FAQ

You may contact us via phone or email. Keep in mind that we are a small facility with limited staff and we may not be available to check phone messages until late at night. We prefer email inquiries as we can return these messages at any time during the evening without worrying if it is "too late" to return phone calls.

Riders must wear long pants that come to the ankle, no capri pants or shorts. Shoes must be hard soled and low-heeled. We reccomend that riders eventually purchase paddock boots and riding pants if they wish to persue lessons. Wearing the proper attire makes for a more comfortable and safer ride. Helmets must be worn at all times when mounted and we have ASTM approved helmets available for our riders to use; however we suggest each rider purchase their own helmet after the first few lessons. The Arbordale staff can assist you in finding the right items.

You do not have to own your own horse to participate in shows. Students may show the Arbordale schooling horses at various shows that we attend throughout the year.

Arbordale Riding Academy attends various shows throughout the year. We bring horses and riders to local one-day shows and we also attend breed-specific local and regional shows that are "A" rated by the United States Equestrian Federation. We expect to broaden our horizons and attend national breed shows during 2009.

Horse ownership can be quite costly, but at Arbordale Riding Academy we strive to make ownership affordable at a variety of levels. Our focus is on show horses. National caliber Morgan horses can be purchased usually at prices starting at $10,000 and up. If looking for Morgans for the local rated shows, expect to look in the $5,000 to $15,000 range. For lesson-type horses that would show at local schooling or open shows where breed registration is not required, we strongly support adoption through Saddlebred Rescue. Adoption fees usually cost $700 - $1000. For horsekeeping, expect to pay monthly boarding costs (see the boarding page on this website), shoeing costs (which vary from a $35 barefoot trim up to a $175 show shoe reset) every 6 weeks, and routine veterinary costs of $300-$350 annually.

Yes! The staff at Arbordale is available to assist you with your search. We have a network of sources available to locate the right horse for you. We charge travel expenses and a 10% commission for our time.

Training board is to protect your investment and is for the serious competetor. When you have invested a good bit of money for a horse to compete with, you want to ensure the horse is kept conditioned, responsive and competetive. Why spend good money on a prospect or proven show horse just to have him stand around in the barn? Training helps horses retain or increase their value and makes for better performances in the show ring.

The cost of showing horses is based on the cost of shipping the horse to the event, entry fees, any grounds fees and also a fee for the trainer taking the horses and riders to the show. Local one-day shows may run in the $150 to $200 range. Larger shows with extended stays may also include member/non-member fees, drug testing fees, stall and bedding for the event, etc. Larger shows may run $450 and up depending on the distance traveled, number of horses and riders showing, length of stay, etc.