Mounted police opt for equine transportation so they don’t have to deal with the squad car's wailing thirst for gas and justice. Avoid automotive appetites with today's Groupon to Yorktown Stables in Yorktown. Choose from the following options:
- For $89, you get a 30-minute riding lesson and a one-hour guided trail ride for two (a $185 value). Trail rides are available on Saturday and Sunday.
- For $65, you get four one-hour group lessons for one (a $130 value). Lessons are once a week for four consecutive weeks.
- For $122, you get eight one-hour group lessons for one (a $260 value). Lessons are once a week for eight consecutive weeks.
All riders must be at least 6 years old and weigh 300 pounds or less.
Accompanied by a herd of gentle horses, Yorktown Stables' talented instructors teach equestrian essentials to students of all skill levels during guided trail rides and group lessons. After being matched with a steed appropriate for their skill level, trail-bound riders receive an informative 30-minute seminar, learning fundamentals such as tacking up, riding safely, and painting a still life midtrot. Clans of around four human-and-horse duos then embark on a one-hour excursion along trails that snake across more than 100 scenic acres, strolling through verdant wooded areas and open pastures before gazing into the Poquoson River to check if their reflections still work. The stable's knowledgeable guides lead each jaunt and can help novices suit up in the included helmet and riding gear. Trail-ride participants should wear closed-toed shoes and jeans or comfortable slacks.
Group lessons further cultivate students' riding and horsemanship skills. Preceding group coursework, all riders must review proper preparation methods before mounting or arguing politics with their noble equine. During lessons, amateurs learn how to correctly saddle a stallion and differentiate between Western and English riding techniques, or experienced students bolster their knowledge of proper grooming and horseshoe-tying techniques. As sessions progress, participants gradually spend more time riding. Students must wear pants, a full-length shirt, and shoes with at least a half-inch-thick heel. Though Yorktown Stables has several helmets available to use, they encourage students to bring their own riding helmet.
Yorktown Stables
At Yorktown Stables, more than a dozen horses can often be found traipsing down trails that wind through acres of pastures and woods nestled alongside the Poquoson River. Helmed by seasoned equestrian Kristen Paster, the stables' staff teaches aspiring riders to bond with these same steeds during lessons in Western, English, and saddleseat riding. This healthy and diverse stable of horses accommodates riders of all levels, whether they’re children or adults, hobbyists or competitors, or humans or sentient saddles.