Happy Holidays Raynham Riders!
It’s hard to believe the holiday season is upon us but is sure looks like a winter wonderland at the farm today! In case you missed the email blast last week, we are very excited for our 1st ANNUAL RAYNHAM FUN DAY on Tuesday, December 20th. It will be from 6 – 8pm but riders & their guests do not have to stay for the duration, it will be open-house style. All the details can be found on the blog! If you would like to participate, please sign up in the riding school tack-room by Sunday, December 11th or send me an email. We will send out the schedule for the evening next week.
There’s a lot of info in this post but please take the time to give it a read. We can’t wait to see everyone at Raynham Fun Day!
- Nikki, Lindsay, Caryn & the rest of the Raynham Gang!
There’s a lot of info in this post but please take the time to give it a read. We can’t wait to see everyone at Raynham Fun Day!
- Nikki, Lindsay, Caryn & the rest of the Raynham Gang!
Session Two Lessons: January 2nd – March 12th
Horseback riding is a year-round sport (we run our lesson in sessions to simplify payments) so we assume riders will continue as scheduled for the following session unless you notify us that you need to make a change. If you would like to switch days, lesson type, add another lesson, etc. please let us know by Friday, December 9th so we can adjust the schedule according.I have heard a few people mention they are thinking of taking the next session off. Here are a few reasons not to take the session off:
- Cold weather/Driving Conditions – The winter session is 10 weeks but we are only going to bill for 9 classes in case we have to cancel due to inclement weather. If we have to cancel any additional time(s), riders will have the option to schedule a make-up or deduct the class off the next session if they prefer. We will have the horses in for riders so you only need to arrive 15 min early to help you stay warm! We will also modify/shorten lessons if needed to keep students comfortable! For parents, we will ensure the viewing lounge is toasty warm so you have somewhere comfortable to sit and watch (or feel free to go to Tim’s and come back after the lesson!) So there is no reason not to ride – if it is uncomfortably cold or driving is unsafe, classes will be cancelled and no make-ups required!
- Safety & Progression – Everyone has been riding so well this fall, it’s a shame to lose all that momentum! When you add in the winter break and march break, you are actually taking three months off. That is a significant amount of time, which will delay progression/cause regression as well as present a safety concern when you return. It would not be realistic to rejoin the same group class that has been continuing over the winter and expect to be able to keep up. Because of this, any students taking off the winter session will not be permitted to jump for one month upon their return to give them time to re-establish their skills.
- Lesson Availability – We currently have a waiting list for lessons and have new students looking to start lessons in January. This means that there very well may not be a space available come the spring session if you do not continue to ride over the winter.
We recognize that there will be some unpleasant days in the upcoming months (yay Canada!) but are doing our best to keep everyone comfortable! Also, we want to remind riders and parents to dress for riding in the winter months as an outdoor activity. Dressing appropriately makes a HUGE difference for rider comfort – please see the tips posted last week on the blog!
We hope to see everyone continuing to ride this winter. We have tons of exciting events planned, it’s going to be a blast!
We hope to see everyone continuing to ride this winter. We have tons of exciting events planned, it’s going to be a blast!
Inclement Weather Cancellations
As in previous years, we will cancel lessons if the temperature is below -12c before the wind-chill or during unsafe driving conditions (heavy snow or icy rain). Please remember to check the blog or our Facebook page to ensure classes are running. Any cancellations will be posted by 7am on weekends, 2pm on weeknights.
NEW this year – we will not require students to book any make-ups for inclement weather cancellations. As we did last year, although session two is 10 weeks, we will only bill for 9 classes but this year, any additional cancellations can be deducted off the following session.
As in previous years, we will cancel lessons if the temperature is below -12c before the wind-chill or during unsafe driving conditions (heavy snow or icy rain). Please remember to check the blog or our Facebook page to ensure classes are running. Any cancellations will be posted by 7am on weekends, 2pm on weeknights.
NEW this year – we will not require students to book any make-ups for inclement weather cancellations. As we did last year, although session two is 10 weeks, we will only bill for 9 classes but this year, any additional cancellations can be deducted off the following session.
