Safety First

Because safety is a top priority at Ascot, we maintain the following policies without exception:

• All riders must have a signed Release Form on file
• All riders must wear an approved helmet while riding
• All or any disabilities, both mental and physical, must be disclosed prior to starting lessons

 

Lesson Arrival and Attendance

Arrival Time

Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled lesson. This will ensure you have enough time to properly groom and tack your horse or pony.  If your horse is already tacked up and in the ring, you can use this time to observe lessons that are in progress.  Observing is an invaluable tool for furthering your riding knowledge.

Exception: Beginners in a private lesson need only arrive 5 minutes early.

 

Lesson Times

Students are expected to be on time for their lessons.  This means that you should be mounted and in the ring 5 minutes prior to your lesson. If you are not warming up at least 5 minutes prior to your lesson time, you will be considered late.

All lessons – Group or Private –  start promptly on the hour or half hour.

Please note that we cannot extend lesson time due to tardiness as it creates conflicts with instructor and horse schedules

 

Cancellations

Ascot requires a 24-HOUR notice if you need to cancel a  lesson or practice ride.  If you do not provide at least 24-hour notice, you forfeit your lesson time but are still responsible for the cost of the lesson.  Please note that there can be NO EXCEPTIONS to this policy.  Cancellations can be made via either a phone call or text message.  Lessons that are cancelled in advance according to the policy must be made up within one week. Make-ups should be scheduled via your instructor and can be either a lesson or a practice ride, depending on availability.  Only one makeup is allowed per month.

 

Leave of Absence

Although we understand that there can be mitigating circumstances like sports, injuries and so forth, we cannot guarantee the availability of a specific lesson time or horse after a short- or long-term absence.  We will do our best to accommodate student preferences when working a lesson back into the schedule, but adjustments may need to be made to the day, time, and/or horse.

 

Payment Policies and Options

To provide as much flexibility as possible, payments  will be accepted on either a weekly or monthly basis:

Weekly payments will be accepted the day of the llesson.  If you need to cancel a lesson and do not provide the 24-hour notice, the cancellation will be considered a “short cancel” and you will forfeit your lesson time and be responsible for this payment.  In this case, upon the next scheduled lesson, the payment for the forfeited lesson will be due in addition to the current one for that day.

Monthly payments will be due on the first of the month or the first lesson of the current month.  Your instructor will inform you if there will be any lesson days missed due to horse shows or travel.  With the discretion of your instructor, practice rides are available and encouraged and will be billed accordingly.  Please inform your instructor if you anticipate any missed lessons for the month ahead.

 

Visiting Dogs

Visiting dogs must be leashed at all times.  Please do not walk them in the area close to the indoor hall doors as they spook the horses in the ring.  Please be sure to pick up after them while they are here.