Program Director Barn Manager Instructor – 1-4 Instructor – 5-8
Kathi Dancer TBA Taran Vixie Heather Schilling
       

Woodside Junior Riders is a non-profit, summer English riding program where children ages 6 to 16 learn horsemanship, horse safety and care, and along the way compassion and respect for horses, others and themselves. Run by volunteers and parents, the program is funded by moderate class fees and community donations of time, money, horses, tack and equipment.

Riding lessons teaching equitation at the walk, trot and canter, and jumping (for more advanced students) are offered Monday through Friday for nine weeks from June to August. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays students have riding lessons at the time scheduled for their group (see Dates & Schedules). On Fridays students ride bareback or play games on horseback at their regularly scheduled lesson time. Dismounted educational clinics, a very important part of the Junior Riders program, are held each Wednesday morning. Topics include horse health and safety and proper use of equipment. Parents are welcome to attend the clinics.

To celebrate the students’ accomplishments and showcase their skills a day long horse show is held for all riders at the end of each summer.

Quality instructors who truly enjoy children are a top priority for Woodside Junior Riders. These men and women bring many years’ experience in riding and horsemanship to their teaching along with a commitment to create an environment that is safe and fun.

Mentoring is built into our program. Each week, riders in the most advanced riding groups are assigned a horse and are responsible for its care. These students are required to stay at Junior Riders after they ride until the end of the program that day to help groom and tack up horses for the beginner riders, assist riders with mounting and adjusting stirrups, lead the lead line students, help untack horses and put equipment away when the beginner riders are done riding. The contribution from the advanced riders is critical to the success of the program on a daily basis.

Less experienced riders must arrive at least 20 minutes prior to their scheduled lesson and stay at least 20 minutes after their lesson to assist in caring for their horse. These riders may be given responsibilities for horses, equipment and property care.

Please note, WJR is not staffed to supervise young children and we do not have camp-type activities available.

Opening the Annual Horse Show with Grand Entry

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