Wakefield Barn: Training and Lessons

Training Philosophy:
Thom- "I’ve always believed that if you learn to listen to your horse you will not only be more successful, you will have more fun. Rodney Jenkins taught me to 'see life through the horse’s eyes' and to respect the individuality of each horse. Every horse develops at his own pace and if you pay attention to the signs, you will know how fast to progress and at which level your horse belongs. If progress is too quick, the horse may become fearful or lose his confidence. If progress is too slow, the horse may be bored. It is the trainer’s job to be the voice of the horse.

Horses thrive and progress more quickly if their lives are consistent. Consistency makes it easier for them to understand what it is you are asking of them. If they grasp it, they will try to accomplish it. You can achieve great things when your horse comprehends his job and is confident he can do it."

Lisa- "Horses are not like the other animals we deal with on a regular basis. They have their own way of looking at things and we cannot change their instincts. But we can, by learning to “read” them, use those instincts to our advantage. The more we attempt to understand why a horse behaves the way he does, the safer we are around them and the more success we will have trying to get them to do what we want. You can force a horse to do almost anything (except drink when led to water) but the horse will be unhappy about it and will spend his time thinking of evasions. Horses who have a clear understanding of their jobs want to please us. If we become a source of discomfort or fear to them, we lose that willingness. If we listen to our horses, they are more likely to listen to us. The greatest challenge of riding, and the greatest source of satisfaction, is to have horse and rider work together as a team."

Lessons:
(See the "Rates" page for lesson pricing)
We give hour and half-hour private and semi-private (two riders) lessons. Group lessons (hour only) are 3 or more riders. If you would like to bring your horse to Wakefield for a lesson, we will need to see a current Coggins and proof of immunizations. There will be a fee for horses shipping in.

An approved (ASTM/SEI certified) hard hat is required and must be worn the entire time the rider is mounted. Also, riders need suitable footwear, such as paddock boots (hard-soled boots with a heel, that lace up past the ankle.) This is for your safety. You will be most comfortable riding in pants or jodhpurs that fit snugly. Every rider must sign a release, or, if younger than 21 years of age, must have a release signed by a parent or guardian.

We understand that things come up unexpectedly but would appreciate as much notice as possible on cancellations, so that we can give that time to someone else. Assume that if Wake County schools are closed due to inclement weather, lessons are also cancelled. Horses are very attuned to the weather; if it is below 40 degrees, raining or very windy, please call your instructor to discuss whether or not you should ride that day.

We are primarily a training and showing barn and do not have a string of beginner, intermediate and advanced lesson horses. The purpose of our lesson horse is for riders who have gone beyond beginner lessons and who will soon be interested in purchasing or leasing a horse or pony of their own. For students riding our horse, lesson time includes instruction on handling horses, grooming, tacking up and cooling out, etc. Riders are encouraged to learn as much as they can about the way horses think, how and why horses react to things the way they do, and how to keep a horse happy.