Equitation PE anyone?

Cornellansci2012
Sun, 01 Apr 2012 10:19:10 +0000

I’m in my 8th semester of equitation at Cornell and I’ve loved it. Lessons are english in the hunter jumper style with some dressage incorporated at the higher levels. If you don’t have any riding experience, you’d be in the Basic I level. Classes on weekday afternoons are taught by Tarene who is really nice when you get to know her but also really challenges you to become a better rider. Classes in the evenings and on Saturdays are taught mostly by students. All are accomplished riders although some I like better than others. They’re all certainly more than qualified to teach riders at the introductory level.
There are 12 lessons in the semester. You must attend 10 to pass (but you’re paying for 12 so you might as well go to all of them). The make up policy is great, you can make up in any lesson your level or lower.
Lessons are taught at Oxley which is walkable in theory but most people either drive there or take the bus to east hill plaza and then walk (it’s about a 4 minute walk from east hill). Oxley houses the PE horses and the polo ponies in the main barn and has a separate boarder barn for boarding horses. Lessons are usually taught in the indoor ring but in nice weather we get to ride in the outdoor. Lessons have a maximum of 10 riders/class. You’re required to wear boots with a small heel (invest in a pair of paddock boots if you don’t have them. Check dover saddlery online or agway here in town.)
All in all they’re not the best riding lessons you could get anywhere, but as I’m in my 8th semester and I’ve been taking them 2x a week for the last year and a half, I can definitely say it’s a great way to have fun and get some exercise.
I started at basic II because I had some riding experience but hadn’t ridden since I was about 10. 2nd semester I was in intermediate I and sophomore year I started int. II. The first 3 levels (basic I, basic II and int I) follow nicely but there is a big jump from int. I to int. II (in int. I you learn how to jump but you’re expected to be competent over at 2 foot course in int. II)
Any other questions?