Policies and Procedures
Payment
Horsemanship Lessons are to be paid at the beginning of each month, in full prior to the start of the first scheduled lesson. If payment is not received before the start of the first scheduled lesson, participant will be dropped from horsemanship lessons until payment is received for all scheduled lessons. A:: PAYMENTS ARE NON REFUNDABLE.
Make-Up Classes
We do not offer makeup classes.
Rescheduling
If you need to reschedule a class for any reason, it must be arranged before the actual session so we can fill that spot, and is based on horse availability.
Attire and Equipment
Proper attire must be worn for horsemanship lessons which is to be helmet, pants, shirt, shoes/boots with at least a half inch heel. The Whole Horse Place has some boots and helmets available to use. Appropriate clothing for the weather is not optional! Cold kids do not have fun.
Waiver and Personal Information
Rider’s information files will be held in confidentiality and only shared when necessary to assure the safety of a rider in the lesson or during an official incident review.
Lesson Description:
Sessions are 2, 3 or 4 hours in length, and consist of all aspects of horse keeping; from haltering, grooming, saddling, riding, round pen lessons, feeding, education, cleaning stalls, and various barn chores.
Additionally, all lessons are weather and ”horse health” related, and activities are based on each class and what is appropriate at that time in consideration of the weather and what the horses and students need.
The instructor additionally has the responsibility of safety and education for riders, volunteers, and horses at all times so therefore, the instructor has the right to deviate from the above lesson outline.
Example: the lesson could be full time as barn management-classroom activities, grooming, tacking up, types of tack, tack cleaning, etc. WE DO HAVE REGULAR NON RIDING DAYS!
General Conduct Policy
For Parents, Riders, And Guests During The Whole Horse Place Lesson Time:
•The Parent/Rider waiting area is located by the gate entrance to the round pen. Please do not roam and visit the horses while you are waiting for your child.
* Parents: please DO NOT do your child's chores. DO NOT save them when they are struggling during a lesson. You do not need to help them be successful here. DO NOT re instruct our instructions. Your child WILL get frustrated here. That is part of our learning process and is part of the lesson. We will ask and expect them to work out their own solutions with a chore or a teaching moment. DO NOT assist them! Feeling frustrated and problem solving is a big part of their growth as students here, and parents feeling that their child is getting their feelings hurt by being expected to perform to an appropriate standard, and rescuing your child, sabotages the lesson.
• NO sassing of parents.
* Parents! NO negotiations with your child to get them to do something.
* Parents can wait in your car or in the shack by the round pen. You are welcome to observe.
• All gates and stall doors to be kept closed.
• No climbing, sitting, or standing on stall doors, fences, or gates (this includes round pen).
• Smoking in your vehicle only. NOT around the barn or hay.
• No consumption of alcohol beverages or drugs.
• Adults are responsible for your guests and visitors conduct and safety while on the property of The Whole Horse Place.
• No running around horses or riding areas.
• No horses to be handled in or out of the stalls without supervision, if needed.
• No umbrellas while horses are present.
• No ball playing, tag games, or fast type movement games allowed before, during or after lesson scheduled times.
*Please drive less than 10 mph on our dirt road.
Disciplinary Policy
We verbally correct and instruct behaviors that are disrespectful, including children sassing parents. If it happens again, we put the child in time out. If it happens a third time we will call and ask the parent to take them home.
Dismissal Policy
The Whole Horse Place horsemanship instructor reserves the right to dismiss a rider with no second chance, and no refund. Some examples of reasons for dismissal: behavior problems that are unacceptable or unsafe, hitting, disturbing/disrupting a fellow student's private bathroom time while waiting in line for the restroom, disrespect to instructor and/or volunteers, failure to follow program stated policies, rules, instructions, and "overparenting" ( doing your child's chores, not allowing your child to struggle or be frustrated, before swooping in to save them).
Immediate Termination Policy:
A rider, parent or guardian, volunteer, or instructor will be immediately removed from the The Whole Horse Place’s program for sexual comments or sexual conduct.
Questions and Concerns
Please feel free to contact us and talk to us about any questions or concerns you may have regarding our policies. We are adapting as we go just like everyone else during the pandemic recovery years!
