FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RIDING AT SCPA
WHY IS THERE A WAITING LIST TO BECOME A RIDER?
Our facility is located within a residential neighborhood and we are limited in the number of persons we can admit as regular riders.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR ME TO MOVE OFF THE WAITING LIST AND BECOME A RIDER?
We offer new riders access usually twice a year in the Spring and again in the Fall. How fast you move up the waiting list will depend upon how many riders decide not to renew their riding membership.
CAN I RECEIVE RIDING INSTRUCTION IF I BECOME A RIDER?
Yes. The City allows us to offer riding instruction to members on our site. However, the SCPA itself does not offer riding instruction. Instead, it has granted certain members the privilege of teaching riding and horsemanship to other members. Currently, 8 individuals have been granted training privileges. `
ARE THERE RESTRICTIONS CONCERNING WHICH TRAINER MAY TEACH ME?
Possibly. While you are not required to ride with a particular trainer, or any trainer for that matter, and because we are limited in the number of persons we can admit as regular riders, we have also imposed a cap on the number of students any one trainer may teach. This cap may mean your preferred trainer may not be able to accept you as a student until they have an opening. However, you are always free to take lessons from any trainer who has not reached his or her cap.
DO I PAY THE SCPA FOR MY RIDING LESSONS?
No. The fee charged by a trainer for his or her services is between you and the trainer. SCPA does not receive any portion of the fees charged by your trainer.
DO I HAVE TO TAKE LESSONS IN ORDER TO RIDE?
No. Some riders never take lessons, some occasionally take lessons and some only ride when taking a lesson. But you are always free to ride on your own whenever you wish if you are a full access rider.
CAN I TAKE LESSONS WHENEVER I WANT?
Yes, but subject to your trainer’s availability. Trainers regularly take their students to horse shows, clinics and other events. Each trainer has an assistant who can teach when they are away. However, assistant trainers are limited in the number of times per year they can substitute teach for their trainer. That limit is currently 30 days. This means if your trainer is away for any reason and their assistant has already taught the maximum days allowed for the year, you will not be able to take a lesson until your trainer returns, unless another trainer or their assistant is available to teach you during your regular trainer’s absence.
IF I DO NOT HAVE MY OWN HORSE, CAN SCPA PROVIDE ONE FOR ME?
No. SCPA does not have any horses of its own. If you do not own a horse, some trainers have school horses you can use for lessons. Otherwise, you will need to buy or lease a horse, you may arrange with your trainer to ride a horse if they have a lesson horse available.
DOES THE SCPA HAVE STABLE FACILITIES FOR MY HORSE ?
No, SCPA does not have any stables. There are a limited number of stalls on private properties in the Sullivan Canyon community that are available to rent. You will need to enter into a stall agreement with the property owner.
WHERE CAN I GET ANSWERS TO OTHER QUESTIONS I MAY HAVE?
You can speak to our Site Manager for any further information about SCPA.
Office -310 454-5905
Email -sitemanager@sullivancanyon.org
Website - www.sullivancanyon.org