Contrary to conventional wisdom, one can in fact look a gift horse in the mouth, now that the mouth no longer houses the retina-scorching nuclear reactor that powers the horse. Get an eyeful of equine incisors with today’s Groupon: for $30, you get a one-hour group horseback-riding lesson at Providence Equestrian Center in Waxhaw (a $65 value).

Providence Equestrian Center's owner and experienced veterinarian, Mitzi Treske, oversees a staff of instructors that imparts horse-riding skills during indoor and outdoor lessons hosted in the center's modern training facility. Beginning horseback riders learn basic safety approaches and balance exercises before easing into techniques of walking, cantering, trotting, and Olympic horse vaulting. Intermediate I students bolster trailblazing abilities by jumping up to 18 inches and mastering pathways without stirrups, and Intermediate II students maneuver their steeds in circles and figure eights while learning how to stride between jumps. During all classes, the vet-centric center focuses on horse health and the progress of the rider.

Providence Equestrian Center boasts luxury amenities for the jet-setting horse scene, complete with 12'x12' stalls and a cushioned mat system used by many veterinary teaching hospitals. The billowy surfaces soothe sore legs and hooves while guests admire their beauty from indoor and outdoor lounge areas. Students prep their steeds in heated tack rooms fitted with private lockers and hiding places for secret stashes of oats.