PRIVATE INSTRUCTION
Good instruction should teach you more than what to do in the moment. It should help you understand why something worked, why it didn't, what your horse is telling you, and what you need to change when the answer isn't what you expected.
Lessons at DLH EQUINE are built around the horse and rider in front of me.
We may be working on rider position, timing and feel, helping a horse become more balanced and responsive, troubleshooting a specific problem, or simply building the foundation a newer rider needs, to make benefiting and learning decisions independently.
The goal isn't to create riders who need an instructor standing in the arena telling them what to do next.
It's to develop capable horse people who can recognize what they're feeling, understand what they're seeing, and know how to respond.
WHAT LESSONS LOOK LIKE:
A lesson isn't measured solely by minutes in the saddle.
Depending on the horse, rider and what we're working toward, instruction may include groundwork, riding, position and biomechanics, body control, timing and use of aids, tack or equipment evaluation, video review, horse behavior, conditioning, or working through a specific problem from the ground or under saddle.
Sometimes the most valuable part of a lesson is riding. Sometimes it's figuring out why the ride isn't working.
Every part should have a reason behind it. I want riders to understand what we're changing, why we're changing it, what response we're looking for from the horse, and how to recognize when it's working.
Lessons are approximately 90 minutes, which gives us enough time to work through something thoughtfully without structuring the appointment around a stopwatch or rushing the horse and rider through the process.
WHO I teach:
You do not need to be a barrel racer, or even have competitive goals, to take lessons with me.
My background spans Western and English riding, equitation, rodeo, OHSET coaching, young and green horses, finished horses, problem solving, horse development and practical horsemanship. That range allows instruction to be based on the individual horse and rider, rather than forcing everyone through the same textbook program.
I work with:
Adult and youth riders
True beginners (3 years old and up)
Riders returning after time away
Intermediate and experienced riders
Competitive and recreational riders
Riders wanting to improve position, balance, timing or feel
Riders working through communication or responsiveness problems
Riders learning with a new or unfamiliar horse
Horse and rider combinations that have hit a sticking point
Riders who simply want to understand their horse better
A beginner doesn't need simpler instruction, they need the right information taught at the right level. The same attention to the horse, rider, biomechanics, timing and understanding applies whether someone is learning to steer independently or refining a competitive performance.
LESSON DETAILS:
$90 | Approximately 90 minutes
Private instruction is offered primarily as a haul in only service.
Riders are encouraged to bring their own horse whenever appropriate. Working with the horse you ride at home allows us to address the actual communication, riding and management questions you encounter outside of lessons.
Lessons may be modified, moved to groundwork, or stopped when continuing under saddle, would be inappropriate or unsafe for the horse or rider.
NOTE: Use of a DLH EQUINE horse may be available in select circumstances when the horse and rider are an appropriate match. Availability is determined individually and should not be assumed when scheduling.
YOUR FIRST LESSOn:
The first lesson gives me a chance to learn how you and your horse work together, not to put either of you through a pop quiz.
We'll talk briefly about your riding background, your horse, what you've been working on, what's going well, what's frustrating you, and what you'd ultimately like to improve.
From there, I'll watch how you handle and ride your horse and begin identifying the areas that will give us the most useful place to start.
I'm looking at more than whether you can walk, trot, lope or complete an exercise. I'm paying attention to balance, position, timing, feel, communication, how the horse responds to your aids, tack and equipment, the horse's way of going, and the interaction between all of those pieces.
You don't need to prepare or prove anything, I promise.
BEFORE YOUR FIRST LESSON:
New clients complete their rider and horse information, lesson policies acknowledgement, and required liability documents online before arriving.
Current policies, requirements and arrival information are available through the New Clients and Policies sections of the website.