An Equestrian Bed and Breakfast

The dressage riding vacation program is for riders who really want to improve their riding skills and understand the classical principals of dressage. You can benefit from understanding the principals of dressage because it empowers you to understand your horse's needs in order to improve.

The skills acquired in a dressage riding vacation should allow you to go back home and practice riding in a more thorough and logical manner on the horses you are familiar with. For those of you who decide to bring your own horse, you will have the best of both worlds. By riding one of our schooled horses, you will acquire skills that will improve your own seat so that you can better affect your horses, and by bringing your own horse, you will learn what you need to do in order to progress him toward your goals. Even if you don't bring your own horse but spend enough time in the saddle here, you will acquire new skills and hopefully have a better understanding of your horse's talents and training problems.

It is also possible for you to take dressage cross-country lessons while you are here. Click on our dressage cross-country link to get more information. Dressage cross-country rides give you the opportunity to practice your skills in developing horses outside the arena in the beautiful open country side of Virginia.

The weeklong dressage vacation program is five nights and five days of riding two times per day. There is the initial assessment of your riding by Debbie Craig, one of the owners and the chief riding instructor at the farm. After the initial assessment, a plan is developed to help align your skills with your goals. There are two un-mounted lessons factored into the package as well. The un-mounted lessons are held on the Mountain View Porch or in the house and use different types of media to help you understand the selected subject. The subjects covered in the un-mounted lessons will depend on the skills you are trying to build. A wide range of subjects can be addressed in an un-mounted lesson, for example, subjects that you may need clarified. Subjects that are brand new are also a good thing to discuss off the horse in an un-mounted lesson.

During the weeklong program you will have the benefit of having your lessons videotaped with a wireless microphone attached to the instructor. Although the camera is not manned, you do benefit from watching yourself and hearing the instructor after the lesson. If you bring a spouse or friend with you, capable of manning a video camera, then you may capture more close up footage of your lesson. These videotapes serve as a great tool in continuing your training when you get home. You can see yourself ride and continue to hear the lesson over and over again.

The three to four day customized package gives you the opportunity to have your riding skills assessed as well. Then it is determined which skills you need to work on to help fulfill your goals. The overall price will be determined by the room you stay in, and how many activities you decide to do while you are here. We recommend you try to arrive for an afternoon lesson and enjoy a leisurely evening on the first day. That will assure you are fresh for the next day and your riding assessment is behind you.

With either program, you make the decision regarding how many dressage lessons you want to have with the instructor, how many dressage cross country rides you may want to go on, or how many trail rides. We design a whole riding program around you! The more lessons you take during your stay here, the more dramatic the change in your riding skills.

It is also possible for you to make a two week program, excluding Monday and Tuesday, so that the horses have a chance to rest. You may use these days as you wish to take a day trip to the mountains or to Washington D.C. You may even decide to go away for an overnight, coming back Tuesday evening ready to begin another week of riding. Of course you are always welcome to spend the days resting here at the farm, swimming in the pool or just enjoying the quiet country surroundings. The two-week program is guaranteed to create strong changes in your riding and in your horses training. If you do bring a horse, it may not be necessary to have two days off unless that is what you want.

Whether you bring your own horse, or decide to ride one of ours, you are bound to go home with more skills and a better understanding of the important principals of classical dressage.

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