Lessons

What you need to know
Each new student will take home a checklist of the minimum skills they can be expected to learn during their time with Duzan Riding Academy. We encourage students to progress at a pace that is comfortable for them. While we do track students’ progress, we do not encourage an attitude of, “I am at such and such level.” Often, riders bounce between a couple different levels at a time, or learn things in different orders, depending on what their specific education, age, or ability requires. However, this checklist is especially important for parents without equine experience. Along with the curriculum, each student will receive a set of barn rules, policies, and information packet to be returned to the DRA office.

Students are expected to take full care of their horse or pony before and after each lesson. This includes grooming the horse, tacking up the horse, riding, properly warming up and cooling down of the horse, un-tacking and grooming again, blanketing the horse if temperature requires, wrapping the horse’s legs if it was jumped heavily, putting the horse and equipment away, and sweeping the tacking area when finished. Expect to spend 15-20 minutes before and/or after each lesson caring for the horse. We have experienced “lesson helpers” that will be present to help younger or inexperienced students, and parents are invited to participate if they would like.

Duzan Riding Academy accepts students ages five through adult. We do enforce a weight limit of 180 pounds to ensure the safety and longevity of our school horses.

About the curriculum
We welcome the very newest and youngest of riders, as well as those with age and experience. Lessons are taught with a hunter/jumper/equitation focus. Our instructors follow a predetermined set of skills that will be taught to each rider. Riders are taught how to think and feel what is going on while riding, and are taught to always ride with a training perspective. If you are not training your horse, you are un-training him! While our program focuses on riding skills, there are a set of horsemanship, or ground skills, that go along with each lesson level too. There is so much more to horses than just riding, and each rider should know how to expertly care for her horse.

Lesson Levels
* items in parenthesis are examples of some of the skills learned at each level.

Beginner 1: Introduction to Basic Riding (approaching and handling a horse safely, basic communication with the horse, riding on the lunge line)
Beginner 2: Walk and Trot, Ground Poles (Posting at the trot, jumping position, changing directions, cantering on the lunge line, trot a course of poles)
Beginner 3: Walk, Trot, and Canter (diagonals at the trot, ring etiquette, cantering with control, introduction to lead changes, canter a course of poles)
Intermediate 1: Beginning Jumping (basic jumping releases, trot cross rail courses, canter a single fence)
Intermediate 2: Intermediate Jumping (canter a single vertical, lateral work, counting strides, basic gymnastic lines)
Intermediate 3: Jumping Competence (ride equitation style courses, demonstrate collection/flexion/impulsion, jump oxers, ride transition smoothly)
Advanced: Advanced Jumping/Horsemanship (turn on the forehand/haunches, gain an understanding of different exercises to improve the horse, ride jumper courses)

Types of Lessons and Pricing on DRA owned Horses
One Hour Group (3-4 Riders): $60
Half Hour Private: $60
Half Hour Advanced Private (Warm up 10-15 minutes prior, and cool down 10 minutes after on your own time): $65

About the instructors
Molly Wirtz is the owner of Duzan Riding Academy, and has been teaching since 2007. She is the main instructor at Duzan Riding Academy, and enjoys teaching all levels Beginner-Advanced. She coaches the Duzan Riding Academy Middle School and High School Equestrian Teams, and coached the Middle School Team to a 7^th place National finish is 2014. She has also helped multiple riders to qualify and show at IEA Nationals. She takes several young riders to various shows, competing in United State Equestrian Federation, United States Hunter Jumper Association, and Ohio Hunter Jumper Association rated shows. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, focusing on the animal sciences. Molly has a passion for teaching students horse care and consideration, along with giving them a solid and correct foundation in all things horse related as they move through the levels. Molly enjoys assisting riders in gaining a true understanding of their equine partner, and creating riders who can think independently and act based on what their horse needs in order to be a better partner.

Samantha Keeran has been teaching with Duzan Riding Academy since the beginning of 2014. Sam is an H rated United States Pony Club member (highest knowledge level), C3 rated in riding (equivalent to training level eventing). She has over 17 years of horse experience in eventing, hunters, jumpers, dressage, equitation, western pleasure, fox hunting, and games competitions. She is a graduate of the University of Florida with a degree in Biology. She competed through training level eventing (3’3″), 3’6″ jumpers, and First Level Dressage. Sam provides students with exciting and challenging exercises. She is great at teaching students to be focused and goal oriented, while relaxed at the same time.

About the Facility
Our facility has been expertly designed for the comfort of horse, rider, parents, and siblings! We are a family friendly environment and encourage siblings to join in on the fun! The barn and large indoor riding arena are both insulated. You’ll find two heated, REAL bathrooms (no porta-potties here!), heated tack room, and heated lounge with large window looking over the indoor arena, complete with kitchen, play area, and TV with DVD player. There are even tables set up in the lounge so parents can work or students can do homework. Parents are also welcome to sit in the indoor arena so they can hear the lesson, which we highly encourage. In the summer, students will ride in our large enclosed outdoor arena, in the grass field between the house and the barn, and two acres of trails. Parents may sit close to the arena in our shaded Judges’ Stand, or on the rocking chairs on the breezy, shaded front porch of the barn.