hour private sessions~ $120
3 hour sessions ~ $1o5 for 2 people (semi-private)
You may exchange 3 lessons from a previously purchased lesson package for 1 Accelerated lesson.

Save $75 when you purchase 4 accelerated lessons.
Save $25 when you purchase 2 accelerated lessons.
Must be used within 60 days of purchase.

Please call or email to schedule your block of time.


Lease Program Lesson Prices
These prices are for student leasing one of our horses on a monthly basis.
Private$30
Semi-Private$25

FAMILY RATES: For families with more than one person doing lessons or leasing.
Single lessons (private)
1st person $40 - 2nd person $35 - 3rd person $30

Lesson packages:
1st person regular price
2nd person $50 off regular price
3rd person $75 off regular price

Monthly Lease & Lesson Package:
1st person regular price
2nd person $100 lease fee & $100 lesson fee
3rd person $75 lease fee & $100 lesson fee



NEW THIS YEAR!!! TRAIL RIDING LESSONS ON THE TRAIL!!!

It will be a split session of arena & trail FUN!

These sessions will be scheduled at 2 hour intervals.

To be eligible for Trail Ride Lessons at the farm:
* LPF Student doing Advanced Beginner Level arena work

$20 extra charge above lesson price.

If lesson package is purchased, rider may use 2 lessons

of the package towards a Trail Ride Lesson.

DAY RIDES

These rides are an all day FUN affair.

We are on horseback for 4-6 hours. We also take lunch & snack breaks on our rides. Bottled water is provided.

Please pack your own lunch and DON’T FORGET THE CARROTS FOR YOUR HORSE!!

Expect to be gone from 8am to dark on our day rides!

To be eligible for participation at Day Rides at other parks, ONE of the following criteria must be met:
*LPF Student must be at the Intermediate Level
or
* Student Leasing a horse from LPF
or
* Boarding your own horse at LPF

Student not leasing a horse: $70
Student Lease or Boarder: $35
Prices include horse, supplies, & rider transport to park.

Discounted or donated lessons and clinics held for FFA, 4-H, and Pony Clubs.
Please contact us to discuss your needs.


Information on accelerated lessons, camps and clinics can be found here.
Information regarding the lease and lesson program for students is here.



LPF Lesson Progression for Riding & Horsemanship

Beginner – Intermediate – Advanced Levels

NOTE: This is our personal lesson plan here at LPF. We consider theses skills (through intermediate level) to be essential for safety around horses as well as required knowledge for basic riding.


BEGINNER


* Tie a rope halter knot
* Lead the horse with confidence
* Keep horse from invading your “hula-hoop” of personal space
* Lead the horse in and out of gates
* Properly tie lead rope for grooming
* How to walk around horse safely while grooming and tacking
* Proper & efficient grooming techniques (tools & order of use)
* Be able to touch horse all over with hands
* How to pick the horse’s feet up
* Know what the horse’s mood is by reading his body language
(Happy, curious, nervous, obnoxious, bored, cranky, etc.)
* Be able to keep your horse at a safe distance from other horses
* Parts of the horse’s tack
* How to saddle the horse
* Proper girth tension before mounting
* Setting correct stirrup length
* Mounting from both sides of the horse from mounting block/bench
* Understand about “energy up & down” to change speed/gaits. (stop to walk to trot to walk to stop only)
* Steering Progression Cues at the walk & trot- (1) look with both eyes, (2) hand softly directs rein in direction of eyes while (3)opposite leg helps “push” horse in the desired direction.
* Adding other body, vocal, & rhythm cues to motivate a reluctant horse.
* Stopping & backing horse 4 steps (‘hot potato’ rein release)
* Emergency stop (disengaging the hind quarters)
* Emergency dismount (vault off & push away)
* Introduction to ground games 1-7 (Parelli method) for warm up communication between partners before riding

Bonus Moments! (promotes confidence)

Learn how to:
* Safely give horses treats

When the beginner level is passed, the student is welcome to start leaving the arena on guided trail rides at the farm!!


INTERMEDIATE
More proficiency at all the beginner skills PLUS:


* Mount & dismount from fence & other obstacles (w/saddle)
* learn sitting & posting trot
* trot & steer around objects smoothly
* able to trot straight lines and large round circles
* learn 2-point / half-seat (for up-hills on the trail or small jumps in the arena)
* trot without stirrups
* Start the Canter (on the lunge line progressing to a large circle by yourself off-line)
These skills promote better balance & rhythm and are added to the program at this time to accelerate progress:
* Ground games 1-7 with a focus on 5 & 6 for ‘pick up’ rider skill
* Mount & dismount from fence & other obstacles using ‘pick up’ rider technique (w/bareback pad)
* ride bareback at the walk, halt, circles & serpentines
* ride ‘short bursts’ at the trot bareback (15 steps or less with bareback pad)

Bonus Moments! (promotes bonding)

Learn how to:
* graze horse on lead line
* mix horse’s grain and give it to them after the riding session

When the Intermediate Level is passed, the student is allowed to trail ride off of the property with LPF during their day & overnight rides.


ADVANCED


VERY proficient at the walk, trot, canter in the arena. Able to traverse easily around and over small obstacles. Understands Parelli method Ground work and fluent in games 1-7 on a 12 ft line & some games on a 22 ft. line for warm up communication.

This level is working on the following:

* Leg yields at the trot (posting & sitting)
* Know canter leads
* Know the correct diagonal when riding posting trot
* Learn Counter Canter
* Change canter leads through the trot (bow tie exercise)
* Flying lead change exercise (canter circle to halt in center, leg yield in opposite direction , lift to ask for new lead)
* Extend the trot through the diagonals
* Learn more collection in horse at all gaits
* Jump 2 consecutive jumps not over 18” (trot in- canter out)
* Trot around the arena in 2-point / half-seat
* Canter the arena in half-seat
* More proficiency in body control & arena etiquette to be able to start competing in shows & competitions



Liberty Prairie Farm
Mary and Kevin Price
7003 State Rt. 140
Edwardsville, IL 62025
Barn/Cell: (618) 781-1468
Office: (618) 692-1985


Design by Bluemark Designs.
All content copyright 2006 - 2008 Liberty Prairie Farm.