(You just have to take that first lesson!  Are you ready to get started?!)

LYNCHLAND'S LESSON PROGRAMS

At Lynchland – our philosophy is somewhat different! We are looking for the student who wants to learn everything about the care of the horse(s) they will be riding. We expect the students will learn how to catch, groom, handle, lead, lunge, bridle and saddle the school horse/pony themselves within a few months. After the student has mastered these basics, increasing amounts of time will be spent on riding skills – assuming the student has caught, groomed, bridled and saddled their school horse before the lesson starts! As the student gains more skill, they will also lunge their horse, and warm the horse up under saddle before the lesson starts.

We expect that the student keep a journal, and religiously record their lessons! A typical entry may read: “Rode Sadie today, worked on correct bandaging methods, how to lunge her in the round pen. Then we worked on trotting over cross poles, while in a two point, and then posting. It was hard for me to hold a two point, and I would like to work on that in my next lesson. My lesson today was easy/hard because……….”. PARENTS! It’s so important for the kids to keep a journal! They can’t practice a lot of their riding skills from one lesson to the next, but by going back and reading it, they can relive it over and over again. We think it’s also wonderful if parents can commit to videotaping their child’s lesson once a month, to chronicle improvement – and sometimes, just so we can let the student see what they may be doing well or poorly.

Our lessons vary from day to day, but always start out with ground work, flat work and stretching. We may move on to work in the Dressage Arena, the Round Pen, the Indoor Arena, or out in the Cross Country Course. We may do yoga, we may play games, we may do gymnastic exercise – eventually building up to the student’s individual goals. Often we will combine 2 or 3 students of similar experience to simulate actual competition classes.

We expect that students are involved in the care and upkeep of all tack – which includes spending time cleaning bridles and saddles, cleaning up grooming and washing areas, replacing equipment, etc. We want all students to really know what it means to be responsible for a horse! We have a motto here – “No Snobby People Allowed – Ever!” We want to teach good horsemanship – as well as fellowship at the barn.

FEES:

Evaluation and Planning lesson - $75 – approximately 2 hours. The student’s first day at Lynchland will be used to familiarize them with horses, tack and grooming supplies. We’ll evaluate current skill set and develop a game plan for ongoing lessons.

Regular lessons are $45-$65, depending on whether students are using their own or a lesson horse, flat or jumping, individual or packaged. Lessons are usually just under an hour, but if the student is tired, we won’t push it. If the student is really catching on to something, and we need more time to cement the lesson, we’ll take it! Usually the first couple of months are hardest, and take some endurance building! Regular lessons will include some homework exercises to build up, lengthen and strengthen specific muscle groups.

Mom and Me Lessons - $65 – are usually an hour long. This class is geared toward parent and child learning together. Participants will learn the basics of good horsemanship, with a focus on the parent learning these basics correctly! Parents will learn how to assist their kids in grooming, bridling and saddling, and horse handling skills. We can also introduce parents to saddle time if you’re interested! A fabulous bonding time for pre-teens.

Introductory lessons are $30 for a 30 minute session. These lessons are for young children, whose attention span limits their time in the saddle!

Saturday and Sunday morning lessons are $75 for a 2 hour lesson block, and typically will have 2-4 students of the same level. These are intense lessons, and everyone goes away exhausted but have learned a lot!

Horse Show Days are variable, based on the number of classes the student enters, how much schooling they need, and if they will be using their own horse or one of ours!

Our lessons often extend into the show arena.  Pictured here is Katie O and Poco winning the Puddle Jumpers at a Four Winds CHJA show!

Camping Trips are scheduled once a year, and students must be fully capable of caring for and responsible riding of “their” horses. It’s a blast!

Excursions – if you decide you’re ready to start shopping for a horse or saddle – We’re be happy to help! If it’s less than an hour, no charge will be assessed – over an hour, a regular lesson fee is assessed.

Horses for Lease and Sale – Lynchland has horses available for half lease, full lease or sale, and sometimes - the same horses that you take lessons on! Ask us for more information, and we’ll help to evaluate if you’re ready to take the jump to leasing or ownership.

Kate K jumping "Flash"

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Instructors:  Meet Jackie and Susan!  Between us, we can meet your every instruction need.       

 Susan Herlihy 

Susan Herlihy is Lynchland's Senior Instructor -  and has been working with us for almost 8 years!  Susan is a full time mother and Director at Fort Collins' Lincoln Center, and still manages to dedicate 2 days a week to teaching for us!  Susan's focus is students coming back into the saddle after having some time away from horses - whether that's just 6 months or 20 years.  Outside of her demands for exceptional basics on the flat and over fences, her two specialities are dealing with fear and confidence issues.  She has the enviable knack of match-making, and can always help the students find the right match - whether for a single lesson, or a life-time partnership. Susan is a task-master who expects that her students give their best effort at every lesson - and the progress they achieve is amazing.  As Susan's schedule is limited, she has a dedicated group of 5-10 core students that are committed to a twice a week schedule.

Jackie Lynch

Jackie and "Bones Is" winning the Green Hunters at Colorado Horse Park

Jackie Lynch has owned Lynchland Stables since 1998, and has been riding since she was a child in Chicago.  Initially showing in the AQHA Circuit, she focused on Western disciplines including reining and gymkhana.  Jackie moved back to the English world as an adult.  She's been a recent Year-End Champion in the MSEA Eventing world, and most recently competing in the CHJA circuit winning championships in Green/Evergreen and Open Hunters - winning top awards in all division.  Her competition goals for 2011 is to introduce Bones to Training level eventing, and to show recent acquisition Okie Lokie Dokie in the AQHA circuit. Jackie's client base is wide and varied, and will include boarders with their own horses, students with competition goals, students with great natural talent, and students that are willing to be working students in order to get saddle time!  Jackie is on-site daily, and can work out lesson times to meet most any schedule. From time to time, Jackie's attitude toward riding can be a little bit more relaxed, and she's happy to be able to take her students to clinics, shows, auctions, camping or just for a swim in the local reservior!  Her entrance in to the Fort Collins equine scene came with a long-term interest in local horse rescue.  We are in the constant process of adopting, training and rehabbing horses to become useful in our world.  If you love the idea of rescuing an off-the-track-thoroughbred or helping an orphan foal survive, Lynchland will be the place for you!