Bella Luna Equestrian

09/27/2023

Preliminary estimated ride times for Saturday’s show. More info to follow.

09/23/2023

I released the schedule for the first week of October. I’ll add more weeks as we get settled into the new barn!!

09/19/2023

This Saturday 9a to 3p barn hangout day is back!!!

09/19/2023

Thank you to everyone that has donated, shared, and helped with the barn or meals. It is so appreciated beyond words. Only a few more weeks until I’m back to normal! I feel great and I am ready for our upcoming move. https://gofund.me/a46f7c2d

09/16/2023

Please be weather aware today! Check the radar and with me before heading out for lessons. Our afternoon lessons are in jeopardy of being cancelled.

09/14/2023

Available lesson times this week:
Thursday 4:30p group
Friday 5:30p
Saturday 7am & 9am

09/11/2023

09/07/2023

Lesson horses/ponies are the best! Sometimes students who have purchased their own horse gets frustrated with taking a step back or comparing their new horse to the lesson pony. Lesson horses work 4-5 times a week, sometimes twice a day. A lot of horses that are purchased are in a training program of 4-6 times a week. If you’re struggling or frustrated, are you putting the same amount of work in that the lesson horse is? Are you continuing your horses previous training program? Or are you a weekend rider?

Starting November, I’ll be offering a special training program for boarders only to help bridge the gap from weekend to weekend.

“One of my biggest frustrations in this industry is the lack of understanding and consideration for the role that lesson horses play. So often, I see riders complaining about lesson horses for a huge variety of reasons: for their perceived lack of quality or value, for having to ride one they don’t like, for not getting to ride the one they do like, for their trainer not having enough lesson horses, or for the lesson horses not being available at their convenience when their personal horse is out of commission. I’ve dealt with all of the above and I know I’ll continue to do so, but I think it’s important that people understand the reality of lesson horses, and that’s that they aren’t here for your kid to ride forever and climb the levels with your one or two lesson a week commitment. They’re here to get you started, safely and productively, while you decide just how far you want to take this.

Lesson horses are incredibly special creatures. They have to be easily caught by beginners who don’t know how to properly approach a prey animal. They have to stand like statues on the crossties while tiny kids take the better part of an hour to get them clean. They have to hold their head still while beginners jam the bit into their teeth for the fiftieth time in a row to put the bridle on. They have to stand still at the mounting block while someone stands for too long with all their weight in the left stirrup and then slams down on their back with no consideration for their comfort. They tolerantly teach riders who are unbalanced, uncoordinated, and unclear, who catch their mouths and bounce on their backs and kick at their sides, and every single time, they are expected to just come again without so much as a swish of their tail or pinning of their ears. And any time one of these horses has a moment where they act like a regular horse or force the rider to really ride, they’re labeled annoying or rude or bad or lazy or whatever.

Lesson horses are not intended to take you up the levels and jump big jumps and win all the classes. If these horses were this beginner-friendly and this tolerant AND the hack winner with an auto lead change, you couldn’t afford them! That’s not to say these horses can’t be winners if you ride them well and pull your weight, but their ability to win in the show ring is not where their real value lies. Lesson horses exist to bring new riders into the sport. To teach them the ropes and get them started, lay a foundation and prepare them to make a bigger commitment to the sport by leasing or purchasing the next step horse. Lesson horses are not responsible for chasing your Olympic dreams for you. They’re responsible for getting them started in the first place. For riders to act like a lesson horse isn’t valuable because he isn’t the winner in any company is ignorant and unfair.

Every horse you ride has something to teach you. Whether it’s the crotchety old school pony who likes to root when you’re not paying attention, or the younger lesson horse who will only pick up the right lead if you ask *just right*, or the ultra reliable skip-change king, they all will add to your toolkit that you can one day apply to the fancier model you get to take you to the next level. Don’t forget about all the lessons you learn along the way and remember that without lesson horses, you wouldn’t be riding at all!” - Maddy Brown

09/06/2023

With the feels like temperature over 100 I don’t think it’s safe for horses or riders 😢. All afternoon lessons this week have been cancelled. Next week looks hopeful!

09/05/2023

Don’t forget the fall schedule begins tomorrow! Please make sure of your lesson times and if you need to cancel, please give advance notice. Times are still available.

09/04/2023

These girls are always fun to teach, especially when they ride together 🥰

09/04/2023

"A Thoroughbred is a horseman's horse. They can be reactive and sensitive. They require consistency and patience. They will make you painfully aware of your shortcomings.
A Thoroughbred will also make you realize your strengths. When properly prepared, they will outrun and out-try all the competition.
They will give you every ounce of their big hearts.
So, if your horse is spooky, skinny, flighty or crazy, it's not because your horse is Thoroughbred. It is simply your Thoroughbred calling upon you to become the horseman he needs you to be." -author unknown

09/03/2023

These prices are pretty accurate. I definitely don’t do it for the money. I do it because I love teaching young girls (and not so young lol) how to be confident, strong, empowered women.

"I didn't think riding lessons would cost that much..."
Well. We wish it didn't. But, if you don't own your own horse and you ride a school horse (horse owned by a riding barn), there is a harsh reality behind the expenses.

As the cost of living for everyone increases, our horses are no exception to that. The days of $5 60lb good quality hay bales is over. Grain is no longer $15 per 50lb bag. So how much does it actually cost today (in 2023, in North East America)?

Let's break it down...
Hay $12 per 40lb bale - 1 bale / day = $360 / month (no access to pasture + free choice hay)
Grain - $30 / bag - 1 bag / week = $120 / month
Bedding - $7 / bag - 3 bags / week = $84 / month

(For reference, these numbers used to be $5 / bale, $15 / bag, $5 / bag )

So far, for just basic supplies for your horse we are at $564 (in comparison to 5 years ago it being $270), excluding any labor costs or facility costs....let's keep going.

Your stall fee (mortgage/rental) will run $350 / month on the low end (with an indoor arena). I have seen dry stall fees cost as much as $500 as well.

The following fees would be divided amongst horses on the property...

Insurance $50 / month
Manure removal / arena/facility maintenance $50 / month on the low end
Utilities $75 / month

Without labor, we are at $1,089.00

Let's say your horse gets a total of thirty minutes of care each day (turn in, turn out, stall cleaning, water bucket refills/cleaning). That 30 minutes probably doesn't include blanket changes or any additional services aside from general care.

Good barn help will not get out of bed for anything less than $20 / hour, so totaling per month your horse would cost $300 per month, assuming your horse didn't recieve more than 30 minutes of care each day. If you run your facility plus teach, you can't be in 2 places at once, so some help is necessary, especially if you don't cut corners in your care.

We are now at $1389.00

We have not accounted for vetting, farrier, or supplements. Let's do that now.

Farrier - $250 every 5 weeks (low end) so let's call it $200 every month (my personal farrier charges $275-325 for 4 shoes, but to keep Facebook from resulting in uproar over expensive shoeing costs - I've estimated it low)
Vet - assuming your horse is healthy annually you would spend maybe $700 so let's say $60 per month if divided
Supplements - that tried and true schoolmaster you ride probably needs some joint support, so let's buy a lower end joint supplement at $50 / month

We added an additional $310.

Your school horse now costs $1,699.00 per month, and there are many more costs associated (like your tack, equipment, tractor, trucks, trailers, etc)

Okay. So how does this school horse pay for himself? Let's say the horse does two 1 hour lessons per day, 5 days a week. That means the horse can produce income 40 hours out of the month. To break EVEN (theoretically, because any horse owner knows the pricing listed above isn't even as comprehensive as it should be) you would need to make sure the horse worked twice a day, 5 days a week, and charge $42.50 per lesson.
Realistically, If you do not overwork your school horse, the horse is probably working 30 hours per month, which would bring us to having to charge $60 per one hour lesson to break even.
But wait....Our instructor hasn't even gotten paid yet! So let's give them $20 per hour, which of course is low. And for reference, that would mean your instructor makes $600 per month.
Now we're at $80 per lesson.

So when you call any facility, and their lesson price is $80 or less, think of this cost break down!
We don't do this for money. We do it because we love to share our passion with the next generation of riders. We wish this weren't the case financially, like the rest of America and how the economy is. We want so badly to have horses be affordable for everyone, but these are the real, true, uncensored costs of owning a horse today. If riding schools don't charge what they need to in order to stay afloat, I fear one day the horse industry will not have school horses, and the only people who will be able to ride are the ones that can afford horse ownership outright, and then pay for lessons on top of that.

*disclaimer* these prices are based on our experience of pricing in the industry. Pricing may vary based on care and diet provided to horse, area of the country, and specific horse requirements. This pricing is assuming the horse is receiving top level but basic care (free choice hay, quality grain, etc). There may be cheaper options available and there may be more expensive options available. I'm sure there will be many comments that say "those are low" or "those prices are high". We are happy to share receipts as these are the legitimate prices we pay!

09/03/2023

BLE riders! I plan on auditing and encourage any of my riders/parents to come with me!

Coach Daniel Stewart @ Scissortail Hill Equestrian
Sports Phycology & Physiology Riding Clinic
December 9 & 10, 2023

Clinic Details:

Saturday PM Stadium & Sunday AM Cross Country

1 Hour Riding Groups of 4 (Beg, Inter, Adv) (Trot Poles-Prelim)

Sports Phycology Seminar Saturday

Rider Fitness Workshop Sunday

Full Clinic Cost: $325 (we may open one day spots mid Nov.)

One Day Stall: $50 ($25 for each extra night; includes 3 bags of shavings)

Auditing: $25/day or $40/weekend

Coach uses extremely fun and challenging exercises to work on mental skills that improve your ability to ride with intention, make thought out decisions while in saddle, and build skills that will help you prepare for and deal with struggles in your riding.

**This is by far the most engaging auditing experience you will ever take part in. Sign up today!**

Sign up: www.scissortailhillequestrian.com

08/31/2023

It’s so good to be back. Makes my heart and soul happy 🥰

08/29/2023

Mark your calendars! Our 3rd annual Christmas party will be December 23rd, details on our FB page.

September schedule is posted, few times still available. I also have space for an intermediate/advanced rider to join our Thursday 4:30p group lessons.

08/24/2023

September schedule is posted! I added a couple of times to Sundays during football season. I sent the schedule out, cancel what you need to.

08/23/2023

It’s been a full week after surgery and I’m finally feeling better! Still some pain and fatigue but better. I hope to be able to start flat lessons soon for my advanced riders (as I don’t have to lift anything for them) and then I’ll get everyone else scheduled.

I will need to move my Tuesday riders to a different day during football season as David has games until November. I’ll reach out to figure out availability.

We do have a SHE show on 9/30 that we will attend, I’ll have a sign up form in the office soon.

08/16/2023

I’m alive! I had some complications waking up, lots of vomiting, and almost passing out, and struggling to p*e so instead of being sent him around 3p, I was sent home around 7p. Still difficult to empty my bladder fully and I’m in significant pain but some of that is from all the vomiting.

Thank you all for taking care of meals and caring for the barn.

08/15/2023

The day is finally here and I am ready to start feeling better! I am definitely nervous, mainly for the recovery part. Surgery is scheduled at 9:30a and I’ll let y’all know when I’m back home. Thank you to all who have donated and shared, this costs more than I thought so I’m glad I asked for help.

My name is Janet. I am a wife, mom of 5 children, and a horseback riding instructor/equestrian facilit… Janet Ramirez needs your support for Medical Expenses

08/12/2023

What a great show! We wrapped up just after 10am. So very proud of all who came. Thank you so much for everyone’s help and support. Points have been updated on the website. See y’all next month 🥰

08/11/2023

See you tomorrow morning! Show starts at 7:30a. I’ll be available to course walk starting at 6:30a. I’m hoping this show moves quickly and we are done before it gets too hot. Advanced riders, please consider staying to help get the younger riders ready and going so we can all get cool!

08/09/2023

Look! It’s gonna be cooler for our horse show Saturday! 😂🥵🔥☀️ We start at 7:30 with Eventing! Let’s get this show done quick so we don’t melt lol!🫠

08/09/2023

I challenge all my students!

“The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one.”

08/08/2023

These two are always so fun to teach!

Don’t forget our Back to School show this Saturday!

08/05/2023

This weather is absurd!! There will be no lessons after 12pm this week. It’s too hot for riders and horses!! If you’re able, let’s move lessons to a morning time. (I’m not available Wednesday or Friday) Horse show this Saturday Aug 12, we should be finished way before noon!

07/31/2023

There will be no afternoon/evening lessons this week due to the extreme heat. I do have morning times available. I hope to see everyone at our early morning horse show Saturday!!

07/29/2023

I have had some great camper helpers this summer. I am so incredibly grateful for them! Thank you so much for leading, entertaining, and helping.

07/27/2023

I wrote the below last year, and this is still very true. I am finishing up the last week of camp, and I have listened to a lot of conversations over the summer. I am still very dedicated to instilling confidence in these young ladies, but lately I’ve been hearing small negative comments. Either about themselves or others. Even if it’s a joke, that negative comment can manifest. It starts with us parents. It’s so easy to look at the negative, my hair looks bad, I’m fat, that person can’t drive, etc. Our girls, mine included, are watching, listening, and repeating these behaviors. I definitely have gotten away from speaking positively in my house and will be working on myself to fix this. I’ll be having a conversation with my current campers and helpers this week on making sure we are uplifting. I care for your children like my own, and I don’t ever want someone to feel left out, bullied, or not good enough at Bella Luna. Thank you for letting me teach your kids this summer. It truly has been such a joy watching them learn and grow.

April 2022
Can I be real for a moment? I listened to a woman I admire talk today about how another woman was spreading gossip about her. Not only was it hurtful, it was untrue. It brought me to tears listening to this and reflecting on my own past. As a people pleaser myself, I have found myself in situations like this before. She spoke today about giving other women grace, but also giving yourself grace as we are our biggest critic. I teach an amazing group of little girls, and young women who just include all others. This has been noticed and mentioned to me by other parents and people who don’t have kids in the program. They are supportive, helpful, and inspire each other. It has been on my heart for a while and even more so after today to help nurture and grow that culture. I want these young women to know they are worthy, loved, and supported. I also want them to be the person that stands up for others, that extends grace, and that fixes another’s crown as they grow up. I’m not entirely sure how to accomplish this, but I plan on incorporating this into my lesson program in the very near future. “The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one, be one. “

07/27/2023

These girls are doing so well with this heat. Learning lots and having tons of fun!

07/25/2023

Campers got to play with Eclipse today. I’m not sure who had more fun, Eclipse or the campers!!

07/22/2023

Some fun lessons this morning! Last week of summer camp starts on Tuesday! We wrap up our summer fun with a BLE show on Aug 5th, make sure to sign up in the office.

Thank you to everyone that has reached out, prayed, shared, and donated. I am so incredibly thankful. https://gofund.me/0ddb29e7

07/20/2023

Luna loved getting a bath from the campers today!! Eclipse got to play in the arena while mom dried.

07/19/2023

Thank you to those that have helped so far! Please share if you can. GoFundMe link in the comments.

07/19/2023

What a fun day!

07/19/2023

Nap time before camp time

07/18/2023

Man it’s hot! Enjoyed rides first thing this morning, and now hiding from the heat with popsicles!

05/19/2022

Thursday 4:30p group lessons has an availability for the month of June!