04/02/2024
LESSON POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
As we enter another great year of lessons, we’d like to remind/update current and future lesson clients of our policies regarding lessons. Please read through these carefully. We are a small business and put many hours into prepping and planning lesson schedules. Late cancellations and no shows really impact us and take away a lesson spot that could be otherwise filled, or time spent bettering our program. We understand things happen and we are more than willing to accommodate you the best we can. We greatly appreciate your commitment to our program and your understanding of these policies to ensure we can continue providing high quality riding lessons to our clients.
CANCELLATIONS/NO SHOWS
We require a 24-hour cancellation notice. If you need to cancel within 24 hours prior to your scheduled lesson time, you are still responsible for the lesson fee. If you and the instructor’s availability allow for a reschedule within the week, the missed lesson fee will be waived. In many instances, the instructor may not have availability for a reschedule within the week, in which you are still responsible for the missed lesson fee. In cases of emergency, the missed lesson fee may be waived at the instructor’s discretion.
Clients who late cancel, or “no show” a lesson will not be permitted to return until the missed lesson fee is paid (the cost of the lesson that was scheduled), and the following lesson is prepaid. Clients with a lesson package or monthly pay will have the missed lesson deducted from the current package.
After 3 late cancellations/”no shows”, a client will be dismissed from our program.
If the lesson is cancelled/rescheduled by your instructor, no fee will be assessed.
LATE ARRIVALS
Typically, lessons are scheduled back-to-back, therefore late arrivals will impact the duration of your lesson. In some instances, the instructor can accommodate a late arrival by going over scheduled lesson time to compensate for missed time. This is at the instructor’s discretion and availability and is NOT a guaranteed option.
In the event the instructor is late to start for whatever reason, your time will be added to the end of the lesson to compensate for any missed time.
PAYMENT/DROP-IN LESSONS
Drop in lessons do not hold an ongoing spot on the schedule. You must contact your instructor weekly to schedule your drop in lesson, these are not guaranteed availability and weekly clients take priority over drop ins for scheduling/reschedules. It is your responsibility to contact your instructor to schedule a drop-in lesson, and not all instructors may offer drop-in lessons. Payment for drop-in lessons is due at the time of the lesson. Clients who consistently pay late may be asked to prepay for drop in lessons at the time of scheduling.
Payment for monthly clients is due by the 1st of the month, regardless of when your first lesson of that month is. If payment is not received by the 5th of the month, and no arrangement has been made, you may be removed from the schedule until payment is made in full. In this event, you are not guaranteed to retain the same day/time previously scheduled. As always, prompt payment is always greatly appreciated.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
Inclement weather does not automatically result in lesson cancellation. Up to 1 lesson a month may be utilized as a “barn lesson” or an unmounted lesson where we will focus on horsemanship and horse care tailored to the students age and skill level. Unmounted lessons are mandatory in our program, cancelling outside the cancellation window, or no showing an unmounted lesson will result in a missed lesson fee. We firmly believe that the best horsemen and women are made on the ground. Getting to know the horses, their body language, anatomy, advanced care and so much more are essential parts to horsemanship and required for participation in our program.
If the instructor feels that the weather is not safe to conduct an unmounted lesson, or the barn lesson has been utilized for the month and we are unable to safely conduct mounted lessons, your instructor will contact you to reschedule at the earliest availability.
Thank you all again for your cooperation and ongoing support of our program. We have the absolute best clients and barn family, and greatly appreciate your concerted efforts to keep our program running smoothly.