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 the newest member of the Hidden Creek lesson program! He's flashy, he's tall - he's got it all! Emmett is a Thoroughbred gelding currently schooling through Second Level dressage. He will be making his debut with multiple Hidden Creek riders in 2017!
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.
MAC
Mac is a seasoned school master at 26 years old. He has competed through Second Level dressage and now enjoys Intro and Training level, especially with children and beginner riders. A 15.3 hand Quarter Horse gelding, he truly takes care of our youngest and least experienced riders. However, his training and background make him an excellent teacher for riders with more experience.
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 the newest member of the Hidden Creek lesson program! He's flashy, he's tall - he's got it all! Emmett is a Thoroughbred gelding currently schooling through Second Level dressage. He will be making his debut with multiple Hidden Creek riders in 2017!
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.
MAC
Mac is a seasoned school master at 26 years old. He has competed through Second Level dressage and now enjoys Intro and Training level, especially with children and beginner riders. A 15.3 hand Quarter Horse gelding, he truly takes care of our youngest and least experienced riders. However, his training and background make him an excellent teacher for riders with more experience.
Lesson Options
We offer several different lesson formats to meet the needs of our students. Please note that we start all beginners off in half-hour private lessons.
- 1/2 hour private lesson $45.00/lesson
- One hour group lesson (3-4 students) $45.00/lesson/student
- One hour semi-private lesson (2 students) $55.00/lesson/student
- 45-minute private lesson $60.00/lesson
- Quadrille lessons (must be a current student) $20.00/lesson
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.
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.
We offer several different lesson formats to meet the needs of our students. Please note that we start all beginners off in half-hour private lessons.
- 1/2 hour private lesson $45.00/lesson
- One hour group lesson (3-4 students) $45.00/lesson/student
- One hour semi-private lesson (2 students) $55.00/lesson/student
- 45-minute private lesson $60.00/lesson
- Quadrille lessons (must be a current student) $20.00/lesson
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.
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.
