Lessons
Hidden Creek offers training to riders of all ages and experience levels. We offer instruction in dressage, quadrille, and jumping on our school horses or your own horse. We pride ourselves in offering our students an array of educational opportunities including clinics, quadrille training, educational seminars, ESDCTA youth programs, high school varsity recognition, musical freestyles, championship and award opportunities, and working student positions. Our trainers have many years' teaching experience as well as extensive competition experience.
We gear our lessons towards the individual goals of each rider, following this key principle: First, the rider has to be safe. Second, the rider has to have fun. Third, the rider should learn.
We gear our lessons towards the individual goals of each rider, following this key principle: First, the rider has to be safe. Second, the rider has to have fun. Third, the rider should learn.
Meet our lesson horses
Please check back soon for more pictures and information on our wonderful lesson horses, including:
NEMO
Our littlest and mightiest member of the school horse squad, Nemo is a 12.3 hand Appaloosa/Welsh Pony cross. His small size makes him great for young children and beginners, but he is challenging enough for advanced children and small adults. Nemo has successfully competed through First Level dressage.
STARLIGHT
Starlight is a 15.1 hand buckskin Appendix mare. She is a barn favorite due to her sweet demeanor and her talent for dressage. Starlight has competed successfully all over the east coast through First Level dressage and musical freestyle, and is the only horse in the barn to compete in the USDF Region One Youth Team Alumni Challenge. She was Reserve Champion in the freestyle challenge in 2015 and fourth place in the compulsory challenge. Starlight has schooled through Third Level dressage, making her a perfect match for any level rider.
EMMETT
Emmett is a Thoroughbred gelding currently schooling through Second Level dressage and has competed through First Level. He is tall and flashy! Emmett is more of an advanced ride as he needs a more confident rider. In 2019 he competed Training and First Level Dressage with scores up to 70%+ in both levels. Emmett is as cuddly as they get and loves being a part of the IEA Team Practices!
DUNCAN
Duncan is a 16.2 hand Thoroughbred gelding owned by Christine Schuster. He has successfully competed through First Level dressage and has competed in combined training as well. He enjoys quadrilles and pas de deux teams and gets along well with the other horses. His kind nature draws in many riders looking to advance through the lower levels of dressage.
CAPTAIN
Captain is the newest in the lesson program. He is sweet but big which makes him most suitable for an intermediate / advanced rider wanting to help bring a horse along as he's more green than some of the other lesson horses. He is a Warmblood Cross and is a great ride if you wish to do Combined Training and do some jumping! He had some time off and is getting back into work before he will be available for lessons!
NEMO
Our littlest and mightiest member of the school horse squad, Nemo is a 12.3 hand Appaloosa/Welsh Pony cross. His small size makes him great for young children and beginners, but he is challenging enough for advanced children and small adults. Nemo has successfully competed through First Level dressage.
STARLIGHT
Starlight is a 15.1 hand buckskin Appendix mare. She is a barn favorite due to her sweet demeanor and her talent for dressage. Starlight has competed successfully all over the east coast through First Level dressage and musical freestyle, and is the only horse in the barn to compete in the USDF Region One Youth Team Alumni Challenge. She was Reserve Champion in the freestyle challenge in 2015 and fourth place in the compulsory challenge. Starlight has schooled through Third Level dressage, making her a perfect match for any level rider.
EMMETT
Emmett is a Thoroughbred gelding currently schooling through Second Level dressage and has competed through First Level. He is tall and flashy! Emmett is more of an advanced ride as he needs a more confident rider. In 2019 he competed Training and First Level Dressage with scores up to 70%+ in both levels. Emmett is as cuddly as they get and loves being a part of the IEA Team Practices!
DUNCAN
Duncan is a 16.2 hand Thoroughbred gelding owned by Christine Schuster. He has successfully competed through First Level dressage and has competed in combined training as well. He enjoys quadrilles and pas de deux teams and gets along well with the other horses. His kind nature draws in many riders looking to advance through the lower levels of dressage.
CAPTAIN
Captain is the newest in the lesson program. He is sweet but big which makes him most suitable for an intermediate / advanced rider wanting to help bring a horse along as he's more green than some of the other lesson horses. He is a Warmblood Cross and is a great ride if you wish to do Combined Training and do some jumping! He had some time off and is getting back into work before he will be available for lessons!
Lesson/Training Options
- 1/2 hour private lesson $50.00/lesson
- 10 lesson pre-paid package (1/2 hour lessons) $450.00/package
- 1/2 hour Training Ride $65.00/training ride
Lessons can be paid for on a weekly basis. However, we offer a discount package of ten lessons for the price of nine if you pre-pay. These packages go by lessons taken rather than weeks, and may be split between multiple family members. Lessons can be taken on one of our lesson horses or on your own horse, and trailer-ins are welcome. Training rides available for your own horse as well.
Trainers are available for off-site clinics. Potential off-site lessons could be discussed but may require an additional fee depending on distance and availability.
For on-site lessons, please plan to show up 15-20 minutes before your lesson to groom and tack up your horse. A working student will be available to help new and young students. These working students will not be permitted to get a horse ready without the student present unless contacted ahead of time. Failure to show up at least 15 minutes before your lesson time may result in a shortened lesson.
However, if you are riding one of our lesson horses, please be aware that these horses are often ridden in two-to-three lessons per day. That means that occasionally, a horse will have two lessons scheduled back-to-back. You should still plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before your lesson time as lessons and horse assignments are subject to change from week-to-week, but there may be times when you simply take a horse from another rider or give your horse to another rider after you are finished. We diligently manage our lesson horses' workload and schedule their lessons to meet their individual needs, while also doing our best to accommodate our riders.
Kindly give your instructor at least 24 hours notice if you cannot attend a scheduled lesson. Other than in the cases of illness, injury, or emergency, you will be charged for the missed lesson unless you give your instructor adequate notice.
- 1/2 hour private lesson $50.00/lesson
- 10 lesson pre-paid package (1/2 hour lessons) $450.00/package
- 1/2 hour Training Ride $65.00/training ride
Lessons can be paid for on a weekly basis. However, we offer a discount package of ten lessons for the price of nine if you pre-pay. These packages go by lessons taken rather than weeks, and may be split between multiple family members. Lessons can be taken on one of our lesson horses or on your own horse, and trailer-ins are welcome. Training rides available for your own horse as well.
Trainers are available for off-site clinics. Potential off-site lessons could be discussed but may require an additional fee depending on distance and availability.
For on-site lessons, please plan to show up 15-20 minutes before your lesson to groom and tack up your horse. A working student will be available to help new and young students. These working students will not be permitted to get a horse ready without the student present unless contacted ahead of time. Failure to show up at least 15 minutes before your lesson time may result in a shortened lesson.
However, if you are riding one of our lesson horses, please be aware that these horses are often ridden in two-to-three lessons per day. That means that occasionally, a horse will have two lessons scheduled back-to-back. You should still plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before your lesson time as lessons and horse assignments are subject to change from week-to-week, but there may be times when you simply take a horse from another rider or give your horse to another rider after you are finished. We diligently manage our lesson horses' workload and schedule their lessons to meet their individual needs, while also doing our best to accommodate our riders.
Kindly give your instructor at least 24 hours notice if you cannot attend a scheduled lesson. Other than in the cases of illness, injury, or emergency, you will be charged for the missed lesson unless you give your instructor adequate notice.