Twin Elm Training, LLC

Riding is a unique sport. The muscle development needed to progress to more difficult skills can only be developed while riding. It doesn’t matter how active you or your child may be in other sports - becoming a better rider can only happen with consistent time in the saddle.

In an ideal world, our students would ride multiple days a week. Think about how many hours in a week your child might play another sport or an instrument, and how much improvement can happen with that much practice. However, we understand that the expense of riding generally prohibits more than weekly lessons for recreational riders. It is crucial that our students attend as many regular lessons as possible to continue to advance.

For this reason, we structure our lesson program around five annual sessions.  Start and end dates will be based around holidays, school and show schedules.  Sessions will generally range from 8 – 12 weeks in length.  Riders must commit to a lesson spot for the entire session.

Winter:  January, February, March 
Early Spring:  April, May
Summer:  June, July, August
Early Fall:  September, October 
Late Fall:  November, December 



LESSON TYPES and PRICING

Twin Elm Training offers 1 Hour Private, 30 Minute Private and 1 Hour Group lessons. 

1 HOUR PRIVATE LESSONS

Required and held exclusively for all new riders. The 1 hour private lessons includes time learning how to groom, tack and untack the horse along with at least 30 mins of ride time.  This lesson is required until the rider can groom, tack, trot, and steer independently. It will be determined by your instructor when the rider is able to move onto group lessons.  

1 HOUR PRIVATE LESSONS are priced at $62.50 per lesson.

$500 for 8 week session. $625 for 10 week session. $750 for 12 week session.

 
30 MINUTE PRIVATE LESSONS

Are available for riders who can independently catch, groom, tack up and walk/trot and steer independently.  In order to move into a 30 Minute Private Lesson your instructor must request and approve this type of lesson.  This lesson slot is typically reserved for our horse owners/lessors and show riders.  30-minute privates do not incorporate time for grooming and tacking, this must be done prior to the start of the lesson.

30 MINUTE PRIVATE LESSONS are priced at $55.00 per lesson.

$440 for 8 week session. $550 for 10 week session. $660 for 12 week session.



1-HOUR GROUP LESSONS

Are available for riders who can catch, groom, tack, walk/trot and steer independently and have been approved to move into a group by their instructor. The one hour lesson slot reserves a portion of the hour for time to get ready for the lesson leaving about 30-45 mins of ride time.

GROUP LESSONS are priced at $55.00 per lesson.

$440 for 8 week session. $550 for 10 week session. $660 for 12 week session.

 
PAYMENT OPTIONS

There are two payment options:

Pay in full 10 days before the start of the session. Exact dates will be posted prior to start of each session. If payment is not received your lesson spot is not going to be reserved and will be opened up to new riders.
Make half of your payment 10 days before the start of the session and pay the remaining balance midway through the session.  Exact due dates will be posted prior to the start of each session. If payment is not received your lesson spot is not going to be reserved and will be opened up to new riders.

CANCELLATION POLICY and MAKEUP LESSONS

​There will be no prorating for anticipated missed lessons.  Missed lessons that are given at least a 24 hour notice will be able to be made up on scheduled make up dates or we will allow rescheduling to other lesson slots if that can be easily done during the current session. 

For example:  Suzy typically rides a group on Tuesdays at 4:30 but Suzy has a band concert on one of the Tuesdays in the early Fall Session and has to miss her lesson.  This missed group lesson can be rescheduled to any available group slot on any other day of the week anytime during the Early Fall Session. If Suzy can’t reschedule to another lesson slot on another day, she could also utilize one of the two prescheduled and posted make up days.  If the lesson can’t be rescheduled or made up during one of the make up days during the current session then the lesson is forfeited.  

If a lesson has to be canceled by your instructor for any reason (weather, illness, etc.), your instructor will contact you to make alternate arrangements to reschedule the lesson before the end of the session.

Our horses are the backbone of our program, our teammates and our colleagues, and their health and happiness are primary concerns.  We schedule lessons carefully to avoid overworking the horses mentally or physically, and also work hard to match riders to horses and ponies that will help the learn and progress.  Please notify your instructor as soon as possible if you will be unable to attend a lesson so the instructor can adjust lesson plans and horse use as needed.

INCLIMENT/WINTER WEATHER

 Lessons are not usually canceled for cold or hot temperatures; there are many unmounted skills that can be learned and practiced if the temperatures make it unsafe to ride.  However, lessons may be canceled at the instructor’s discretion during inclement weather (particularly bad ice or heavy snow).  Parents/guardians will be notified by text or phone call, and a post will be made on the Twin Elm Training’s Facebook page.  Lessons will be rescheduled.

UNMOUNTED LESSONS 

Because horsemanship is an integral part of our riding program, there will be times when students do not ride during their lesson, but instead focus on unmounted skills. These lessons may occur when the weather is not conducive to riding (too hot, too cold, thunder/lightning, etc.), or if the student needs to focus on unmounted skills.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

​ New riders in their first session are required to wear pants and boots with a small heel.  Helmets are available to borrow during their first session.  Once you or your child has decided that you/they enjoy riding and want to keep progressing, there are a few items that you will want to purchase for the rider’s safety and comfort. Please ask your instructor where to purchase and get fitted.

The following are required for lessons after your first session:

  • Riding breeches, riding tights or jodhpurs, which provide extra protection and grip.
  • Boots specific for riding (paddock or tall boots); which enable the rider’s leg, ankle and foot to be positioned correctly in the stirrup and which also offer added protection from dancing hooves!
  • A riding helmet, which can be fitted specifically to your child’s head for extra protection in the event of a fall.  Long hair must be contained in a hair tie.


 LATE FALL 2025 SESSION TUITION (8 WEEKS)



ONE HOUR PRIVATE LESSONS

Payment Options:

1 Payment $500 due by October 20th

Or

2 Payments of $250 each due by October 20th and November 20th

 
30 MINUTE PRIVATE OR ONE HOUR GROUP LESSONS

Payment Options:

1 Payment $440 due by October 20th

Or

2 Payments of $220 due by October 20th and November 20th


Please note you will not get put on the schedule until payment has been made and if you chose the 2 payment option then a late fee will apply if the second payment is not paid on time.

 
Make Up Lessons

Late Fall Session make-up lessons are Saturday, November 22nd and Saturday, December 27th.

Reminder: No-show lessons and lessons cancelled with less then a 24 hour notice are NOT eligible for make-up lessons!Type your paragraph here.

CHILDREN TOO YOUNG FOR LESSONS

Twin Elm Training offers the Runt Rider program for children too young for lessons. During their half-hour visit, your youngster will ride a horse or pony led by a staff member. Some pre-schoolers want to comb the horse’s hair, help to saddle it, or lead it out for a bit of grass. More than one child can share the half hour.  Ages 4 - 6 years.

$40 per visit

Twin Elm Training's Riding lesson program Overview