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DECEMBER 2024

Issue 14 - Happiest Holidays

December…. here we are again! The days are getting shorter, but the activities list is getting longer. School concerts, winter parties, family gatherings and shopping, oh my! Although it takes effort to get here, the time spent in the saddle is not time wasted. Riding requires you to be where your hands are, you must be in the present. It allows you to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season and just breathe.

I hope you enjoy our last newsletter of the year. Find time to reflect on the progress you’ve made in your riding this year and think of what you want to accomplish in 2025.

Robin

WHAT'S COMING

December 3 & 10

Make Horseshoe Ornaments - Deck the Stalls

6pm

December 16 - 21

Level Up Week


December 23 - 28

Winter Break Classes - No Regular Lessons


December 29

Spring Trimester Begins

Level Up Week

December 16-21, 2024

Level Up Week supports opportunities for our students to grow as compassionate, knowledgeable horse people through unmounted curriculum. Hopefully you have been attending Horsemanship classes and trying to get some hands-on time doing the things horses need us to do to keep them healthy and well behaved. Each level also has a riding component which your riding instructor tracks through your weekly lessons.

Your instructor will give you a progress report at the beginning of the month. This report will show you the things your instructor feels you have accomplished and can do without supervision. Any skills left unchecked are things you still need to learn and/or practice to be considered skilled enough to Level Up.

There will be several opportunities in December to work with an instructor or mentor to get through any missing information in the level you are working on. Please see the Horsemanship calendar for dates and times.

Equitation Horse Show

Thank you to all who participated in the Equitation Horse Show on November 10th. Our riders did a great job being prepared for their classes and the show ran on time! It was nice to see the students so well supported by their family and friends.

Our judge, Kate Kostenbader, spent a little time with each student giving them a pointer or two to work on to improve their riding. She knows riding is a journey requiring many incremental changes that lead to success.

GIVE THE BEST GIFT OF ALL - HORSES!

Gift Certificates available

Gift an experience they’ll never forget this holiday season! We have gift certificates available for every horse lover!

Winter Break Camp

9am-1pm

$100

Monday December 23 Red & Yellow Levels

Thursday December 26 Yellow & Green Levels

Friday December 27 Green & Blue Levels

Saturday December 28 All Levels

Each day will follow this format.

9:00-9:30 Establish horsemanship skills needed

9:30-11:30 Study/practice/test

11:00-12:00 Group 1 & 2 Open Ride

12:00-1:00 Group 1 & 2 Untack/Review

We are encouraging independence and problem solving. We will allow the students to do independent practice riding working on the things they do in their riding lessons. Students will be encouraged to think about what they want to work on and how they are going to handle the situations their horse will present to them. There will be an instructor present in the arena for questions and encouragement. Monday’s Red/Yellow Levels will have a little more guidance from the riding instructor because they may not be as far along their riding journey.

Set goals for 2025

Goal Setting Meetings

$20

December 23, 26, 27 & 28

1:00-1:30 Individual Goal Setting

1:30-2:00 Individual Goal Setting

2:00-2:30 Individual Goal Setting

2:30-3:00 Individual Goal Setting

3:00-3:30 Individual Goal Setting

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

MEET DONNA

Tell us about your first experiences with horses. When did you start riding?

My Grandparents boarded horses on their property in Cedar Rapids so I started riding when I was 6 years old. I had many siblings and cousins but my Grandpa always made sure I had the most time in the saddle.

Who is your favorite horse and why?
It is very hard to pick a favorite but I would have to say Jake because he is very strong and confident and I feel very safe and secure with him.

What is your riding goal for this year?
To spend as much time riding as I can. With my busy schedule, I can only do one lesson a week. I would definitely like to get more involved.

What has connecting with

horses done for you?
Connecting with horses has taught me the true meaning of teamwork.

Other than riding, do you have a favorite activity you like to do at Greenbriar?
I love to hand out carrots when I am done with my lesson. I also learn a lot from watching other students ride.

What can Greenbriar do to help

you realize your dreams?
Since I don't have a horse, Greenbriar has given me a great alternative to owning. I look forward to spending time with my horse friends every week.

Thank you, Donna, for sharing your memories with us!

It’s fun to look back at all the horses that were special to you.

Parents – this is a great way to watch your children grow up, too.

It is an annual tradition at Greenbriar to take photos in the fall. Gwenaelle Clement Photography is our house photographer and provides many opportunities throughout the year for photo shoots around the farm and with the horses.

If you would like to share your story, fill out

our questionnaire and we will publish your

experience in our next newsletter!

Horse Lover - Barn Buddy Program

Join us in January!

Building community is one of our goals for this year, so we thought we could ask our Horse Lovers to be a mentor for a younger student who wants to be around the barn more. Many of our younger students wish they could be at the barn more, so we devised a plan to allow that to happen. Current Horse Lovers know and understand the procedures we follow to take excellent care of our horses. Horse Lovers do a lot of behind the scenes work! Activities include scrubbing buckets, cobwebbing, cleaning water tanks, helping with class changeovers, moving horses to the areas that they are needed next.

If you are interested in being a mentor or being a buddy please

ask your instructor help you find a match.

The Benefits of Group Riding Lessons

Robin Ballantyne

As social animals, both humans and horses thrive in group settings; it fosters community, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging. Friendships formed in these lessons can create a supportive and inspiring environment.

While group lessons may not provide the same level of individual attention as private sessions, they do better prepare riders to handle variable situations. In a group setting, riders receive individual instruction and are then allowed time on their own to process and practice that information. This gives the rider time to assess how the horse responds to their use of the new skill. Riders not only benefit from receiving direct instruction but also from observing others, hearing feedback for other riders, and gaining new perspectives, which significantly expands their knowledge.

Group lessons encourage riders to think ahead and develop skills like communication, spatial awareness, and adaptability. The momentum of a group can also help riders focus on refining their position, as the shared energy minimizes the need to concentrate solely on forward movement.

Spending time with other riders provides opportunities to appreciate the diversity of horse personalities, which helps riders prepare and adapt to different mounts. There is also something to be said about seeing peers succeed – and even struggle – reminding us that riding is a journey filled with ups and downs, fostering resilience and motivation.

Whether it’s learning arena etiquette or building confidence, group lessons are a fun and effective way to grow as a rider while enjoying the support of a like-minded community.

*You pay for one lesson and get the other lessons for free!

So Long 2024!

OUR MAILING ADDRESS
Greenbriar Riding Academy

PO Box 435 - Springville, IA, 52336

United States

+1 319-854-7115