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*Please take a look at our new features on the Lesson Page! We have some new lesson specials and a Lesson of the Week article featuring a different student and instructor every week below!
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Riding Lessons are offered year round!
-Sign up for Before and After Camp Lessons this Summer!-
Learn about horses and riding from our experienced and knowledgeable staff. Our horses are wonderful partners and teachers. Try a lesson today and see the benefit it can have in your life!
Private Lessons for children ages 6 to 8
Private and Semi-Private Lessons for adults and children aged 9+
Lessons can be tailored to suit all skill and experience levels. We teach both English and Western riding. In addition, our instructors and horses specialize in working with timid or nervous riders.
RIDING LESSONS
Lessons are offered to children ages 6+ and adults of any age or experience.
All beginner riders and/or children ages 6-8 will take private riding lessons.
All riders must take a private lesson to determine eligibility for a semi-private
lesson; semi-private riders must be 9+ years of age.
Please contact Faith for additional details.
.jpg) HOURS:
Monday-Friday hourly from 9am – 6pm
Saturdays hourly from 9am – 5pm
Sundays hourly from 9am – 5pm
PRICING:
Lesson Cost will be as follows:
$40 private; $30 semi-private with Horsemanship Staff
$45 private; $35 semi-private with CHA Certified Instructor Jessie
$45 private; $35 semi-private with Faith, Lead Riding Instructor, or Lauren, Assistant Lead Riding Instructor
"Bring your Best Friend" Lessons
Ages 6+ , all riding levels welcome
Cost per lesson:
$70 per couple for independent riders
$75 per couple (if 2 instructors are required)
Have you ever wanted to bring your best friend out to the barn to take a lesson with you? Here is your chance! Camp Ketcha Horsemanship now offers a group style lesson for you to take with your best friend. Come try out a new activity with one of our experienced school horses.
Date Lessons
All riding levels welcome
Cost per lesson:
$60/hour for one couple
Try something new for you and your loved one. Camp Ketcha now offers a new lesson special: Come and bring your date on an hour-long horseback riding lesson. Each person will receive their own instructor and their own horse to work with. It is a great way to learn and experience something new with the support of someone you trust trying out this exciting adventure with you!
Mommy & Me Riding Lessons
ages 6+ , all riding levels welcome
Cost per lesson:
$50 per couple for independent riders
$60 per couple (if 2 instructors are required)
 Lessons will be an hour in length and will include grooming and tacking-up. Actual riding time will be between 30 to 35 minutes depending upon time needed for grooming and tacking-up. Riders at the beginner level will be assisted throughout the lesson by a one-on-one instructional staff until they are confident riding independently. All riding levels are welcome.
Western Lessons:
Camp Ketcha also specializes in Western lessons! If you would prefer to learn western riding, you can take lessons with our Equine Programs Director and experienced Western trainer/rider, Jessie Bosse. Bring out the cowboy or cowgirl in yourself! Prices above.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
* One private lesson is required for riders who have not ridden at Camp Ketcha before.
* Semi-private lessons consist of two riders and one instructor, therefore riders in these lessons must be confidently riding independently at the walk and trot.
* All semi-private lessons are at the discretion of the instructor.
* One hour lessons include grooming
& tacking up before the lesson and un-tacking at the end of the lesson until the rider can perform this independently.
* A discount of $2 per lesson will be offered for blocks of 4 or more lessons paid for in advance.
* A discount is also available to current 4-H members — please see Jessie for additional details.
* 1/2 hour private lessons are available by request — these lessons are just riding time and do not include grooming and tacking-up.
* If you are interested in riding with a friend but need to take a private lesson to determine eligibility for semi-private lessons, it may be possible to arrange to have your initial lessons at the same time with different instructors.
What to Wear for Your Riding Lesson
* Full length pants with with either a soft inseam or no inseam. Sweatpants,
leggings, breeches and riding tights are all acceptable. Wind pants may be
slippery in the saddle. Jeans are not recommended.
* A boot or shoe with a heel such as a hiking shoe, rain boot or a riding boot. No
sneakers. Please note that some winter boots are really wide and may not fit
in a stirrup.
* A current ASTM/SEI approved riding helmet. We do provide helmets if you do
not have your own.
* During cold weather, gloves are required. Please wear gloves that are
well-fitting, have grip on the palm/fingers and also allow you to close your fist
completely and comfortably.
* Sandals and flip-flops are not allowed in the barn or around the horses.
Payment Policy
Scheduling Lessons – Paying monthly: In order to keep the day and time spot for your lesson each week, payment is required in advance for the number of times that the lesson falls in any given month. If you are unable to make one of those lessons, it is possible to re-schedule to another day/time within that calendar month, however, you will not be able to skip that particular lesson and fee. A discount of $2 per lesson will be given for blocks of at least four lessons paid for in advance.
Scheduling Lessons – Paying per lesson: If you should choose to pay for each lesson as you take it, your lessons will run on a week-to-week basis, meaning you will not be guaranteed that particular day and time each week and you may not schedule lessons weeks in advance.
Payment Policy: If you are scheduling monthly blocks of lessons, payment is due and expected on the first scheduled lesson of the month. If you are not able to make that lesson for any reason, payment is still due and should be mailed to the office or delivered to the barn and placed in the payment box. If you are paying per lesson, payment is due prior to the start of the lesson.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation Policy: 24 hour notice is required for cancellation of any lesson regardless of the reason. If canceling with less than a 24 hour notice, the lesson will not be rescheduled or refunded, regardless of the the reason. Students will be responsible for the lesson fee even if paying per lesson. Rescheduled lessons will not be carried forward into another month.
Winter Cancellation Policy: If it is 20° F or above in Scarborough Maine, the lesson will continue as planned. Please dress warmly. If it is below 20° F, the instructor will decide whether the lesson should proceed. Please call the Camp Ketcha Barn or your instructor to discuss. If the barn decides that your lesson will proceed as planned and you do not show up, you will be responsible to pay for that lesson. If the barn decides that your lesson will not proceed due to weather, you will not be responsible for that fee. Please reschedule your lesson.
Late Arrivals: If you arrive late to your scheduled lesson, your lesson will end at the regularly scheduled time. Students who arrive more than 15 minutes late will be unable to ride as this is disruptive to the rest of the class. In addition, the abbreviated time schedule will not allow for a regular lesson to take place. This lesson will not be rescheduled or refunded.
Weather Cancellations: Lessons will be cancelled in severe weather. These classes will either be re-scheduled or refunded. If your lesson must be cancelled due to inclement weather, we will attempt ot contact you before the lesson at the number you have provided. If you do not hear from us, you should assume that your lesson is going to take place. During the winter season, please refer to the winter cancellation policy.
Student Cancellations: If you need to cancel a lesson, you must call the Camp Ketcha Barn at 207-883-8977, ext. 110 at least 24 hours in advance. Cancellations received the day of the lesson cannot be accepted and will be considered a no show and you will be charged for your lesson. Please remember that even if you did not show up for your lesson, your instructor still did.
For more information on our lesson program or to schedule a lesson, please call the barn at 883-8977, ext. 110 or email barn@campketcha.org
Now Camp Ketcha Instructors are featuring a *Lesson of the Week*, each week a new lesson will be in a feature article on our website, so we can share all the hard work our students do while riding here!
*Lesson of the Week*
for the week of July 31st – August 6th
Instructor: Anna L
Student: Adam
Lesson Horse: Pennie
Student: Adam
Instructor: Anna L.
Adam rides Pennie in his lessons. He is a very enthusiastic learner who began riding at the beginning of the summer.
Adam had two weeks away from riding, so the lesson began with a review of what was previously learned. He was able to demonstrate correct riding position, and demonstrate correct aids for halting, walking, and steering.
This review was followed by practicing a few halts, first with a leader and then without. He practiced steering and turning around without the instructor standing near Pennie. For a couple laps of the ring, Adam successfully practiced keeping Pennie on the rail.
After that, Adam practiced trotting on the lunge line. He has quickly mastered posting and keeping good equitation at the trot. Today, he practiced holding the reins at the trot and keeping his hands still. He combined the skills of posting, good equitation, and steering Pennie on the rail and trotted along the rail by himself!
In future lessons, he will build on steering at the trot by doing some arena figures.
*Lesson of the Week*
for the week of July 18th-July 24th
Instructor: Whitney
Student: Justin
Lesson Horse: Pennie
Our featured rider this week is Justin. He did a fantastic job on Pennie! We began working on Justin’s body position and really focusing on his seat and staying balanced in the saddle. We quickly reviewed that sitting back with his heals down is the best way to stay balanced on the horse and help him be able to use his seat more effectively when asking Pennie different movements. Justin learned that a balanced position requires his ear, shoulder, hip and heel to form a straight line.
To warm up, we worked on Justin’s steering and how to use his body to tell Pennie where to go without using too much rein. I had him pretend that there was an “imaginary flashlight” in his belly button and explained that he needed to flash it in the direction of where he wanted his horse to go. Then, he learned to let his hand follow his body in the asked direction nice and low, inline with his hip. I explained to Justin that using his body first to ask Pennie minimizes the risk of him yanking and pulling on the reins to direct the horse. Also, telling him to allow his hand to follow his body towards his hip prevents him from raising his hands too high and crossing them over to the opposite sides.
We then continued the lesson on the lunge-line. Justin trotted Pennie with no stirrups and we worked on keeping his lower leg underneath his body and not letting it swing forward. This was a great way to practice posting. He learned that posting should come from pivoting from the hip to the knee forward, while keeping his upper body and lower leg quiet. I then returned his stirrups and took away his reins. Justin trotted with his arms out to his sides. This gave us a chance to work on keeping his shoulders over his hips and not perching forward in the saddle, while still keeping a soft, relaxed lower back. Riding with no stirrups and no reins were both techniques to work on Justin’s balance and creating a more effective seat.
We ended the lesson off the lunge-line. Justin kept Pennie on a 20-meter circle and trotted over ground poles. I had Justin get into two-point position when going over the poles. This was a great way to work on Justin’s leg position and balance. He really enjoyed working Pennie over the ground poles. Justin did a great job and his goal is to start working on cantering and continuing to work on his body position!
*Lesson of the Week*
for the week of July 4th-July 10th
Instructor: Meg
Student: Jenny
Lesson Horse: Crystal
This week’s featured student is Jenny DiPhillipo. In her lesson, Jenny cantered for the first time on super-star lesson horse, Crystal. Before tackling the canter, Jenny and I worked on the lunge line on her sitting trot, encouraging her to sit deep into the saddle and allow her upper body and lower body to fall into line. Jenny learned how to open her seat up and not pinch with her knees, which allowed her to sit the trot and feel secure in her seat. We also worked on posting without stirrups to make sure she was using her core. Finally, at the end of the lesson, we talked again about the aids to canter. Outside leg slides back, inside leg hugs at the girth. Then Jenny would have to sit deep in the saddle and learn what the canter felt like. Jenny got Crystal in a big forward trot, took a deep breath, and asked Crystal for the canter. Jenny’s first canter was a success. Since that lesson a few weeks ago, Jenny has continued to improve her cantering skills, and is now enjoying learning to canter on Willow.
*Lesson of the Week*
for the week of June 25th-July 3rd
Instructor: Tiffany
Student: Kate
Lesson Horse: Andy
Kate rode one of Camp Ketcha’s horses Andy in her lesson today. We worked on walk and trot. Andy is not ready for a rider to canter on her back just yet. The main focus of the lesson was getting Kate to use her seat and core to encourage Andy to stretch forward and downward into the contact of the bridle to be long and low, in both walk and trot. We also worked on getting Andy to have better balance by doing transitions for halt to walk, walk to halt, trot to walk, and walk to trot. This was a very successful method it helped slow down Andy and make her think what she was doing and it helped Kate gain control of her ride. The final piece of the lesson was we leg yielded in and out on a circle at the trot to help Andy establish a half halt and keep her balance steady. It was a very successful and fun lesson. Kate is working on teaching Andy the basics of Dressage and we are giving Andy a firm beginning in Dressage.
*Lesson of the Week*
for the week of June 19th-25th
Instructor: Cindy
Student: Sophie and Hannah
Lesson Horse: Cisco
Last weekend Camp Ketcha took Cisco and two students, Hannah and Sophie to the SPHO Maine Spring Fling horse show! We started the morning early, loading the horses into the trailer and heading to Hollis Equestrian Park. Cisco, a seasoned show horse, traveled great as always. The girls met us at the show, and took Cisco for a walk in hand to let him see everything. After walking around for a while, Sophie and Hannah took Cisco to the trailer, tied him and saddled him up. Sophie rode Cisco first in the warm up ring, and then Hannah rode. Each girl took Cisco in 2 classes. Sophie took Cisco in Standardbred Pleasure and Costume class and took home a second and a first! Hannah rode Cisco in Open Pleasure and Open Equitation, bigger classes with more competitors. Hannah also took home a ribbon in both classes! Both girls where very happy with their results! As their riding instructor and Cisco’s owner, it was a very proud moment to see my students and my horse do so well! Congratulations Hannah and Sophie!
*Lesson of the Week*
for the week of June 12th-19th
Instructor: Faith
Student: Jackie
Lesson Horse: CeCe
Our featured student this week is Jackie Schaab. Jackie is one of our advanced students. In her lesson, she rode CeCe. Cece is a great lesson horse. She can teach beginners or more advanced students dressage or jumping.
Today, the first thing we wanted to tackle was Jackie’s position, so we started our lesson on the lunge-line. We have been working on getting her to turn her hip angle slightly more up and forward and tuck her seat a bit more, so when she sits deeper in the saddle she can ride more effectively from her seat. At the same time, this allows Jackie’s leg position to find a better balance on the ball of her toe and her ankle. With her more relaxed and softly following hip, we did some balancing and stretching exercises by twisting her body to the inside or the outside. This really stretched Jackie’s hips and showed her how tight she was getting in her right hip. We also practiced leg lifts and two-point.
Once we moved into the trot exercise on the lunge-line, Jackie’s position was a little bit tighter than and not as synchronized as her following in the walk. I noticed that most of her tension was held in her upper body, and Jackie’s arms were still too tight. She needed to ride more softly and follow better with her elbows. So, I had her stop and simulate the motion her elbows would be doing if the horse was moving. Then I asked her to loosen the movement even more and feel the different motion in walk, trot, or canter. This really helped Jackie grasp the concept of following and allowing the horse to move her body, instead of getting tight and counter-balancing what the horse was doing.
After we went off the lunge-line, we worked on transitions. I wanted her to focus on how effectively she was asking the horse to answer the question she was asking: In every transition, did she execute a half-halt, slightly tuck her seat, soften her back, was the horse balanced and straight, was the horse supported by her lower leg, and was the horse attentive to the rider’s leg, seat, or rein aids? At first CeCe was a little slow to move off the leg and not responsive enough to Jackie’s aids. We did a set of quicker transitions in a row to help engage the horse, making sure that we clearly isolated our leg, seat, and rein aids. In between the transitions Jackie began to ask CeCe to pick up her shoulders and stay a little more engaged through her hind end in her walk or trot, developing a more forward rhythm. This really helped CeCe stay focused, and as Jackie’s timing improved the horse became softer over her back and would transition when Jackie only used a small half-halt and tucked her seat.
Jackie had a breakthrough while she was on the lunge-line. Her position was immediately better, and now we get to work on using that better balanced position to create more effective aids and training decisions. Being aware of her body and how relaxed she is, or how tight, really effects what the horse is doing. CeCe is a great teacher too because she needs motivation from her rider to stay forward, but once she is warmed-up she can offer the rider a good soft feel once they get their timing right! This was a great lesson to teach! We had a lot of fun and figured out quite a few new concepts and exercises to work on over the Summer  |