September - October Programs 

Registration is required for all programs. On-line registration opens August 18^th at 9:00 am through the Community Pass- Mercer registration site: https://register.communitypass.net/mercer/. Please read the entire program description, dates, times, and Cancellation/Refund Policy carefully before registration. Please call 609-730-9059 x 404 for questions and additional information.

WAITLIST FOR CHILD BEGINNER ENGLISH RIDING LESSONS

At this time, weekly riding lessons are not available for September and October. Please be assured that we are doing what we can to remedy this situation as quickly as possible.  If you are interested in lessons, please register the student on the waitlist. We will contact you in sequence when a lesson spot becomes available.

Ages:   6 – 14 years old

Weight Limit:  160 lbs. Weigh-in may be required.

Registration Type- On-line through Community Pass.

TINY RIDERS LEAD-LINE LESSONS- 4-Week Session-

Your 45-minute weekly lesson focuses on safe, practical horsemanship and introducing young children to horseback riding. No rider is ever pushed beyond their comfort or skill levels. All riding lessons take place in our well-lit indoor and outdoor riding rings. The riding instructor will have contact with the pony throughout the lesson and grooming is taught each lesson before riding.

Ages:  2-5 years old                                        

Cost:   $240 for the 4-week sessions

Weight Limit:   80 lbs. Weigh-in may be required.      

Registration Type- On-line through Community Pass.

GROOM, TACK, & RIDE (GTR) CLASSES

One of our most popular programs! The class starts with an interactive presentation about the Stables and horse care. We teach the students how to groom and how to tack up a horse with an English saddle. We then head into the barn for hands-on grooming and tacking of the horses and ponies used for the class followed by a lead pony/horse ride around the riding ring. Classes are by age and geared towards new riders. Tiny Riders GTR ages 2-4 years, Pony Partners GTR ages 5-7 years, Horse Partners GTR ages 8-12 years. 

Dates:

Tiny Riders GTR                                   Pony Partner GTR                                 Horse Partner GTR              

September 10, 17, 24                            September 6, 20                                     September 13        

October 8, 22                                          October 11, 18                                        October 4, 25

Time:

10:00 am-11:00 am (approx.)              11:00 am-12:00 (approx.)                     11:00 am-12:00 (approx.)                      

Cost:

$20 per class                                           $20 per class                                           $20 per class         

Weight Limit:     

60 lbs.                                                      120 lbs.                                                    150 lbs.          

Class size:          

 8 children                                                6 children                                                 6 children

Registration Type- On-line through Community Pass

TINY RIDERS STORYTIME

Reading and storytelling with children promotes brain development and imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships. Building on our popular Tiny Riders program, Tiny Riders Storytime starts with Stables staff reading an age appropriate, horse themed storybook to the kids followed by pony rides in our riding ring. Program duration: Approximately 30-45 minutes long. No credits or refunds given for cancellations or missed classes. Be sure to arrive on time!

Dates:

September 12,19,26                                                                               

October 3,10,17,24

Time: 10:00 am                                                                   

Ages:   2-4 years

Cost:   $12.00 per session                                                  

Weight limit: 80 lbs. Class size: 16 children                     

Registration Type-On-line through Community Pass

BOOK BUDDIES, Read to a Horse

Growing research has identified several advantages of reading to animals that shows benefits to both children and animals. Animals don't judge a child's reading skills, which may encourage hesitant or struggling readers to practice and gain confidence, fluency, and boost literacy skills.  While practicing their reading skills and building their confidence, kids also learn empathy for animals when they see how their reading can have a calming effect on the animal and they discover how to assess an animal’s body language. It gives kids a sense of purpose when they sense the animals are benefiting from their kindness and attention through the act of reading.

The benefits of reading to animals isn't just for the children. Animals are also helped from the attention they receive. We set out a hay bale to sit on. Bring a blanket or folding chair if you prefer, your own book or choose from our library.  No credits or refunds given for cancellations or missed classes.

Ages:   All ages

Dates:  September 13, 27, October 5, 18

Time:    1:00-2:00

Cost:    $5.00                                                                      

Session size: 10 children per posted date

Registration Type- On-line through Community Pass

Equine Assisted Therapies

The benefits of animal-assisted activities and therapies have been recognized for a long time and working with horses can have a major physical and emotional impact on people with a wide variety of issues and disabilities. The Mercer County Equestrian Center offers several programs that fall under the umbrella of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies. 

ADAPTIVE RIDING

The Adaptive Riding program is a lesson program for individuals with intellectual, physical, and/or sensory disabilities. Our AR Instructors are trained and certified by PATH (CTRI) or CHA (IRD) to teach actual riding skills using various methods suitable for each rider’s individual needs and goals. Lessons are given weekly and lesson spots are offered on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. MCEC provided over 800 adaptive riding lessons in 2024.  The Mercer County Equestrian Center is also a Special Olympics registered Local Training Program for Area 11-Mercer County, with five registered SONJ equestrian coaches.

There are precautions and contraindications to horseback riding. For additional information or to participate, please contact our Adaptive Riding Program by calling 609-730-9059 x 403 or email adaptiveridinginfo@mercrcounty.org

EQUINE ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY and LEARNING (EAP)

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning programs are experiencing rapid growth around the globe, specifically using the Eagala Model. Using a collaborative approach, the Eagala model incorporates a licensed Mental Health Professional and a qualified Equine Specialist working together with horses and clients as equal partners in an experiential process where clients are given the space to project and analyze their situations, make connections, and find their own solutions. Since the solutions are personally experienced in conjunction with intellectual understanding, they tend to be deeper, more profound, and longer lasting. Equine-assisted work often helps clients change and grow more effectively and quickly than traditional clinical and psycho-educational approaches. This therapy may work well for someone where traditional talk therapy just isn’t working. That's because people typically learn best by doing. Life lessons take deeper root when individuals both understand them in their heads and experience them in their bodies. Working with horses is engaging, real time and hands-on. The experience is immediate and fully felt.

All sessions are facilitated by a qualified Mental Health Professional and Equine Specialist certified by Eagala. All work with horses is done on the ground (no riding) at the Mercer County Equestrian Center.

The Mercer County Equestrian Center is working with two local qualified Mental Health providers, Diane McMahon and Dr. Dawn Raffa, for this program. Please contact the provider of your choice below to get started in our EAP program.

Inner Balance Psychology Center

Dawn M. Raffa, Ph.D

2 Tree Farm Road, Suite A-220 Pennington, NJ 08534

609-613-0110

BOOK BUDDIES, Read to a Horse

Growing research has identified several advantages of reading to animals that shows benefits to both children and animals.

Animals don't judge a child's reading skills, which may encourage hesitant or struggling readers to practice and gain confidence, fluency, and boost literacy skills.  While practicing their reading skills and building their confidence, kids also learn empathy for animals when they see how their reading can have a calming effect on the animal and they discover how to assess an animal’s body language. It gives kids a sense of purpose when they sense the animals are benefiting from their kindness and attention through the act of reading.

The benefits of reading to animals isn't just for the children. Animals are also helped from the attention they receive. We set out a hay bale to sit on. Bring a blanket or folding chair if you prefer, your own book or choose from our library.  No credits or refunds given for cancellations or missed classes. Please refer to our current program flyer for dates and times.

Ages:   All ages                                                                                                   Cost:       $5.00 per session                                                                

Session size: 10 children per posted date                                                        Registration Type- On-line through Community Pass

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