Riding and Animal Care Club
Regular clubs
Clubs at Jarošův statek
"Whaaaat? Horses need all this?" Let children take a peek behind the scenes of a real farm. They'll learn not only to ride, but also to look after the horses. Beginners will learn the ropes, more experienced riders will keep improving.
All just a few kilometres from Ostrava, in the peaceful setting of a farm more than a hundred years old.
So, which will you choose?
Wednesday 16:00–18:30 (full)
Thursday 16:00–18:30 (4 places)
Friday 16:00–18:30 (4 places)
The club is suitable for children aged 8 and over.
(For children from 5 years we run the MINIATURE PONIES riding club.)
What are our aims?
In the club we teach children:
- to handle and communicate with horses safely,
- correct riding basics they can keep building on,
- to groom, saddle and bridle a horse,
- a relaxed, balanced seat, soft hands and feel for the horse,
- the basics of groundwork,
- in a natural way, how to behave around horses and how to communicate with them,
- and we give them unique moments together with horses in a small, friendly group.
How the club works
- Wednesday 16:00–18:30
- Thursday 16:00–18:30
- Friday 16:00–18:30
Capacity is 6 children per session.
The club includes riding training plus practical and theory lessons on horse care and riding.
Children are split into two groups – beginners and improving riders (max. 3 children) and advanced riders (max. 3 children). Advanced riders can control the horse off the lunge at walk and trot; beginners and improving riders cannot yet.
In the beginners' and improving riders' group the instructor works with each child individually and they ride on the lunge until they can control the horse on their own.
In the advanced group children ride independently and focus on more skilled work with the horse. They improve their riding at walk, trot and canter and, depending on ability, over natural obstacles.
Training takes place in the sand arena, on grass arenas, on a practice route through the pastures and on a trail course (natural obstacles from simple to more challenging). We also go on rides out into nature – beginners are led by a handler, more experienced children ride on their own. In bad weather we train in the small indoor arena.
When children aren't in the saddle, they learn theory and practical skills together (basic facts about horses and their care, grooming, saddling, leading, safe handling, naming parts of the horse and the tack, helping prepare feed and other everyday tasks around horses).
The club runs in bad weather too, as we can ride in the indoor arena. The schedule may be adjusted depending on the weather. To build on what they learn, we recommend joining our Day with Horses at least once a month. As well as riding, children gain further knowledge and practical skills in horse care and training that there's no time for during the club but which are essential to understanding riding as a whole. We also recommend private riding lessons, where children can develop further in the saddle, or private groundwork and natural horsemanship lessons, where they learn to communicate with the horse through body language and subtle signals.
Activities take place among live animals and in close contact with them. To keep all children and animals safe, children must listen to and follow their instructors. If a child does not follow the instructions of instructors and assistants or behaves inappropriately, they will be firmly reminded. If it happens repeatedly, the child's parents will be informed. Please note that if inappropriate behaviour continues, the child will be excluded from the club with no refund. Inappropriate behaviour includes not following instructions, as well as smoking, drinking alcohol or using other drugs (which means immediate exclusion), swearing, verbal or physical attacks on other children or animals, and other unacceptable behaviour.
What to bring
We recommend comfortable outdoor sports clothing and sturdy closed shoes. In bad weather, quiet (non-rustling) waterproof clothing and wellies. In summer, please put on sun cream, and insect repellent in mosquito season. For riding we recommend long stretchy trousers, riding gloves and tall riding boots or other suitable closed shoes without laces. We lend helmets and body protectors. Children can bring a notebook and pen. Our horses are gentle and well-mannered, but we still recommend accident insurance.
Health insurance card or a copy.
Registration
Send registration forms to jarosuvstatekehm@seznam.cz together with a copy of the health insurance card.
Price and payment
- monthly (4 lessons): 2,700 CZK, always due by the 20th of the previous month
- one-off trial lesson 700 CZK
Please pay to account no.: 6760059379/0800
Payment reference: JK_club day_child's name (e.g. JK_pondělí_Anička Nováková – “pondělí” is Monday)
Absence
In case of illness or another serious reason, a missed lesson can be made up on another club day. It must be used by the end of the current month, otherwise the lesson is lost.
In case of long-term illness (more than 3 weeks) or another serious reason, missed lessons can be made up by arrangement with the instructor.
Please let us know about an absence at least one day in advance. If a child cancels less than 24 hours beforehand, the lesson is lost.
