We typically start children as young as 7yrs old with 1/2hr private lessons. Any longer than 1/2hr and their attention span usually just isn’t developed enough for most kids. We want the session to be enjoyable and not overly stimulating, thus developing a good foundation for continued success and a positive experience they will remember.

Please visit our Lessons page to better understand what you need to do in preparation of your lessons or Orientation.

Short answer is yes. In the beginning it is beneficial for you to stay and be a silent cheerleader. Typically your presence helps comfort your child by just watching him / her and will allow you to help answer questions your child may have later on. This also helps us interact with the parents to understand any special personality traits the child may have so that we can best interact with them and get the most out of the lesson. Once the child has completed several lessons and is age 10 or more, we do allow the parents to run errands while their child is in their scheduled lesson timeslot. We do ask that the parents be back by the end of the lesson to care for their child and to give us a chance to potentially discuss anything that may need to be addressed, and involve you in the progress. The last 10minutes are a great time for questions about any concerns or upcoming events.

Great question ! There are so many variables to this question that make it difficult to answer in a simple paragraph. Most students just starting out are trying to see if Horseback riding is something they enjoy and want to continue. Just like many other sports and hobbies, there can be a lifetime worth of learning and some students continue with lessons their whole life and others just want to get comfortable being around horses and riding in a basic form while being safe. There is no wrong answer honestly, and its best to discuss your goals with us so we can best help you get the most out of your time and develop an individual curriculum for your child.

Only if you want it to. Everyone’s situation is different and we typically try and discourage people from buying horses until they've been in a lesson program for at least 2yrs. Students need this time to become familiar with every aspect of horses and develop themselves to a point that they have a good idea of what style horse they may want to own. Buying the wrong horse too soon can be dangerous and overwhelming aside from the financial commitment. Horses can be a wonderful addition to any family, but care must be taken to prepare for success. We have students that for sure know this is their end goal and therefore we spend time in their lessons to help prepare them to make smart and appropriate choices. We also provide assistance for a fee in finding the right companion and minimizing your overall risk if you should choose to involve us.

We primarily offer Western style riding lessons in a Group setting and Private Horsemanship Lessons for those who we feel would benefit and own their own horse and need very specific help in a certain area. We Do Not offer English riding lessons, Jumping, Eventing, or Dressage style lessons any longer.

Absolutely yes. We teach and encourage all of our students to catch, groom, and tack (saddle, bridle, etc) their own lesson horse as soon as they are able to do so safely. Taking the time to learn these skills gives you more time in the saddle and a deeper connection and understanding of the horse's personality and body language. Horsemanship is much more than just riding and starts with interaction on the ground. Depending on your age and experience, expect to spend part of your lesson learning to tack and groom during your lesson. As you mature and gain experience, we allow you to come 15min early to prepare your horse for your lesson in order to gain more time spent in the saddle during your lesson.

No, We provide you with everything you need to ride the horse in a safe manor during your lessons. You're responsible to dress appropriately according to our guidelines on our preparation page. You can use your own Helmet if you want or one of ours. We typically will Not allow students to use their own saddles or other equipment unless its on their own horses. We occasionally offer exceptions if its a brand we trust and we have inspected it and made sure its safe for the horse and rider and will fit the horse properly. Sometimes your personal equipment may be safe, but may not fit into the lesson curriculum we have planned for you so please do not take offense if we deny your request., we have your best and safest interests in mind. If you are interested in obtaining your own Tack, please let us help you make informed choices for a successful purchase as not all tack is created equal.

There's an old cowboy saying worth repeating, "Cheap saddles ain't good, and good saddles ain't cheap"

YES - All lesson students must wear appropriate ASTM and SEI Certified helmets while riding and interacting with our horses at all times. We have several Helmets for your use during your lesson or you can purchase one of your own but it must be certified for equestrian use. ( ie: No bike or skateboard helmets etc)

Adults over the age of 18 that have a horse boarded here at Runaway do have the option, but we still recommended that you wear a helmet for your own safety.

Yes, under most circumstances you may bring in your own horse for lessons. Your horse MUST have proof of current year coggins and be in healthy condition upon arrival. You are NOT permitted to tie or stall your horse in the barn or anywhere it can have physical contact with any other horse. We also do not allow you to ride in advance of your lesson, except for warming up in the designated area. Horses are NEVER allowed on the grassy areas, except in their designated pastures. Please discuss bringing your own horse with us PRIOR to showing up for lessons so we can determine how best to help you get situated. We love having people work together with their horses during lessons, we just need to make sure we are prepared for your arrival.

We are always looking for volunteers to help us out around the farm and with our programs. We do require that our volunteers be 18 years or older to work unsupervised or if they are involved within our lesson program and at least 12yrs old, we will allow them to assist along side of us as a mentoring style program. Please email us to find out more information and to see if we are in need of more help. Typically we are full during the warmer months and need more help once it gets colder.

We do offer Boarding to individuals and families who have grown with us through our program. We have limited space and reserve the open spots for those who have been involved with our programs and who want to now purchase a horse. We find that this sets our Barn family culture up for success and allows us to maintain a Drama free environment.

Feel free to call or email us to discuss. We may have a solution for you.

Yes, we focus on centered riding and natural horsemanship. Please discuss

your goals with us and we will do our best to outline any limitations we may

face and work to create a solid training plan for you.

Yes we do ! Our 70x140 Coverall indoor Arena is useable year round and can be seen here in more detail. We do have a 110x300' outdoor dirt arena we use in the summer for lessons and games etc that require more space. We generally keep Jumps, Barrels, Poles, and cones available outdoor for use by students and boarders.

At this time we do not offer trail rides for hire to the public. We do generally take our students on road and trail rides once they are at an acceptable training level. Safety is our #1 concern and we want to make sure you are ready before entering into a situation that has no boundary limitations without proper training in advance.

We have activities for most any kind of events. We have done birthdays, Scouts, Field trips, Group outings, Team Bonding, Date nights, and just about any other function you can dream up. Please contact us to find out more on how we can make you day super fun and special.

We do not allow dogs to be loose on our property due to liability issues. We have no issue with you keeping your dog in your car as long as they are properly cared for and kept on a leash during potty breaks. Please notify us if you need to bring your dog under certain circumstances and we will see how we can help or make special arrangements.

Try This - https://goo.gl/maps/cdGGc6prthKh5wMC7

or Please visit our Contact page to see a map of our exact location and a link for directions. You may also use your smart phone and search for Runaway Ranch in Google Maps or Apple Maps for step by step directions. If you need assistance or written directions, please call us and we can help.

We do not require our Boarders to be in full time lessons but highly encourage you to be involved at least part time to get the most out of our environment. We want you to be active in our community and grow in your horse experience. We offer something for most everyone and if you're already boarding with us, we already understand you and your horse, so please engage us to assist with any issues.