We hope you are excited for your first lesson with Sandridge!  Here are a few tips to help ensure it's a great one.

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Students are expected to be mounted and ready to ride at the scheduled lesson time.  If you are late, your lesson ends at the scheduled time.

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• Please come to the barn 45-60 minutes BEFORE your scheduled lesson begins to help prepare your horse.  Every week onward, you need to be prepared to go and catch your horse,  bring them in, and groom and tack them.   In the spring and fall seasons, preparing your horse to ride can be greatly affected by mud.  If it is muddy, you may need more time.

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• We provide all the grooming tools and tack for your horse, located in the rider's locker area accessible by an entryway about midway through the stables.  The lockers are rented out on a monthly basis (if you want one, you just have to put in a request to the office).

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• You will need to have proper RIDING ATTIRE. 

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• It is probably best to show up already wearing most of your riding gear (but if you need to, you are more than welcome to change in the washroom)

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• You can leave any belongings/bags you have in the rider's lounge (if you want).  We are not responsible for lost or stolen items, so please store all valuables in your vehicle.

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• We are a very friendly barn, so come on up into the stables/barn (attached to the large indoor riding arena) and find one of our working students or your instructor.  If you do not know who those people are, just ask who ever is in the stable, we are sure you will be put in the right direction.

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• Your lesson is 1 hour in length.  This can be either all on horse, or off horse, or a combination of both.  You have 1 full hour of learning about riding and horsemanship.

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• After your lesson you will need to stay and untack your horse, groom them, clean your tack and put it away, clean up any messes from your horse and help sweep up the alley.  This post lesson routine can take about 30 minutes or more depending on weather and the cooling needs of your horse.  In winter and cooler weather, you need to make sure your lesson horse is dry and properly blanketed before turning it back outside.

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• You will also need to put your horse back into it's outdoor paddock.  Make sure you properly lock the gate.

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• Don't worry, if you need help with anything, just ask.  We do not expect you to know where everything is and how it works.

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• If your child is in their first lesson at Sandridge, you will need to help them with everything listed above.  You are welcome to stay and view your child's lesson either from in the rider's lounge just off of the indoor riding arena entry or anywhere on the grass or spectator's bleachers around the outdoor arena. (If COVID measures are restricting indoor capacity, unfortunately, you will not be able to watch from the rider's lounge.

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• We do have a couple of vending machines in the rider's lounge which accept coins.  Bring your own change though, because we do not provide it.

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• If you are in an adult lesson, there is usually a gathering after the lesson to laugh and share over beverages.  This is completely optional, but all are welcome (even on their first lesson).