Information for all Riders

All students will be required to supply the following equipment: (1) a properly fitting ASTM/SEI approved riding helmet within 5 years of manufacturing date (helmets available as needed) and (2) boots that have a heel with a rubber sole.

• Participants must be paid in full and registration forms completed before riding.
• Lesson 4 packs must be used within a month (1 scheduled lesson per week).
• To cancel or reschedule a scheduled lesson, you must provide at least 24 hours’ notice. Without this notice, the lesson cannot be made up. In cases where less than 24 hours’ notice is given, make-up lessons may only be considered for legal or emergency situations. Make-up lessons are not guaranteed and depend on both instructor and horse availability.

Rider Height and Weight

Our goal is to ensure a safe ride for all of our riders and horses. Horses are limited in how much weight they may carry.  It is important to be as accurate as possible when submitting your height and weight so that an appropriate horse can be matched to each rider.

Each horse is restricted in the amount of weight it may carry. The weight restriction is based on several factors, but the most important is rider’s weight. Too much weight can cause rub-sores from the saddle, strained muscles, and pinched nerves. Permanent damage such as a “sway back” or deteriorated muscle function can also occur over time.  It is important to be as accurate as possible when submitting your height and weight so that you can be matched with the appropriate horse. None of the horses currently available for horseback riding are capable of carrying a rider who weighs more than 225lbs. On any given day, it is possible that a horse will not be available for you to ride because of weight limitations (examples include: (1) the only horse capable of carrying a rider who weighs 200lbs is being monitored for injury and will not be available for riding for at least a week and (2) three riders, each weighing 185lbs, are scheduled for a riding program on the same day but only two horses are available to carry such weight.) In the event a horse is not available for you to ride on a particular day, we will try to provide you with advance notice and will provide a refund for each day a horse is unavailable for you to ride. For additional information regarding weight restrictions please contact: horsebackriding@uconn.edu.

Policy on Safety Requirements for Participation

For the safety of program participants and our horses, and in order to acquire the skills attendant to successful horseback riding, participants must be able to engage in certain tasks related to grooming, tacking and riding. For example, participants must be able to safely mount and dismount a horse and must possess sufficient upper body balance, leg strength and mobility to ride ahorse unassisted for a reasonable period of time. The UConn Horseback Riding program is not a certified therapeutic riding facility. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable inclusive participation, but we reserve the right to assess each individual’s capabilities to perform these tasks for their own safety and for the safety of our horses. If it is or becomes apparent that the rider is not able to meet the physical requirements of safely participating in the lesson program even with reasonable accommodations, the instructor will notify the participant that the Rider’s privileges are being terminated and that they will receive a pro rata refund. If you would like to discuss any specific concerns prior to your lesson, please contact horsebackriding@uconn.edu. If interested, the following is a list of some therapeutic riding facilities in Connecticut: High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center – 860-434-1974, Hidden Acres Therapeutic Riding Center – 203-723-0633, Manes and Motions – 860-223-2761.

Age Requirements

Riding lessons (including trail and excluding polo) are open to participants 11 years of age or older. Polo lessons are open to participants 13 years of age or older.

Horsebarn Biosecurity Rules

These rules are in place when the Horsebarn Manager, the Department Head, and the Tufts veterinarian warrant the need for increased measures.

1. All clothes (including jackets, breeches, and gloves) must be washed prior to entering a UConn barn or coming onto UConn property. No clothes that have been at other barns may be worn if they have not been laundered.
2. All helmets, boots, and equipment (e.g., polo mallets, whips/crops, etc.) must be rid of dirt, debris, and manure and then wiped or sprayed with Lysol prior to use or coming in contact with a horse.
3. Anyone entering the barns or arena MUST walk through the disinfectant mats. Pause and stand on the mats for a few moments to let the disinfectant work. Only enter or exit the barns where these mats are present.
4. If possible, please enter the UConn barn before visiting other horse barns.

Anyone that does no follow these rules will be immediately asked to leave the premises and will forfeit the opportunity to ride and/or work with horses at UConn. This includes visitors and individuals attending events held at UConn.

Horsebarn Rules (Unit 1 and Unit 2)

1. All riding must be approved by the Horsebarn Manager, riding instructor, or faculty/staff supervisor. People allowed to ride without supervision include faculty, staff riding instructors, horse barn managers/assistant managers, and graduate students on assistantships. Students working on independent study projects must ride only during scheduled times with their instructor present. Lessees riding leased horses must ride during their assigned time, have one person present in the arena, and a faculty or staff member on the farm. No riding is allowed outside of the indoor or outdoor arena without the direct supervision of a staff or faculty member. No riding or other use is permitted on weekends unless approved by management.
2. All riders must wear protective headgear (ASTM/SEI approved and within 5 years of the manufacturing date) and proper footwear when riding horses. Protective headgear is not required during formal exhibitions when not deemed appropriate (e.g., stock seat, saddle seat, or vaulting).
3. All tack and equipment must be cleaned and put away property each time they are used. This includes halters and leads hung in the alleyway. Use tack specific to each horse. Any manure present in the arena at the end of a ride must be picked up and disposed of properly.
4. Horses must be properly cooled out, hand-walked, and/or hosed off before being put back in their stalls. A sweat scraper should be used to remove excess water after hosing. Horses’ feet must be picked out before and after riding. All scrapes, cuts, and/or signs of unsoundness must be reported to the barn manager or assistant manager ASAP and within 24 hours.
5. All horses should be secured inside their stalls or on crossties for grooming, tacking, or any other handling/treatment procedures.
6. All horses must be hand-walked to and from the arena, including Unit 2 and pastures.
7. Treats are to be given to the horses only with management approval and for the direct purpose of training.
8. No decorations (such as glitter, wreaths, bows, etc.) are allowed on horses unless approved by the horse barn manager.
9. The supervisor or designee of the last lesson/event of the day is responsible for properly closing the barn. All doors and gates should be closed, horses put in their proper stalls, and lights turned off.
10. No dogs are allowed in state buildings, except for service animals. This includes the barns, arena, and arena lobby.
11. No bicycles, skateboards, scooters, or motorcycles are allowed in the barns.
12. No earbuds are allowed at any time while in the barns, arena, paddocks, or outdoor riding areas.
13. No alcoholic beverages are permitted on the premises unless associated with an approved university event!
14. If working or riding, you must fill out an acknowledgement consent/form or emergency contact card and return it to your employer or instructor before working or riding.
15. Use the main entrance only, maintaining bio-security using the disinfectant mats.
16. Lysol and hand sanitizer are available throughout the barn for everyone’s use. PPE (masks, gloves, and coveralls) are available for all employees.
17. Be observant of any abnormalities and report them to management.
18. Please change clothing and footwear if you live or work on another farm.
19. When caring for quarantine horses, do so last and change before entering the barns.
20. Be friendly to visitors and kindly remind them of the rules as needed.
21. Parking Rules:
    • Parking next to the barn is for staff and faculty only.
    • Students and visitors are to park vehicles in appropriately marked areas.
    • Staff parking spots in front of the barn is for management only.
    • Violators will be ticketed.
22. Violation of any of the above rules may result in loss of riding privileges, with refund of fees.

The University of Connecticut reserves the right to update these rules at any time.