Call us today on
04 478 8472 for our equestrian store
04 477 3888 for horse treks & riding lessons
Or contact us here
FAQ - Riding School
If you don't find the answer to your question below, email us on info@ovec.co.nz or call us on (04) 477 3888.
01
What time are the lessons?
​Group lessons are available at regular times:
-
any afternoon or evening during the week (except Mondays)
-
all day Saturday and Sunday.
Individual lessons are booked by arrangement with Karen.
02
Should I book a group or individual lesson?

If you’re a beginner, you’ll need to book individual lessons to start off with so that Karen can give you her full attention and teach you with your horse attached to a ‘lunge-line’. This allows you to find your balance and get used to the feel of riding at walk, trot and canter without having to worry about whether you’re in control of the horse.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, and can control the speed and direction of your horse, you can transfer to a group lesson if you prefer. There’s no set time for this. You can take as long as you need till you feel confident about riding in a group.
If you already have some experience of riding, talk to Karen about whether group or individual lessons will work best for you.
03
How long does a lesson last?
Group lessons last an hour, which includes mounting and time for you to warm up your horse.
Individual lessons last 30 minutes
04
What should I wear?
​Long trousers/pants which are easy to move in.
Shoes or boots with closed-in toes. For safety reasons, jandals, sandals or open-toed footwear should not be worn around horses, whether you’re riding or on the ground.
Riding hats must be worn and are available to borrow at the school.
We recommend you bring extra layers to put on or take off, depending on the weather.
05
Is there a weight limit?
​
Yes. For the safety and well-being of our horses, the maximum rider weight is 90kg.
06
What happens if the weather is bad or I can’t make it to a lesson?
​If we intend to cancel a lesson because of bad weather we will contact you to let you know and to arrange another suitable time.
If the weather looks doubtful where you are, and you haven’t heard from us, we suggest you ring to check whether the lesson is going ahead. The weather is often quite different in Ohariu Valley than it is in other parts of Wellington, so don’t assume because it’s bucketing with rain where you are, it must be doing the same here!
If you don’t want to ride, either because of the weather or for some other reason, please let us know as soon as you can.
Leaving a message on our answerphone is fine.