Horses and Ponies
Equine Programs
Bowers Farm Riding School
An equine program for adults and children. Students can develop skills over a 6 step program from beginner to advanced. As riders progress through the program they will master equestrian abilities with confidence along the way, learning proper equestrian techniques and equine care.
Why Bowers Riding School?
Introduce students to the world of equestrian
Have a keen understanding of horse behaviors
Develop a keen understanding of riding and handling
Learn equine care and first aid
Learn proper grooming and saddling techniques
Help foster strong relationships between the students & horses
TO HAVE FUN AND BUILD CONFIDENCE
CURRENT CLASSES IN OCTOBER 2024:
We require that all riders start at the Green Beginner Level 1 to get to know our horses and become familiar with our barns and fields. Each session is a standalone program consisting of 8-hours of learning. There are no refunds for missed classes and you can not makeup classes in a different class.
ADULT (ages 18+) Beginner Green Level 1: Thursdays, Oct. 3 - 24 at 5p - 7p. FULL
YOUTH (ages 8-17) Beginner Green Level 1: Mondays/Wednesdays, Oct. 9 - Nov. 4 at 4:30p - 5:30p. Register here
YOUTH (ages 8-17) Beginner Green Level 1: Tuesdays (4:30p-5:30p)/Saturdays (11a-12p), Oct. 8 - Nov. 2. Register here
FAQs
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Wear something you don't mind getting dirty! Long pants such as jeans, leggings, or breeches are highly recommended. Boots with a heel are ideal, but close-toed shoes are required. You do not need to purchase clothing for this course, but if you would like to continue through the riding school program in the future, Arizona Saddlery on Woodward is a local tack shop that you can visit. Amazon is also a good resource.
If the student has long hair we recommend putting it in a low ponytail or braid is ideal so it is tied back for a helmet to fit on their head.
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Close-toed shoes are required
Clothing that is OK to get dirty
Recommendations:
Long pants such as jeans, leggings, yoga pants, or breaches are preferred
Boots with a small heel-at least 1/2 inch heel are preferred
A water bottle. We also have water fountains to refill water bottles
Sunscreen
A hat for when helmets are not being worn
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If you do have your own horseback riding helmet feel free to bring them! Make sure it is ASTM F1163-15/SEI certified and manufactured within the last 5 years. If you do not have a helmet, one will be provided for you!
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Please do not bring treats for the horses as they all have unique diets and restrictions.
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On the first day of camp we assign students to each horse. We do our best to match campers' personalities and abilities to their horses. However, no two horses or people are the same so we may need to change which horse the student rides. This is to ensure both the student and our horses are paired with someone they get along with!
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Yes. We require that all students start at this level to learn about the horses and rules of the barn. You still can enjoy your horse time.
Click HERE to see all the equine updates and photos:
Saddle Up in September
Bowers School Farm is offering an immersive horse riding school taking place during the month of September, for horse enthusiasts ages 10-15. We will take a deep dive into the world of equestrian. Led by our Camp Coordinator, Ms. Lou, who offers a lifetime of show horse experience. Students will get hands on with our horses here at Bowers. They will learn the differences between various riding styles such as western, and English. They will have a overview of horse safety and care while building relationships with the horses. This session will also connect students to the world of equine vet science by teaching them how to provide basic first aid and daily care to horses. Group riding lessons will occur every day of class (weather permitting). The goal of this special progressive style school is for riders to learn to build proper equestrian technique and display their learned equestrian skills at the end of our 4 week course, in front of a live audience at our Fall Festival.
This program is now FULL.
Meet your equine instructor, Louise:
Ms. Lou, as commonly called by her students, is also the Camp Coordinator at Bowers Farm and Johnson Nature Center. She lives on a horse farm with her family. Lou has an educational background in Child Development: Early Childhood which allows her to be comfortable in classroom management, child behaviors, parent relationships. Her other passion comes with a life time of equestrian experience both as a hobby and on a professional level. She has been showing horse in the UK and US since a child. Lou has run horse camps, riding lessons and running horse facilities for many years. She also coached Milford High School Equestrian Team for 14 years leading them to many state championship titles.
“My mission is to improve the quality of life both physically and emotionally of both adults and children of all ability levels through equine-assisted activities.”
