Dressage lessons are available at Silver Fern Stables in Woodstock, IL. The atmosphere is fun and friendly, and lessons focus on developing solid, correct basics in preparation for work up the levels.
Christy teaches both children and adults. Some had never ridden before, but many came to her with experience in hunters or western riding. A few were “getting too old to jump”, while others needed to go back to basics to rebuild lost confidence. All of them saw the harmony and beauty of dressage and wanted to experience it with their own horses. Their horses are thoroughbreds, warmbloods, quarter horses, paints, and others.
For all of Christy’s riders, after considering the rider’s past experience and the horse’s type and previous training, an individual training program is laid out. Each rider’s needs and each horse’s needs are different, so by custom tailoring a strategy for each horse/rider team, they are all allowed to develop at their own pace. Those that would get left behind in other programs are brought along slowly and correctly without skipping steps, while those that are ready to move up more quickly are not held back. Even horses that may elsewhere be deemed unsuitable for dressage can blossom given patience and creativity in their training program.
Through weekly lessons, riders gain an understanding of the process of training a horse in dressage. They learn about theory, biomechanics, proper conditioning, using aids and timing, and different movements and exercises to strengthen and supple the horse. Riders are not just told what to do, but also why, and most importantly, how. This is the big piece that Christy is able to bring to the lesson that many riders find makes the difference between success and frustration.
In order to give each horse and rider individual attention and the exercises particular to their needs, Christy only teaches private lessons. A half hour lesson is $35, and an hour long lesson is $55.
Making progress is very motivating by itself, but many riders get to a point where they want to set a specific goal to work towards and put their skills to the test. For these riders, we have a show team that is open to everyone, and whether or not you have a strong competitive drive, showing can be fun and educational.
We’d love for you to join us!
