Silver Horse Healing Ranch is a for profit business, this means that our business depends entirely on services sold to clients. We try to make our prices as reasonable as possible based on our overheads. Horses eat every day and obviously their needs are incorporated into the cost of the services offered.
Our organizational and administration staff are volunteers, they do not receive a salary from SHHR. SHHR appreciates your kindness and compassion when communicating with volunteers knowing that they are doing their best to accommodate your needs and concerns the best way possible.
Regarding Children's Horse class series.
Q If I enroll my child in your horse series what will my child learn? A Your child will learn all about horse's natural instincts and how to be around horses in a safe way. Children who come to the ranch become enamored by the horses and look forward to coming back.
Q Will my child get to ride in this series? A Yes each child gets about 15 to 20 minutes of riding time.
Q My child had a bad experience with a horse before will this class help my child feel confident around horses? A Absolutely, we are skilled at connecting children with the horses in a gentle way. Once the child learns the nature of the horse they feel safe around them and on their backs.
Q Can we feed the horses? A Yes you are welcome to bring carrots ( long ones not the baby ones). Apples are a little harder to give to the horses but the horses love them!
Q My child is sick and cannot make the class this week, can I bring them to another class to make up for missing this one? A In the Children's Horse Class Series there are no refunds or transfers. The series is a pre-package deal. This insures that we can offer the best value per class.
Q After attending the first class in this series my child does not seem appropriate for these classes. Can I get a refund? A If after attending the first class you feel that it is not appropriate for your needs, Silver Horse Healing Ranch will deduct $40 from your fee and refund the remaining amount. Or you can trade the remaining amount for private horse sessions. This is only applicable after the first class, after this there are no monetary refunds or trades issued.
Q I never received the email with the directions and reminder of the first class can I get a transfer or a refund? A If the fault is on our end, i.e. the organizer missed your name on the list or your email address was misspelled we will accept responsibility and we will issue a monetary refund or a transfer to another class. However if we did everything correct in emailing the information to you then we consider it your responsibility to be able to receive emails from the address you have submitted and to be aware of the date of the first class. In this case we do not offer refunds or transfers.
Q My child is an experienced rider, will she trot and canter in this class? A Our classes emphasize connection and relationship to the horse, this is our focus as opposed to competition and performance. The riding is gentle, children are led and do not hold the reins. The riding is on a bareback pad, no stirrups, children hold onto a sturdy handle ( surcingle). Children who have been coming to classes for a lengthy period of time may have the opportunity of trotting.
Q Will my child go on a trail ride? A All riding is on site. There is a small trail that wraps around the property that children who are able to ride uphill and downhill ride on. In private sessions there is the opportunity of going out on a trail ride depending on the child's abilities.
Q My child is two years old, can they participate in this class? A We do have children in these classes as young as two years old, however these children are two and half years or older and are mature for their age. They are able to hold onto the handle and take directions from staff. We can evaluate if it is safe for your two year old to participate in this class before committing.
Questions Regarding the Kid's Summer Horse Mentorship Camp
Q My child is interested in this Horse Camp, can we try it out first before committing to the whole program? A Because this program is a pre-package deal we do not offer try outs. However we do offer one time group visits and private sessions.
Q Will my child learn how to trot and canter in this program? A The emphasis in this program is relating to the horse rather than performance. Children will have the opportunity of experiencing what it is like to trot on the horse riding on a bareback pad and holding onto a surcingle ( sturdy handle).
Q What will my child get out of this program? A Children will have hands on experience with horses everyday, they will feel comfortable and confident about handling and interacting with horses. They will become aware of the horse's power and strength and respect the horse as a large sentient being.
Children will gain confidence and will be able to cultivate their leadership skills as-well as being comfortable learning in a group situation.
This program is an excellent pre-cursor to any other equine activity.
Q Will my child be made to do things that she feels uncomfortable with? A Absolutely not, we model our teaching based on how we interact with the horses. We never force children or horses into doing something they are not willing to explore. Generally children are excited to engage in the activities offered in this program.
Q Can I split this camp with my friend's child? A Because this is a mentorship intensive we do not allow transfers. Once the child is accepted and enrolled in this camp they are committed to the entire program they enrolled in. We also do not issue monetary refunds after the first day of camp.