Services
What We Do
Riding Lessons
Don’t qualify for free or reduced rate riding lessons, don’t worry! We offer paid riding lessons at affordable prices as well! Lessons are offered in sessions throughout the year. English and Western lessons are available for kids and adults, 6 and up.
Birthday Parties
Have a horse-loving kid? We offer birthday parties with several add ons to make your child’s party memorable.
Horses 101 for Homeschoolers
Every Fall we offer a Horses 101 class for homeschool families. The class is 6 weeks and teaches horsemanship skills, grooming, feeds/feeding, and more.
Day Camps
We offer two sessions of day camps. The first is Spring Break Camp and then we offer 4 weeks of Day camps throughout the month of June.
Our Curriculum
Lake Fork Stables follows the safety and horsemanship standards of the United States Pony Club. Similar to Pony Club, our riders begin with the basics and advance through levels as they become more proficient.
The Benefits of Horseback Riding
- Horsemanship and horseback riding teach values that are important throughout life. They learn patience, empathy, compassion, persistence, dedication, teamwork, and leadership skills.
- For children with autism, developmental delays and other neurological issues or learning disorders, the actual act of horseback riding is beneficial in a more scientific manner, benefitting the child on a molecular level.
- Horseback riding is a healthy outdoor activity that involves active movement in and out of the saddle, making for a healthier lifestyle.
FAQ
What age can my child begin taking lessons?
We accept children age 6 and up. This is primarily due to insurance reasons. It is also important that children be able to tell left from right and have an attention span that will last throughout the one hour lesson.
What do I need for lessons?
The proper riding apparel varies on discipline. If you are riding English, breeches and paddock boots or tall boots are appropriate. However, we understand that these items can be expensive. You can wear jeans and cowboy boots, but the more invested you become in the sport, the more you will want to get the appropriate apparel. For western, boots and jeans are appropriate. Boots should not be fashion boots, as they are not designed to withstand or be comfortable while riding. Any child wearing tennis shoes will not be allowed to use stirrups, as it is a safety issue and could cause a foot to get stuck in the stirrup.
Do I have to wear a helmet?
Yes, every rider on a horse must be wearing a helmet. We provide helmets, but it is recommended to purchase your own helmet if you plan to stick with the sport.
How long are lessons?
We currently only offer private lessons. Each lesson is one hour and includes catching your horse, grooming, tacking, riding and untacking.
What disciplines do you offer?
English – which includes hunter/jumper and dressage. Once a rider has the ability to jump, then they can look into expanding into other aspects of the sport such as hunters, show jumping, or eventing. Eventing includes dressage, cross country jumping, and show jumping.
Western – which includes western pleasure, western dressage, trail, barrel racing, and other events.
If you are interested in showing, you can do either of the above as well as in-hand classes, such as in-hand trail, showmanship, and halter.
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