Community Lessons

Get Back in the Saddle — And Give Back

We’re excited to introduce Community Riding Lessons at High Hopes in Old Lyme, CT — a small-group riding experience designed for local riders who want to learn, grow, and connect with our exceptional horses.

By taking a Community Lesson at High Hopes, you are directly supporting our mission. Revenue from these lessons helps sustain our therapeutic riding and equine-assisted services programs, ensuring that pricing remains accessible and that subsidies are available for participants who need financial assistance. When you ride here, you help make it possible for others to experience the horse-human connection as well.

These lessons provide a comprehensive horsemanship experience in a supportive and welcoming environment. Riders will groom and tack their horses, build foundational horse care and handling skills, and receive structured riding instruction focused primarily in the English discipline.

Instruction is led by a CHA Master Instructor with experience across multiple disciplines.

Lesson Options & Pricing:

• Private Lesson — $90
• Group Lesson — $80

* Lessons are tailored to the rider’s experience level.

 Experienced riders are expected to independently groom, tack, untack, and manage their horse safely before and after instruction.
 Beginner riders will receive supervision throughout grooming, tacking, riding, and untacking, with approximately 30 minutes of mounted riding time included within their scheduled lesson block. 

• English-focused instruction
• Small group sizes
• Indoor arena, outdoor ring, and trails (weather permitting)
• Rider weight limit: 200 lbs

Community Lessons are a wonderful way to deepen your riding skills while experiencing the unique partnership between horse and rider that High Hopes is known for.

Please inquire to learn more or to sign up. We’re happy to answer questions and help determine if Community Lessons are the right fit for you.