Frequently Asked Questions

Everyone begins with a private Intro Lesson — $150 at both locations, kids and adults. This gives us a chance to meet you, understand your goals, and see how you move and ride. From there, we recommend the right membership and starting level for you.

Yes! We enjoy working with beginners who are curious, motivated, and willing to learn. You don't need prior experience — just a positive attitude. The intro session is specifically designed for first-time riders, and we start from the ground up.

We welcome riders from age 3 and up at both barns; the littlest start on a lead line with an instructor right beside them. Kids and adults follow the same structured program and pricing. Adults are just as welcome as kids — many of our members are teens and adults building real classical riding skills.

You don't need to be in perfect shape to start. Riding will naturally help you become stronger, more balanced, and more aware of your body. We currently accept riders under 180 lbs.

Long pants and closed-toe shoes (sneakers are fine for your first lesson). Helmets and safety equipment are provided. As you progress, your instructor will guide you on any gear worth investing in — but there's no need to buy anything before you start.

We don't offer individual, drop-in lessons. At Hussar Stables, we work on a membership basis because horses — and riders — learn best with consistency. Riding once in a while doesn't build the trust, balance, and skill that real progress requires.

Memberships are billed monthly with a 3-month minimum commitment, which allows enough time for meaningful progress. After the initial period, membership continues month-to-month and requires 30 days' written notice to cancel. Every membership includes weekly riding lessons plus a weekly unmounted horsemanship session. Prefer to pay once? Annual prepay saves 20% — billed once for the year, non-refundable.

Three simple packages at each location: Minimum (1 riding lesson per week), Competition (2 lessons per week), and Half-Lease (3 rides per week on your dedicated horse). Palmdale: $497 / $897 / $1,097 per month. Hansen Dam: $599 / $999 / $1,199 per month — a limited number of founding-rate spots at $100/mo off are shown on the membership page while they last. Hansen Dam also offers the Working Equitation Club ($800/mo). Pricing is the same for kids and adults, and you can sign up multiple riders — kids, adults, or both — in a single checkout.

Kids ride 30-minute lessons; teens and adults ride 45-minute lessons. Before and after the lesson, our team guides you through grooming and saddling — so the total time at the barn is longer and you learn complete horsemanship, not just riding.

Horsemanship covers grooming, tacking, horse care, and barn skills. It's what separates riders who truly understand horses from those who just sit on them. One unmounted horsemanship session per week is included in every membership.

We understand life happens. Lessons follow a 48-hour reschedule/cancellation cutoff. Intro sessions can be rebooked once at no charge with at least 24 hours' notice.

Yes. Our horses are carefully trained, calm, and responsive. Some are especially forgiving and ideal for learning, while others are more athletic for advanced riders. Your instructor matches you with the right horse for your level.

No. All memberships include riding our well-trained lesson horses. If you want to ride the same horse every time, the Half-Lease package gives you a dedicated horse for all of your weekly rides.

Totally normal — our instructors are experienced with nervous first-timers, and we go at each rider's pace. If a child wants to spend the whole first session on the ground getting comfortable, that's perfectly fine.

Our foundation is Working Equitation, supported by Alta Escuela and classical dressage principles. This style develops balanced, capable riders with a deep partnership with the horse — and it's the backbone of our 11-level Equestrianos Curriculum.

Every rider progresses through the Equestrianos Curriculum — 11 levels from Foundation Rider (Level 0) to Collected Mastery (Level 10), covering 268 riding and horsemanship skills. Each level has grouped skills plus starred test requirements you must pass in an instructor evaluation to advance. The full curriculum is published — you can read exactly what every level requires on our curriculum page.

Yes. The curriculum is aligned with USAWE (United States Working Equitation) standards, and the Competition and Half-Lease packages include show and competition preparation. At Hansen Dam, the Hussar Working Equitation Club is our signature program for riders pursuing the sport seriously.

The Working Equitation Club at Hansen Dam Horse Park is for riders who want to ride weekly with a perfect horse always ready and available. It pairs technical riding with immersive small-group sessions for $800/month. Learn more about the Club or text (661) 227-3214.

Two locations: 41249 22nd St W, Palmdale, CA 93551 (Antelope Valley), and Hansen Dam Horse Park, 11127 Orcas Ave, Lake View Terrace, CA 91342. Free parking is available at both. From Sherman Oaks, Hansen Dam is about 20 minutes; from Burbank about 25.

Structure and standards. Every rider progresses through a written 11-level curriculum with clear test skills — no aimless circling — and we publish every skill of every level, so you always know exactly what you're working toward. Our horses are genuinely calm and well-trained, our class sizes are small, and our community is private and vetted.