Horseback-riding lessons came into vogue during Hollywood's Golden Age, when producers of Westerns realized that John Wayne was too heavy to be supported by a tapir. Make "The Duke" proud with today's Groupon to Lincourt Stables. Choose between the following options:
- For $45, you get one private beginning or intermediate English-style horseback-riding lesson (a $90 value).
- For $79, you get three private beginning or intermediate English-style horseback-riding lessons (a $210 value).
Patricia Lincourt presides over Lincourt Stables’ cadre of equine luminaries, bringing extensive experience as a trainer, judge, and veterinarian to the facility’s riding lessons. The 45-minute single lesson begins with 10 minutes of horse-handling instruction, as saddle sitters learn the basics of English-style riding or refresh themselves on trotting techniques and summoning horses by blowing into a seashell. The three-lesson package begins with a 30-minute handling and saddling tutorial, followed by two 35-minute mounted lessons that trot through beginning or intermediate techniques based on each rider’s skill set. Lincourt’s friendly staff members outfit students with helmets; long pants and closed-toe shoes with low heels are required, and head-to-toe Evel Knievel costumes are discouraged. Unfolding across 10 idyllic acres, the grounds house six spacious arenas maintained daily, as well as various turnouts, a cozy lounge, and picnic areas staffed with bow-tie-clad stallion servers.
Lincourt Stables
The careers of a veterinary technician and a real-estate agent don't typically overlap—unless you're Patricia Lincourt, who holds both jobs. Having scoped out 10 acres of tree-shaded property, Patricia oversees a team of horses on the verdant grounds, now known as Lincourt Stables. She channels her third title—that of a licensed "L" dressage judge—to train students of all skill levels in hunter, jumper, and dressage disciplines. Though many of her lessons focus on competitive technique, others instruct students who saddle up solely for pleasure or to finally intimidate a much taller sibling. Regardless of the goal, all of the sessions strive to build confidence and poise in a calm, family-friendly environment. Students steer their mounts in one of six arenas with sand footing, two of which boast full jump courses. Accompanying turnouts and grassy expanses allow horses to roam freely as visitors recline in a picnic area.