The first time my daughter rode a horse was at the zoo just before she turned two. Since then, she’s been obsessed. One of her favorite TV shows is Spirit Riding Free, she only wanted this one specific toy horse for Christmas, and her past two birthdays have been Spirit themed per request. Needless to say, one of my daughter’s dreams came true the afternoon she was treated to her first official riding lesson at Neely Equestrian Center.
Located in Powell, Neely Equestrian Center (NEC) has a variety of services. In addition to being a full-service boarding facility, NEC offers summer camps for ages five and up, month-long Homeschool Horsemanship classes for the local homeschooling community, and workshops for local Girl Scout troops. They formed an Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) team this past year, where kids from grades four and up can compete against other teams in the area and potentially earn scholarships. But don’t worry if you don’t fit into any of those categories. NEC works with all ages and abilities in their indoor and outdoor arenas during their Weekly Lesson Programs!
They have two types of riders enrolled in these programs. The first type are those that are interested in competing. These students are offered the opportunity to travel to several local horse shows and to clinics that supplement their education. The second type are riders interested in lessons for the exercise or sheer love of horses and horseback riding. Both types benefit from NEC’s mission to be a safe, fun environment where people of all ages and riding levels can go to further their knowledge of horses and riding. I know my four year old felt immediately at home the second she jumped out of our car. Before I could even say hello or introduce myself, my daughter was asking her instructor Katie, the owner of Neely Equestrian Center, if she could feed the horses the carrots and apples she packed! That speaks to the easy and welcoming atmosphere we felt at NEC.
Comfort does not hinder precaution, however. Safety is NEC’s highest priority. This was impressively clear in the safeguards Katie has in place, and in the time she took to explain to my daughter in a positive and age-appropriate manner exactly what they were doing and why. Katie walked her through every step; from how to groom a horse with the proper tools, to why we keep certain distances when walking behind a horse. Throughout Katie’s explanations, she encouraged my daughter to be hands-on. To do is to learn, and my normally distractible daughter was hanging on Katie’s every single word.
Once my daughter was mounted up, Katie led her and her horse Ella to the outdoor arena where she got my daughter comfortable in the saddle. Within minutes, Katie had my daughter happily steering left and right, halting, and nudging Ella into a walk on her own. Katie had my daughter do some balancing exercises, showed her jump position, and even taught her how to trot! I will forever hear my little girl’s bubbling giggle in my mind as she bounced passed me atop her horse.
Even though we were treated to that first lesson, this is exactly the type of facility and instruction I would be looking for in an equestrian center. Neely Equestrian Center is intimate, professional, and affordable. Their lessons are flexible and efficient without losing any sense of safety or overlooking any opportunity to teach a new skill.
Follow them on Facebook or check out their website to sign up for summer camps, homeschool classes, or to contact them about Girl Scout workshops and private lessons. You are always welcome to call (614) 595-8259 with questions or for more information too! Happy riding!
