Winter Horseback Riding Lessons

Come Ride With Us!

The University of Connecticut's Animal Science Department offers a winter horseback riding program to the public with something for everyone!

Dressage, Hunt Seat, Polo and Western are open to adults and children who meet the minimum age and skill level requirements.

Schedule
Payment
Registration Form
Frequently Asked Questions

Lesson Options

Dressage, Hunt Seat & Western

Polo

Registration Instructions

Choose a program to enroll in from the options listed below and carefully follow the corresponding instructions. Please note that the registration procedure varies for each program

Additional Information for all Riders

*All lessons are held in the UConn Horsebarn Hill Arena located on Horsebarn Hill Road at the UConn Storrs Campus. Riders are asked to arrive at the UConn Horse Unit 1 ( Red barn located at 3080 Horsebarn Hill Road, Storrs, CT 06269) 15 minutes ahead of their scheduled lesson time to tack up their horses and prepare for riding.*

• Parking information for riders: The PayByPhone mobile application (Location 5172 | map) will provide campus visitors the required flexibility in a convenient location ($2/hour; $6-maximum/day).

All students will be required to supply the following equipment: (1) a properly fitting ASTM/SEI approved riding helmet within 5 years of manufacturing date and (2) boots that have a heel with a rubber sole.

• Riders must be paid in full and registration forms completed by the deadlines listed above.
• Makeup lessons will not be offered.
• There are no refunds, however refunds will be considered on a case-by-case basis for extraordinary circumstances.

Height & Weight:
Our goal is to ensure a safe ride for all of our riders and horses. Horses are limited in how much weight they may carry.  It is important to be as accurate as possible when submitting your height and weight so that an appropriate horse can be matched to each rider.

Weight Restrictions:
Each horse is restricted in the amount of weight it may carry. The weight restriction is based on several factors, but the most important is rider’s weight. Too much weight can cause rub-sores from the saddle, strained muscles, and pinched nerves. Permanent damage such as a "sway back" or deteriorated muscle function can also occur over time.  It is important to be as accurate as possible when submitting your height and weight so that you can be matched with the appropriate horse. None of the horses currently available for horseback riding are capable of carrying a rider who weighs more than 225lbs. On any given day, it is possible that a horse will not be available for you to ride because of weight limitations (examples include: (1) the only horse capable of carrying a rider who weighs 200lbs is being monitored for injury and will not be available for riding for at least a week and (2) three riders, each weighing 185lbs, are scheduled for a riding program on the same day but only two horses are available to carry such weight.) In the event a horse is not available for you to ride on a particular day, we will try to provide you with advance notice and will provide a refund for each day a horse is unavailable for you to ride. For additional information regarding weight restrictions please contact: Alena Meacham alena.meacham@uconn.edu.

Policy on Safety Requirements for Participation:
For the safety of program participants and our horses, and in order to acquire the skills attendant to successful horseback riding, participants must be able to engage in certain tasks related to grooming, tacking and riding. For example, participants must be able to safely mount and dismount a horse and must possess sufficient upper body balance, leg strength and mobility to ride ahorse unassisted for a reasonable period of time. The UConn riding program is not a certified therapeutic riding facility. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable inclusive participation, but we reserve the right to assess each individual’s capabilities to perform these tasks for their own safety and for the safety of our horses. If it is or becomes apparent that the rider is not able to meet the physical requirements of safely participating in the lesson program even with reasonable accommodations, the participant will be notified by the instructor. If you would like to discuss any specific concerns prior to your lesson, please contact alena.meacham@uconn.edu. If interested, the following is a list of some therapeutic riding facilities in Connecticut: High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center - 860-434-1974, Hidden Acres Therapeutic Riding Center - 203-723-0633, Manes and Motions - 860-223-2761.

Age Restrictions:
Public riding lessons (including trail and excluding polo) are open to participants 11 years of age or older. Polo lessons are open to participants 13 years of age or older.

Riding Program Contacts:

• Hunt Seat, Western, Dressage - Alena Meacham (alena.meacham@uconn.edu)
• Polo - Jenny Sale (jennifer.sale@uconn.edu)
• For technical, form or payment issues, please contact uconnhorseriding@uconn.edu

Important Links:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Lesson Level Descriptions
• Hunt Seat Instructor Biography
• Summer Riding Program