Contry
Hill Farm offers top quality riding lessons for beginner through
advanced balance seat. Always the focus on good horsemanship, each
student will learn how to care for and ride one of the farm's lesson
ponies or horses. (Also, see our
Horses Available for Lease)
Lesson
Rates
|
1/2 Hour Private Lesson (for Children under Age 11) |
$30.00 |
|
1 Hour Private Lesson |
$45.00 |
|
Semi Private Lesson |
$35.00 per person |
|
Group lesson (3+) |
$30.00 per person |
|
Trail Rides |
$45.00 per person |
|
Required Riding Attire:
Long pants or breeches for riding, a closed-toed
flat-soled shoe with a heel of ½ to 1½ inch. |
Currently Accepting New Students! Weekend and Weekday
spaces available
Call
Karen directly at the farm to schedule a weekday lesson (603) 878-1586
Email
or call Emily to arrange a Friday or weekend lesson (978) 855-2693
Lesson Policies
All
students are required to sign a release form and barn
rules before riding at the farm. Students may fill this out ahead of
time,
click here for
Release Form.
Prices may be subject to change without notice. A 24-hour
cancellation notice required or student pays half price, no shows
pay full price. Lesson cancellation policy applies to all students.
Contry Hill Farm
will cancel classes when we are experiencing extreme weather.
This includes blizzards, severe rain storms, extreme heat and extreme
cold. Horses are affected by extreme temperatures.
If the temperature
is 10 degrees or below or if it is extremely hot and humid, please call
the barn or your instructor, to hear if classes are being held.
The barn number is 603-878-1586
Jump Night
Time: Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30.
Cost: $25 to participate.
The evening starts off with ground pole and progresses up to cross rails. The spring jump lessons, in the outdoor ring, will focus on riding jump
courses and techniques to improve technique. Lessons in the indoor will
focus on rider position and developing an eye for distances.
|
5:30-6:30 pm |
Beginning Jump Lesson |
|
6:30-7:30 pm |
Intermediate Jump Lesson |
|
7:30-8:30 pm |
Advanced Jump Lesson |
Main focus is safety over fences, and correct systematic work to improve
the quality of jumping. Fence heights are set low to encourage horse and
rider confidence.
Great for
·
Horses and riders learning how to jump
·
Riders that would like to improve their control while jumping
·
Horses that need to improve their jumping technique
Riders may truck in or request a lesson horse. Group session instructed
by Emily Sumner.
For more information or to participate,
Please email us.
Gentleman's Riding Night
Time: Thursdays from 6-7.
Cost: $25 per session to attend.
“Mucho Macho Men’s Night!” Mens group riding lesson. Great for
husbands, dads, or brothers! Beginner – Intermediate. English or
Western. With Instructor Matt Mazza. Contact
Matt for details or to attend
Games Night
Time: Mondays, 6:30-7:30
(Sept-Dec)
Cost: $25
A NIGHT OF FUN! Riders get to learn the rules of various
mounted games, Including: Simon says, races, barrels, relay races,
obstacle courses, etc. Games include individual and team games. Open to
all ages and all levels of riding. Instruction alternates between Emily
Sumner and Matt Mazza.
Drill
Team
Time:
Monday evenings from 6:30 -7:30 (December-June)
Cost:
$25 to use a farm horse
An equestrian drill team is a group
of horses and riders performing choreographed maneuvers to music –
synchronized horseback riding! Those participating in the drill team
learn team work while mastering their control on horseback.
Participants meet weekly and learn new
routines to perform at farm events. If interested in participating,
contact the farm.
Contry Hill Farm's After School Program
Now accepting students for spring program! This is the most
affordable quality beginners program out there. Taught by college
graduates. Students will get to learn how to groom, tack-up, and un-tack
their horse, an includes an hourly mounted lesson. Safety is emphasized
and different aspects of horsemanship will be covered. Both English and
Western lessons available!
Cost: $100-125 for a 4 week program
Times and Dates: Thursdays 5-6pm, see Registration Form for details(2013)
Registration
Form
Instructor Bios
Emily Sumner has over 20 years of
riding experience and 6 years of teaching experience. She currently
works for a small animal veterinary practice part time during the day.
Emily is an Equine Management graduate from Cazenovia College, and also
participated on the intercollegiate dressage team. In college, she was a
national competitor and won many awards at the College’s highest levels.
She currently is the farm’s instructor and summer camp director. Her
main focus for her students is working towards a balanced seat to
improve one’s riding for any discipline. Emily provides excellent
systematic instruction to all levels of riders on the lunge line, flat
or over fences. Her positive instruction always emphasizes horse care
and kind soft riding methods. Emily enjoys brining students to shows,
trail riding, eventing, jumping, and dressage
Karen Contryman has over 60 years of riding experience and is a
registered nurse. She is the farm owner and oversees the care of every
horse on the farm. Her riding experiences include: foxhunting, eventing,
driving, trail riding, and competitive trail. Karen’s focus is on
horsemanship and safety. She educated her daughter and grandchildren
through the pony club. Karen has trained and educated many young horses.
Karen has a kind and compassionate approach with her students, and her
main focus for riding is to have fun and ride practical exercises.
Laura Santer, a Junior Instructor at CHF, is 16 years old and has
over 12 years of experience working with horses. She enjoys working and
teaching both children and horses while still taking any opportunity to
learn and improve her own skills. She is a member of both 4-H and Pony
Club, having received her D-2 rating this year. In addition to this,
Laura has participated in a variety of disciplines including competitive
trail riding, saddle seat, hunt seat, jumping, eventing, drill team,
dressage, and fox hunting. She has been to competitions at GMHA,
Stoneleigh Burnham School, two 4-H State Shows and much more. She is
looking forward to a fun year of camp, competition, and lots of horses!
Matt Mazza has over 15 years of riding experience, Matt has been
riding since he was 8 years old and is proficient at barrel racing,
western pleasure and versatility/trail as well as hunt seat on the flat.
Matt used to work at Contry Hill Farm back in his early teen years and
is very happy to be back. He has trained and shown with the
international known Morgan horse trainer Judy Nason and has competed and
won many awards at the regional and national levels. Matt’s Main focus
is for his students to have a fun and safe time with and around there
horses and have good sportsmanship. As well as training his students how
to compete and show there horses competitively with a focus on balance
and oneness with their horses! Matt enjoys showing his western pleasure
Morgan horse and barrel racing!
Horse Shows
Contry Hill Farm offers
their students the opportunity to attend numerous
hunter/jumper,
dressage,
competitive trail,
and
eventing horse shows. Students are responsible for paying their entry
fees. Additional fees may include coaching, trailering and horse use and
will depend on the distance and length of day. Typically, these fees add
up to around $65 for the day.
Horse showing is
available for adults and children.
-
Those showing with the farm should expect to spend time the
day before any horse show at the barn getting ready
-
Participants should plan on dedicating the day to being at a
horse show, riders are responsible for their horse for the
day, and should stay with them until the end of the day
-
Riders are responsible for cleaning up after
themselves and their horse for the day
-
All
students traveling with the farm are always expected to demonstrate
good sportsmanship and high quality horsemanship.
Don't miss these upcoming shows at Contry
Hill Farm:
Contry Hill Farm Fun Hunter and
Gymkhana Show
Contry Hill Farm Combined
Training and Dressage Show
Horse Shows our Farm has Traveled to:
Upcoming Clinicians
Karen Marcotte
Karen has 35 years of teaching and training experience. Her background
is in Eventing, Dressage and Show Jumping.
She is involved with the United States Pony Club. Karen is currently a
National Examiner, National Chief Horse Management Judge, Regional
Instructional Coordinator and District Commissioner.
She teaches camps and clinics around the country as well as testing and
judging. Karen enjoys teaching all levels and age ranges.
Remmy Bron-van Dam is an accomplished
Dressage Instructor from
Holland. Remmy has a soft and gentle approach and
focuses on correct foundation work
in both the horse and rider. She has an excellent eye and can help fine
tune your riding skills on the flat. She has worked with juniors, adult
amateurs, and professionals.
-
Trained with an instructor from the Spanish
Riding school of Vienna for
eight years.
-
She successfully trained over 100 Haflingers,
Dutch Warmbloods, Friesians, Fjords and Arabians for their evaluation
tests under the saddle.
-
Remmy became Dressage champion of the
Northern part of the Netherlands through 4th level. She also became
champion driven dressage in all levels with a Friesian and Haflinger.
-
Certified instructor for both riding and
driving, with experience over 34 years.
-
Certified Dressage Judge for all classes,
also drill team, Young horses classes (to find talented Young horses for
the dressage), breed classes.
-
Certified Driving Judge for dressage, cones,
combined
Remmy has worked with dressage riders,
eventers, and Driving.
Deanna Moudry Jackson
Originally from Wilton, NH, she has trained and exhibited
champions in Open Jumper, Hunter and Equitation throughout New England;
passing along her successes to her students. Deanna plans to travel
monthly from Maine to share her knowledge at clinics at our Farm;
focusing on “Back to Basics”: developing a solid foundation and
communication skills with an emphasis on equitation. She also encourages
the participation of those very special equestrians who don’t show but
wish to enjoy and be proficient in their riding. Costs - $60 per rider,
riders ride in groups of 3.
2013 Summer Horseback Riding
Day-Camp
We now have on-line
registration!
Click here
for all 2013 Summer Camp information and registration!
NEW!!
Councelor in Training “C.I.T.” Program
Ages 13-18 two week session
The Counselor In
Training or “CIT” program is a leadership-training program. CIT’s will
learn and put into practice counselor training and teaching skills.
Teens interested in learning to become a camp counselor, or future
riding instructor should apply. (Completion of the CIT program does not
guarantee a counselor position).
Staff members will
learn how to assist with horses and will learn how to keep children safe
while working around horses. CITs that demonstrate a high level of
leadership skills will be asked to independently teach non-mounted
activities, such as crafts, games or demonstrations. All CIT’s will
assist in handling horses, allowing them to frequently watch and hear
the lesson plan for a beginner rider. CIT’s that are advanced riders may
OCCASIONALLY be allowed to school horses, or go for a ride on the farm
property, after camp.
As a part of the two week session, CIT's
will be required to attend a workshop training week June 27th, 2013 -
June 30th, 2013 from 2:00 - 4:00PM. Space is limited and applicants will
be chosen based on experience.
CITs should fill out an
application form. There are a limited number of positions. Applicants will be
chosen based on past experience. Space is limited, so apply early.
C.I.T APPLICATION FORM
Working Student Program
Contry Hill Farm offers
a working student program for riders ages 13+. This program is
available for those enrolled in the CIT program. Working students
may assist an instructor with summer camp, during additional weeks, in
exchange for a daily ride time or a weekly lesson. Working students may
not get to ride the days that they work, depending on horse use. Ride
time can always be saved and used at a later date. To enroll, please
indicate on CIT application.
