What to wear to your horseback riding lesson.

Footwear- Wear boots with a low hear.  Great options include Paddock Boots, Tall Equestrian Boots, and Western Boots made for riding.  Avoid sandals, open toe shoes, dress shoes.

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Pants- We recommend "Full Seat" riding pants for the best security in the saddle.  There are many different brands and options available.  Ask your trainer for recommendations.  

Avoid shorts, dresses, skirts, pants with slippery material and/or a lot of loose fabric. 

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Shirts- Wear long sleeves. There are great options designed for being in the sun and hot weather that will allow you to stay cool.  Ask your trainer for recommendations.

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Helmet- The most important part of your outfit.  Studies show the best performing helmets are Snell Certified.  There are some great Snell certified equestrian helmets available.  Helmets should be designed for Equestrian sport. 

https://smf.org/certlist/std_E2021.php

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Equestrian vest-  While not required, we recommend wearing safety vests designed for Equestrian sport.  There are foam and air vest options available on the market.  

How long are horseback riding lessons?

The official answer is 30 minutes.  Please arrive on time in order to begin your lesson on time as we can not extend your lesson lesson time.  We are happy to ready your horse for you.  If you prefer to groom and tack up your horse, speak to your trainer about including this in your lesson. 

I also want to learn horsemanship, not just riding, is this possible?

Absolutely!  This is what sets us apart from most riding schools. We are passionate about developing well rounded equestrians.  Afterall, if you are an excellent rider without horsemanship skills, you will be lost when you are not in the saddle.  Here we want you to be able to care for and work with your horse in a variety of ways with confidence.  

What styles of horseback riding lessons are available?

We offer lessons in Western, Hunt Seat, Dressage, and Saddle seat.  We ride in a variety of environments including the arena and the trail. 

Where are horseback riding lessons offered?

We offer horseback riding lessons in the Hansen Dam area in Lake View Terrace.  Facilities include arenas, round pens, and miles and miles of trails.   We also travel to your barn in Los Angeles County to teach you on your own horse if you are not boarding at our location. 

How old do you have to be to take horseback riding lessons?

We are happy to assess young riders on a case by case basis.  As long as your young rider can sit calmly and securely on the horse, follow instructions, and stay focused, we are happy to include them in our program.  The safety of your young rider is our top priority, for this reason we may not be able to accept all young riders if we feel that their safety may be at greater risk.

Do I have to lease a horse?

No! Our program is unique.  We are an Equestrian Club with a membership model, horses included.  This means that you do not have to take on the responsibility of owning or leasing a horse to be a part of our club.  We happily accept horses and their owners as well! Provided your horse will vouch for you. 

What is your training philosophy?

Simply put we have deep love and respect for our horses (and people) and treat them accordingly.  Our name Mon Coeur Cheval translated means my heart horse.  

Our training is a combination of connected horsemanship, connected riding, and positive reinforcement.  

Horses are incredibly intelligent, and we find that they often want to please us and succeed.  Here we nurture and care for the whole horse so that they can thrive.  No stressed out horses here!  We listen to our horses.  Training is a conversation.  We want training to be a fun and positive experience for our horses.   The result? happy, well adjusted, calm horses that want to perform in partnership with you. 

Our lead trainer is behaviorist who truly understands the psychology and science behind training. 

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What can I expect from my horseback riding lessons?

A deep dive into the mechanics and technique of riding.  We are obsessed with learning and knowledge.  Eternal students we believe there is always more to learn.  With a very keen eye and the ability to effectively communicate what we are seeing, we develop beautifully skilled riders.   We spend the time to get into the details and break everything down, you will learn the why and technique behind everything.  No two riders are exactly the same, here we focus on making you the best rider you can be, tailoring our lessons to the individual rider.   With that in mind we value open communication.  We love it when we get feedback from our riders.   Our lessons are taught in a supportive environment.     Research shows that stress shuts down our frontal cortex, responsible for learning, so we certainly don't want that.  Don't forget to breath! 

Do you offer private coaching?

Yes, our lessons are private one on one coaching sessions where we focus completely on you. 

Do you offer horse boarding?

Yes, contact us for boarding options with our partner facilities in Los Angeles.

I want to buy a horse, but I want help finding a horse that is well suited for me.  Can you help?

Yes!  We are happy to help you in your search, We know how important it is to find a horse that is suitable to you.  We  have a large network and are happy to help you find your heart horse.   We can make connections, go visit and evaluate horses, go with you to visit and evaluate horses, and help negotiate the terms of the purchase.   While we can never guarantee the horse and the decision of what horse to purchase is yours.  We will do our best to help you find a great match.

Is there opportunity to go to horse shows?

Yes.  Speak to your trainer about showing options. 

What is the barn culture? Do you have social events?

We are a family.  Think of us a group of your new friends.  We stick together and support each other in and out of the barn, on and off the horses.  

We have regular gatherings and social events, including barn days, clinics, trail rides, cookouts, country-two step dancing, and going to equestrian events.  

This is one of the things that sets us apart as an Equestrian Club and not just a horseback riding school.

I want to feel like I am also making a difference and giving back while enjoying horseback riding lessons.  What is the Invisible Angels Program?

A portion of your membership fee goes into our Invisible Angels Program.  The Invisible Angels program makes donations to help real people who are local in our community with a real immediate hardship.  Examples include paying a vet bill an owner could not afford so that their horse could get the care they need, or supplying food for a horse in need.  We give our gifts anonymously because our goal is to provide assistance, not get glory ourselves.  Our biggest thank you is to know that we made a difference, and hope someday the receiving party will pay it forward if and when they are able to help someone else in need.