Horsemanship Sessions
See if our eight-week program is the right fit for you!
During our horsemanship sessions, you will learn about horses and about Jesus!
Sessions meet once a week for eight weeks, and we offer sessions year-round. During horsemanship sessions, each guest is paired with an experienced mentor who teaches basic horsemanship skills AND leads a thirty-minute, gospel-focused quiet time. 
Generally, our sessions calendar is as follows:
  • Fall sessions: September - October 
  • Winter sessions: January - February
  • Spring sessions: April - May
  • Summer sessions: June - July

Got Questions?

Check out our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:
This is a tiered program with opportunities for beginners, intermediate, or advanced horsemanship and riding. All sessions are conducted by experienced instructors, and each student/guest will be paired with a mentor who will guide you through the two-hour sessions.  A portion of the gospel will be discussed at each session, and the horse will be used as an object lesson to demonstrate the message. Our hope is to comfort people through love and compassion in a safe environment, to restore people to Christ through mentoring and relationship building, and to lead people to purpose in Christ through discipleship. 
This program is for anyone age eight or above. Special permission must be given for any persons younger than eight. During sessions, different ages will be meeting at the same time but will be working individually with a mentor and student helpers.
If you have you never been in our program, we suggest you start as a beginner; however, if you have experience riding elsewhere, contact us to discuss the best option for you. If you have already been in our program, you must communicate with your mentor or your riding instructor to determine your ability.
A beginner may be someone who has ridden in the past, but does not have the skills to handle a horse on the ground, tack up without help, do basic ground work to build relationship with the horse, etc.
You will have access to a link so that you can sign up online for the appropriate time slot that you choose. Once you are signed up, you will receive more updates about your sessions. 
When you sign up for the eight sessions, you will be directed to pay the $200 (plus transaction fees) via our secure online platform. If the session cost is difficult for you to pay, we do offer a limited number of scholarships each season. 
Scholarships are given based on income level, and a separate application must be filled out to receive a scholarship. If scholarships are filled for one season, you may be placed on a waiting list for another season of sessions.
Absolutely! Make your donation of any amount on the Quiet Pastures Giving Page and select “Give to Support a Guest.” As long as your donation is not given for the benefit of a specific person, it is deductible for federal income tax purposes.
No. Per IRS regulations, since you are receiving something of equal market value in return for your payment, it is not deductible for federal income tax purposes.
There will be one makeup date available for you at the end of each session series in case of sickness, travel, or other expected/unexpected committments. 
No. There will be no refund issued for any missed sessions.
You will have the opportunity to work around the horses for a 2-hour period of time. During this time, you will be engaged in a horsemanship lesson teaching you about the horse. You will also be actively working with your horse to build relationship and even become a better rider. NOT all sessions are guaranteed to include riding. Private lessons are strictly riding with the help of an instructor. 
There will be an overseer who leads everyone present in general. Each guest will be paired with a mentor, and there will be student helpers helping out in any way needed. 
Private riding lesson opportunities will be available in the months of November, December, March, and August. Very few options are available during our session months.
The horsemanship program is built to develop a more rounded horse person. The guest will learn to handle the horse in a confident manner on the ground with skills to train a young horse into a more usable mount. The guest will actively build relationship with a horse rather than just ride to further their skill. The guest will be working with many different horses from younger to older and with varying degrees of difficulty. Every opportunity to teach our horses purpose will be utilized to teach a guest the art of horsemanship. The end goal is to prepare a guest to successfully have their own horse one day. Private lessons can further the skill of riding, but all great riders must also understand the horse better to train for and succeed in any discipline. Many times this happens once a rider purchases or leases their own horse.
Please dress appropriate for the weather, as we are an outdoor facility with an indoor protected space for use.  Wear closed-toe shoes that are NOT tennis shoes. (Boots with a small heel are preferred). Long pants are a must but can be thin in hot weather. Riding pants are NOT necessary. We supply helmets. Some boots are available for temporary use upon request.
You will never be required to ride a horse or even touch a horse if your fear persists. However, we will work with you to build confidence around a horse and you can watch demonstrations through your leader as you go through our program.
Riding is a part of our program, however, not everyone is interested in riding.  Many activities are simple exercises on the ground with the horse. You will never be forced to ride.