Vogt Riding Academy
Lessons
​Please check out our qualified instructors, fees, and lesson policies.
If you are interested in riding lessons at VRA please fill out our application and mail it or drop it off at the office, which is generally open Monday-Saturday, 8am-6pm, along with the application fee. ​
Group Dressage Lessons
Group Jumping Lessons
Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
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Our dressage and equitation classes are offered six days a week and focus on improving rider position, strength, and balance. This class is for riders interested in acquiring a solid foundation in dressage, improving rhythm, connection, and suppleness, working through the pyramid of dressage training.
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VRA group dressage lessons are an hour long and are based on ability, not age.
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Beginner, Intermediate
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Our gymnastic classes are offered two days a week and focus on improving strength, balance, and cadence through gridwork. This class is for riders interested in acquiring a solid jumping foundation, improving the horse's cadence and suspension, and keeping the rider's seat and legs tuned up for jumping and/or eventing.
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VRA group jumping lessons are an hour long and are based on ability, not age. ​
Private Lessons
Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
All new equestrian students (from vaulting graduates to adults) start in private lessons with an experienced instructor and an academy school horse on the lunge line.
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VRA encourages private lessons at least twice a week to ensure students develop confidence, strength, and equestrian skills. Students progress into group lessons at the instructor's discretion.
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Riders just coming out of private lessons are required to take a minimum of two group lessons per week until an instructor determines otherwise.
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Private lessons are scheduled Monday through Saturday.
Please contact us to schedule a private lesson.
Vaulting Lessons
Beginner
Equestrian vaulting, or simply “vaulting,” is most frequently described as gymnastics and dance on horseback. Brought to the United States more than 35 years ago from Europe, VRA’s non-competitive vaulting lessons are uniquely designed to help a rider develop coordination, balance, strength, and creativity while working in harmony with the horse.
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VRA starts our youngest riders (6 to 8 years old) in vaulting to lay the groundwork for developing more solid riding skills after they turn nine. Our instructors determine when students are ready for private lessons.
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Vaulting lessons are conducted in a controlled environment—a consistent, large circle—in our fully enclosed arena. The horse is attached to a lunge line controlled by one of our experienced instructors.
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The horse, instructor, and vaulter work as a team, with the instructor controlling the horse, who performs at a continuous gait (either walk, trot, or canter) depending on the vaulter’s level of experience. The vaulter performs a series of gymnastics and dance moves on the horse as it navigates the circle. Trust is also built between the instructor, horse, and vaulter.
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Vaulting lessons are held on Saturdays and last for approximately one hour.
Vaulters are responsible for a variety of horse duties after each lesson, depending on age and level. Duties may include hoof picking, brushing, watering, and walking the horse back to the stall.
Lesson Fees
Private Lesson Fees:
$80/30 minutes
$95/45 minutes
$80/60 minute semi-private
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Group Lesson Fees:
$300/month (1 lesson/week)
$500/month (2 lessons/week)
$750/month (3 lessons/week)
$95/single group lesson
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Group lessons are billed monthly and given how the monthly calendar falls differently over the days of the week, occasionally, a rider may get an extra lesson, effectively getting a 5th (9th or 13th) lesson in one month for free.
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For example, if there are five Mondays in a month, and a rider is scheduled to ride that day, she/he will get an extra lesson during that month. Rather than charging riders for this extra lesson, VRA waives that fee, encouraging riders to maintain a consistent training schedule.
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Vaulting Lesson Fees:
​$150/month