Overview
The University of Connecticut's Animal Science Department offers a horseback riding program open to the public with something for everyone! 30-minute private, 45-minute semi-private, and 60-minute group lessons with flexible scheduling in Dressage, Hunt Seat, Trail and Western at a variety of levels, open to adults and children who meet the minimum age and skill level requirements. Come ride with us in one of the largest heated indoor arenas in the Northeast with experienced lesson horses and exceptional instructors.
Lesson Options & Pricing - Scheduled Based on Instructor/Horse/Rider Availability (Use Scheduling Form Above)
Community/Public:
- Lesson Package - Dressage/Hunt Seat/Western - Community ($280/4 Lessons)
- Lesson Package - Polo - Community ($360/4 Lessons)
- Lesson Package - Trail - Community ($280/4 Lessons)*
- Private Lesson Package - Dressage/Hunt Seat/Western - Community ($360/4 Lessons)
- Private Single Lesson - Dressage/Hunt Seat/Western - Community ($90/1 Lesson)
- Private Single Lesson - Polo - Community ($100/1 Lesson)
- Single Lesson - Dressage/Hunt Seat/Western - Community ($75/1 Lesson)
- Single Lesson - Polo - Community ($85/1 Lesson)
- Single Lesson - Trail - Community ($75/1 Lesson)*
UConn Students Only:
- Semester Lessons - Dressage/Hunt Seat/Western - Students (14-Weeks Total | 1 Lesson/Week January 19-May 1, 2026)
- Semester Lessons - Polo - Students (14-Weeks Total | 1 Lesson/Week January 19-May 1, 2026)
- Semester Lessons - Team - Equine Teams (14-Weeks Total | 1 Lesson/Week January 19-May 1, 2026)
- Lesson Package - Polo - Students ($280/4 Lessons)
- Single Lesson - Dressage/Hunt Seat/Western - Students ($60/1 Lesson)**
- Tryouts - Team - Equine Teams ($60/1 Tryout)
*A trail test assessment ($60.00) may be required to determine eligibility for this lesson. Please contact Dr. Jenifer Nadeau (jenifer.nadeau@uconn.edu) to learn more.
**Only open to students enrolled in Semester Lessons option.
Information for all Riders
All students will be required to supply the following equipment: (1) a properly fitting ASTM/SEI approved riding helmet within 5 years of manufacturing date (helmets available as needed) and (2) boots that have a heel with a rubber sole.
- Participants must be paid in full and registration forms completed before riding.
- Lesson 4 packs must be used within a month (1 scheduled lesson per week).
- To cancel or reschedule a scheduled lesson, you must provide at least 24 hours' notice. Without this notice, the lesson cannot be made up. In cases where less than 24 hours' notice is given, make-up lessons may only be considered for legal or emergency situations. Make-up lessons are not guaranteed and depend on both instructor and horse availability.
Rider Height & Weight
Our goal is to ensure a safe ride for all of our riders and horses. Horses are limited in how much weight they may carry. It is important to be as accurate as possible when submitting your height and weight so that an appropriate horse can be matched to each rider.
Each horse is restricted in the amount of weight it may carry. The weight restriction is based on several factors, but the most important is rider’s weight. Too much weight can cause rub-sores from the saddle, strained muscles, and pinched nerves. Permanent damage such as a "sway back" or deteriorated muscle function can also occur over time. It is important to be as accurate as possible when submitting your height and weight so that you can be matched with the appropriate horse. None of the horses currently available for horseback riding are capable of carrying a rider who weighs more than 225lbs. On any given day, it is possible that a horse will not be available for you to ride because of weight limitations (examples include: (1) the only horse capable of carrying a rider who weighs 200lbs is being monitored for injury and will not be available for riding for at least a week and (2) three riders, each weighing 185lbs, are scheduled for a riding program on the same day but only two horses are available to carry such weight.) In the event a horse is not available for you to ride on a particular day, we will try to provide you with advance notice and will provide a refund for each day a horse is unavailable for you to ride. For additional information regarding weight restrictions please contact: horsebackriding@uconn.edu.
Policy on Safety Requirements for Participation
For the safety of program participants and our horses, and in order to acquire the skills attendant to successful horseback riding, participants must be able to engage in certain tasks related to grooming, tacking and riding. For example, participants must be able to safely mount and dismount a horse and must possess sufficient upper body balance, leg strength and mobility to ride ahorse unassisted for a reasonable period of time. The UConn Horseback Riding program is not a certified therapeutic riding facility. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable inclusive participation, but we reserve the right to assess each individual’s capabilities to perform these tasks for their own safety and for the safety of our horses. If it is or becomes apparent that the rider is not able to meet the physical requirements of safely participating in the lesson program even with reasonable accommodations, the instructor will notify the participant that the Rider’s privileges are being terminated and that they will receive a pro rata refund. If you would like to discuss any specific concerns prior to your lesson, please contact horsebackriding@uconn.edu. If interested, the following is a list of some therapeutic riding facilities in Connecticut: High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center - 860-434-1974, Hidden Acres Therapeutic Riding Center - 203-723-0633, Manes and Motions - 860-223-2761.
Age Requirements
Riding lessons (including trail and excluding polo) are open to participants 11 years of age or older. Polo lessons are open to participants 13 years of age or older.
Questions
Questions: contact horsebackriding@uconn.edu.
