Beginner Horsemanship Course

What It Is

A private beginner course that teaches the basics of full-spectrum horsemanship, including horse handling, grooming, tacking, learning about horses as a species, and the basics of safe, effective riding. This course is designed to build confidence, independence, and practical foundational skills in a relaxed, quiet farm setting.

Who It's For

This course is for anyone ages 10+, including adults, with no previous horse or riding experience required.

Because this is a hands-on horsemanship course, students need to be able to follow multi-step instruction, stay focused around large animals, participate physically in tasks such as grooming and handling tack, and work with an appropriate level of independence while under direct supervision.

Due to the size and build of our horses, we have a weight limit of 180 lbs for mounted activities. Students over 180 lbs are still welcome to take the course with the ridden portion excluded. There is no weight limit for unmounted horsemanship activities, and course pricing remains the same as riding is only one part of the full-spectrum horsemanship covered in the course.

How It's Different

Traditional local programs, especially those geared toward younger riders, focus primarily on riding, with students typically arriving to a horse that has already been caught, groomed, and tacked. In many cases, children in these programs are also learning foundational skills from other students instead of a qualified adult instructor. Our approach is different. Our students learn to work with horses from the ground up (catching, haltering, leading, tying, grooming, understanding horse behavior and basic care, tacking, untacking, and more). We believe learning to ride is only one part of learning to be a capable horseperson.

This course is not designed as advanced riding instruction or preparation for a specific show discipline. Instead, students learn the fundamentals of sitting and moving correctly on a horse, communicating clearly through basic riding aids, and handling situations that can arise while mounted. We also introduce practical safety skills such as emergency dismounts and one-rein stops.

The goal is to give students a strong, well-rounded foundation as riders and horsepeople so that, if they later choose to pursue more advanced riding or a specific discipline, they are prepared to transition confidently into a traditional lesson program.

We use Western saddles in our program, but can teach about different riding disciplines and demonstrate English tack for students who continue into subsequent 4-week courses.

The course is offered in 4-week sessions, with one private 60-minute lesson each week at the same scheduled day and time.

Each lesson includes a combination of groundwork, horse care, handling, and mounted instruction based on the student’s progress. Because every student learns at a different pace, lessons are not built around a rigid weekly checklist. We focus on making sure skills are understood and performed confidently before building on them.

For beginners, we do not offer the course as a one-time lesson. Horsemanship involves too many interconnected skills to meaningfully teach in a single hour, and the 4-week format gives students time to learn, practice, and build on those skills from week to week.

Students who want to continue can enroll in additional consecutive 4-week sessions, where we build on their existing skills and introduce new concepts rather than starting over.

There’s a lot more to horses than learning how to ride! Students will learn the foundational skills needed to safely and confidently work with horses both on the ground and in the saddle, with plenty of horse knowledge, fun facts, and real-life learning mixed in along the way.

And because horses have a way of creating their own lesson plans, students can expect plenty of questions, interesting side discussions, demonstrations, and fun facts along the way. If something comes up naturally while we're working with the horses, we'll learn about it!

Topics may include:

• Catching, haltering, leading, and tying

• Grooming and hoof care basics

• Parts of the horse and basic anatomy

• Horse behavior, communication, and body language

• How horses see, hear, think, and experience the world around them

• Basic horse care and daily needs

• Tack identification, care, and proper use

• Saddling, bridling, tacking, and untacking

• Safe mounting and dismounting

• Proper riding position and balance

• Basic riding aids and communication

• Steering, stopping, and controlling the horse

• Safe handling of unexpected situations while riding

• General barn etiquette and practical horsemanship

The exact skills covered will vary based on the student’s experience, confidence, progress, and the horse being used.

The beginner course is offered in 4-week sessions, with one private 60-minute lesson each week.

• First 4-week session: $250

  • The first lesson of your initial session typically runs longer than 60 minutes to allow extra time for introductions and foundational instruction.

• Additional consecutive 4-week sessions: $200

Students typically keep the same lesson day and time each week for the duration of their session.

Looking for help with one specific skill? We offer private drop-in lessons for $65 per lesson for those who already have foundational experience and want additional instruction or practice focusing on a particular skill.

Ready to get started? Send us a message on Facebook or email us at cambria.stables.fl@gmail.com to ask questions, confirm current availability, or let us know you'd like to sign up.

Once we've confirmed a time that works for you, we'll send you our registration packet with everything you need to know before your first lesson.