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Training and Lessons
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.
All sessions are 1 hour in length.
Minimum age requirement is 4 years old.
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.
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| Semi-Private (2 students) | $30 each |
For intermediate and advanced students only.
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| Lessons (your home, your horse) | $50 each horse/rider combo |
(Travel fee within 50 miles included in price.)
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Monthly unlimited
(Currently we are scheduled for 3 lessons per week. For students in our monthly lease program and it does NOT include the weekly lesson that comes with the monthly lease agreement.)
| Private | $300 |
| Semi-Private | $250 each |
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 child doing lessons or leasing.
Single lessons (private)
1st child $40 - 2nd child $35 - 3rd child $30
Lesson packages:
1st child regular price
2nd child $50 off regular price
3rd child $75 off regular price
Monthly Lease & Lesson Package:
1st child regular price
2nd child $100 lease fee & $100 lesson fee
3rd child $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
Training
Our facility uses Natural Horsemanship as a foundation for manners and safety on the ground as well as in the saddle.
All prices include full board.
| Basic Saddle & Ground Work | $25 per session |
| (For horses already boarding at LPF.) |
| "The Basics" Boot Camp | $500 per month |
| (Green broke.) |
| Trail Tune Up & Teach | $450 per month |
| (Horse is broke, but needs miles on trail.) |
| Trail Conditioning | $375 per month |
| (Horse just needs to get fit.) |
| Season Warm-Up | $165/week |
| Leg Up & Sell Program | Call for Quote |
| (Want to sell a horse, but you don’t have time to do the work.) |
Liberty Prairie Farm
Mary and Kevin Price
7003 State Rt. 140
Edwardsville, IL 62025
Barn/Cell: (618) 781-1468
Office: (618) 692-1985
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