Here is our class schedule for this week! We will be closed Christmas Eve & Christmas Day.

We WILL be open next week (12/28-12/31)! As usual the class schedule will go up at the beginning of the week so we can plan around winter weather conditions.

This week’s class schedule:

• Friday 12/10, 10:30 am: Open Riding Lesson (all ages/levels)
• Friday 12/10, 3:15 pm: After School Youth Riding Lesson
• Saturday 12/11, 2:30 pm: Open Riding Lesson (all ages/levels)
• As always, you can book a private lesson under the “Book Now” tab on Vagaro.

Please book your class spot on our homepage.

We also have Reber Valley Riders 4-H meetings this week!

• Thursday 12/9, 6 pm at Noblewood Park: Business meeting – will be holding elections for officers!
• Saturday 12/10, 10:30 am at Noblewood Park: Project meeting – horse science study

***Please remember that you MUST BE ENROLLED to participate in 4-H from here on.

It’s really cold out! Do you teach lessons over the winter?

YES, we do still ride and teach lessons throughout the winter! Lessons are canceled when:

• Weather and/or footing conditions are unsafe for horses and riders
• When the temperature is 25 degrees Fahrenheit or under.

You should get a “class/appointment is ready to start” notification from Vagaro earlier in the day prior to your lesson, which will confirm your lesson is still a go. If you are not sure or are not recieving notifications from Vagaro, please contact Chauntel to confirm your lesson is still on as planned.

Training rides may still go on as planned if it is under 25 degrees F.

I can only see classes for the coming week on your scheduling app, not the entire month. Why is that? I’d like to book a few weeks in advance.

While we understand and appreciate booking weeks in advance (especially in the busy warmer months!) we are trying out weekly schedules this winter, rather than monthly. This way we can better plan around the weather and conditions, and avoid having to repeatedly cancel classes.

If you need to plan well in advance, we recommend booking a private or semi-private lesson at your desired date and time.

Class schedules for the coming week will be posted Sunday night/Monday morning.

Can I volunteer to help out at the barn over the winter?

Sure thing! We appreciate all the help we can get when it’s cold. You can sign up to volunteer on the Vagaro schedule, or call/text 518-578-2392 if you’re unsure of how to do that. Please make sure you have your ride established with drop off and pick up times.

What are your coronavirus policies for the winter season?

• _{Masks are required and are NOT optional while in the main barn. They may be removed when you are outside and can maintain social distancing.}
• _{The water in the office has been shut off due to freezing temperatures, but please make use of the hand sanitizer on the sink.}
• _{Only students or volunteers with specific tasks assigned are allowed on the premises. If you are not riding or volunteering, we ask that you stay in the car.}

I’m honored to share that myself and my horses were recently the subject of a Floyd Takeuchi project. Floyd is an old family friend and for many years I have been captivated by his photography of the Pacific Islands, a region dear to my family’s hearts. On a recent visit he picked up the camera, aimed it at us and definitely put me out of my comfort zone!

I am both flattered and grateful that he so poignantly captured this spirit of horsemanship, something that I firmly believe in and try to share with anyone that will give me the time. Horses are medicine for the soul and I think Floyd’s composition does a good job of demonstrating that.

If you are interested in the zine you can find it here.

On another note, it was a great learning experience for me to spend this time with Floyd and glean some wisdom from his well-traveled life. He also does this tricky thing where he asks you totally innocuous questions, making you closely examine why you do what you do. It ends up surprising you. Thank you, Floyd, for your time.

Happy Trails,

Chauntel