Riding Lessons & Camps

Horseback Riding Lessons

Horseback Riding lessons are offered for any skill level or age from beginner to advanced, young children to seniors. Classes are offered in small groups of not more than 4 riders with similar skill levels to enhance the fun of learning. Lessons are approximately one hour long. Riders also learn and practice tacking up and untacking, horse grooming and general horse and tack care. Horseback Riding Lessons take place at our property in Lanzville B.C., in Central Vancouver Island.

All horse riding lessons are under the direct supervision of an Equine Canada certified coach or a Horse Council BC (HCBC) insured coach.

Pyramid Stables offers regular weekly programs, drop in programs, or custom riding lesson programs. Private lessons can be booked if time permits by personal arrangement with Jenny Payne.

Weekly Program

Four lessons are scheduled for the same day/time every week in a specific calendar month to fit into a busy fixed work schedule or school routine offering predictable consistency. Lessons are non-transferable. This program is best for beginners, recreational riders and beginning competitors. Call for information about available lesson times.

Lessons that are not paid and booked as a full monthly package in advance of the start of the month are considered “Drop-in Lessons.” 

Fees: $240.00 per month fully paid in advance if using a school horse.
          $200.00 per month fully paid in advance if using your own horse.

Drop-in Lessons

Drop in riding lessons are perfect for the busy client who would like to ride but cannot commit to a regular weekly schedule. Availability of drop-in lesson times is subject to prior scheduled lessons. Contact us for availability.

Fees: $65.00 per lesson if using a school horse.
          $50.00 per lesson if using your own horse.

Custom Program

All of our riding lesson programs can be tailored to your individual needs. For example, six lessons per month. Prices will be adjusted accordingly. Contact us to plan what works best for you!

PLEASE NOTE:

**** Missed lessons are lost lessons. Due to the very small class sizes we are unable to provide “make-up” classes if a class is missed without notice.

Please be sure of your availability for the full calendar month when you sign up for classes. Notice of cancellation must be received at least 24 hours before a missed class in order to allow rebooking. Postponing a lesson is only possible within the month in which the lesson is postponed. Fortunately most months have a partial fifth week in which this can be done.****

Riding Camps

Pyramid Stables offers horseback summer riding camps for beginner and Novice/Intermediate skill levels. In addition to your riding lesson on a safe, well trained school horse or your own horse, you will learn about horse care and take part in fun activities such as horse related games or crafts or perhaps go on a trail ride! Riding Camps take place at our property in Lanzville B.C., in Central Vancouver Island.

2024 Summer Riding Camp Information

J1. July 3rd – 5th, Wednesday – Friday, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Beginner/Novice Rider Camp $ 325 including GST
Perfect for the 1st time rider or a rider with a little experience of any age. Learn proper riding skills on safe, well-mannered horses and ponies and have fun.

J2. July 10th – 12th, Wednesday – Friday, 10:00am – 3:00pm
Novice/Intermediate Jumping Camp $ 375 includingGST
Designed for the novice/intermediate jumping rider wanting to improve their skills. Over the 3 days, we will cover riding on the flat, jumping single fences working up to small courses. Stable management and lots of fun packed into 3 days.

J3. July 24th – 26th, Wednesday – Friday, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Beginner/Novice Rider Camp $ 325 including GST
Perfect for the 1st time rider or a rider with a little experience of any age. Learn proper riding skills on safe, well-mannered horses and ponies and have fun.

A1. August 7th – 9th, Wednesday – Friday, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Beginner/Novice Rider Camp $ 325 including GST
Perfect for the 1st time rider or a rider with a little experience of any age. Learn proper riding skills on safe, well-mannered horses and ponies and have fun.

A2. August 12th – 14th, Monday – Wednesday, 10:00am – 2:00
Beginner/Intermediate Flat Camp $ 325 including GST
Perfect for the 1st time rider, a rider with a little experience of any age, or for those who have completed beginner summer camps in the past and are looking to continue working on their riding and stable management skills.

A3. August 26th – 28th, Monday – Wednesday, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Beginner/Novice Rider Camp $ 325 including GST
Perfect for the 1st time rider or a rider with a little experience of any age. Learn proper riding skills on safe, well-mannered horses and ponies and have fun

Please click here to download our 2024 Summer Riding Camp PDF.

How to register:

To register for our 2024 horseback riding summer camps, download and complete the 2024 summer camp registration form and send or deliver it with your payment.

Please note: Full payment (cash or cheque) must accompany registration in order to hold a spot. Camps will be filled on a first paid, first served basis. Camps fill up quick so sign up now!

Riders need to bring:

• Their own lunches and snacks (fridge and microwave available).
• Sunscreen, hat and clothing appropriate to the weather.
• Gloves (optional).
• Riders need to have boots with a heel about ½” to 1”.  We do have some but you will need to come ahead of time to ensure that we have your size.
• Riders will be required to wear ASTM/SEI approved riding helmets.  Once again, we have some but you will want to ensure that we have your size ahead of time.

Camps include:

• 1 hour riding lesson
• 1 hour stable management session
• Group activities, horsey crafts, and games
• LOTS OF FUN!

Stable Management Courses

We occasionally offer stable management programs and include stable management components in all of our Riding Camps.

Sessions will include some of the following topics but we may add other topics in as well:

• Feeding
• First aid
• Conformation
• Tack and equipment
• Anatomy and leg dissection
• Feet and shoeing
• Show – Prep and Bandaging

Please contact us to sign up or to inquire about upcoming dates. Upcoming course dates should also be listed on our News & Events page.

What is Stable Management?

Stable management covers everything else but riding your horse. It includes all aspects of owning and looking after a horse. This can include, but is not limited to: tack and saddlery, grooming, feeding, foot care and shoeing, bandaging and wraps, first aid, anatomy of the horse, conformation, conditioning, lameness and a lot more.

Stable managers take on full responsibility for all horses in their stable. If there are several, this can be a challenge – making sure each individual is turned out and fed at the right times, that none of them get bullied by the more dominant horses and that any medical or other special needs are met.
A horse needs a person to look out for it. It does not stop needing care for Christmas or the Summer holidays and therefore a stable manager’s job never ends.

Done properly, stable management is a full-time job – and a demanding one at that. It is everything about looking after horses in order to make sure they are healthy, happy and safe.

Why Learn Stable Management:

If you have your horse fully boarded you will have people to do your stable management for you, but you should still know what they do and why they do it. It is the responsibility of the horse owner, whether they have their horse boarded or not, to know exactly what their horse’s needs are at any given time. Every owner or rider should know the basics of stable management, even if you lease or ride a school horse. It is only fair to the horse that the person who rides it most knows how to care for it.

Children especially can get plenty out of stable management. When they are looking after someone else, namely their horse, they are putting that someone else first. They will also start to appreciate how big a job it is to look after a horse and more importantly it will improve the connection between the child and their pony.

And the biggest reason, IT IS FUN!