 SEVEN OAKS DRESSAGE
Seven Oaks Farm is one of the happiest and most successful dressage barns in California. Whether your dream is to win at the FEI levels of dressage or to have the best seat in the state, we provide a safe, friendly and motivating environment to help you achieve your goals. We welcome ambitious and motivated students, who understand that good riding is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration. You can train on your horse or take lessons on ours, to get the feel of a new movement or to borrow when your horse needs some time off.
As teachers, we want you and your horse (or our horse!) to be safe and happy. We assume that "happy" includes making progress in dressage, so we work you fairly hard. However, we never yell at you: we also assume that you are doing the best that you can do. The atmosphere at our barn is positive and encouraging; even the international-level riders remember that they were dressage beginners once and are as friendly as everyone else you will meet. We require our students to wear SEI-ASTM approved hard hats with the 2001 or later safety standards, breeches, gloves, and riding boots (tall or paddock, the latter with half-chaps). If you don't currently have that equipment, we can loan you whatever you are missing for a few lessons. Most people take a trial lesson to see if they enjoy our style of training. For those who wish to continue, we strongly encourage students to take at least 2-3 lessons a week. |
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DRESSAGE IN PORTOLA VALLEY
We offer full dressage training, partial training, and individual lessons. We also work with young horses and "problem" horses, as space and time allow. For most horses and riders, full and partial training consists primarily of lessons for you on your horse. We usually ride horses in training once or twice a week.
The monthly training packages offer lessons at a discounted price to give you the advantage of being able to afford more lessons and thus to advance more quickly. So, although the training options specify a number of lessons per week, the multiple lesson discount assumes that you will not get every one of your lessons every week. We have built into the price an allowance for shows, vacations, bad weather, sickness, lameness, and so on. Whenever possible, we schedule you in private lessons at your preferred time with the trainer of your choice. However, we cannot guarantee private lessons, a choice of trainer, or "make-up" sessions. If you want a guaranteed private lesson with a particular trainer each time that you have a lesson, we will be happy to accomodate you at the full individual lesson price.
As of January, 2010, the rates for lessons and training vary from $30 to $85 per lesson, depending upon how many times per week you ride and how many students are in each lesson. We tailor pricing to suit the student's needs, and prices do change without notice, so please call us for more specific information.
We also offer 3 co-op: drinking water for people, supplements for horses, and incidental supplies for people & horses.The supplies include: coffee, tea, people cookies, horse cookies, saddle pads, saddle soap & rags, first aid supplies, etc, etc. Prices for the co-ops vary, so ask us if you are interested. |
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DRESSAGE IN GILROY (SAN JUAN BAUTISTA)
We offer full dressage training and individual lessons on your horse or ours. For most riders, full training consists of a combination of our trainers' schooling your horse and then giving you lessons on your horse. Along with normal dressage schooling sessions, we work most horses over cavaletti, we condition them by walking them up our very steep hill, and we trail ride them to keep them fresh and happy. Individual lessons require you to trailer your horse to our facility or to schedule a lesson on one of our schoolmasters.
As of January, 2010, full training on your own horse is $650 per month. Individual lesson prices vary from $25 to $85 per lesson, depending upon the amount of times per week that you ride and the number of students in each lesson. Lessons are 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. Rates are subject to change without notice, so please call us for more information. |
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SPECIAL PROGRAMS:
We have several programs available for one-time or occasional events. Because we have horses of many different sizes and abilities, we can tailor an activity to suit your needs. Individualized programs can last anywhere from a half-day to 2 or 3 days and are suitable for almost anyone, regardless of athletic ability or prior horse experience. Some of our special events don't actually involve any time in the saddle, while others give even the most novice horse-enthusiast the chance to compete in a show at the end of the event. If you want to give your employees a special treat, or create a little team spirit at your office, or help a troup of girl scouts get their horsemanship medals, contact us to see what we can do for you. Prices vary, but are generally between $10-$50 per hour, per person. There is no special equipment required. |
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ACORNS TO OAKS: PEOPLE
We have several school horses, ranging in training from a beginner-safe quarter-horse to a 4th level Hanoverian to a TB/QH cross who jumps 3’6”. About half of our horses are talented enough to take to shows and anyone who is in a monthly program is welcome to come with us to away shows. We also have shows at Rancho Viejo, for Seven Oaks students and Rancho Viejo boarders, and any of the school horses can be ridden in those shows. You do not have to ride in shows to train with us, however--we're happy to help you learn, regardless of your future ambitions. While our instruction is based in dressage, we are happy to help you with almost any type of training that interests you.
As of May, 2009, the rates for training on our horses range from $25 to $85 per lesson, depending upon the amount of times per week that you ride and the number of students in each lesson. Call us to find out more details. Lessons are 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. In addition, if you are riding in Portola Valley, there is a $300 yearly fee payable to Rancho Viejo for the use of the arena. (Rates are subject to change without notice.) |
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ACORNS TO OAKS: HORSES
We offer the re-training of horses from other disciplines to dressage, as well as young horse training (including "breaking" horses to saddle), problem training, and rehabilitation work. Our "Mardi Gras" sessions take place throughout the year: a chance for young horses and young-at-heart horses to get used to some of the more challenging aspects of horse life (flags, balloons, tarps, water, grandstands, trailers, applause, sirens, and so on). We have stalls and paddocks of varying sizes and terrains, allowing us to tailor each horse's physical environment to that horse's individual needs. |
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