Teaching Philosophy 
 "No one but us ourselves-no one can and no one way. We ourselves must walk the path, teachers merely show the way." -- Nancy Wilson Ross

Kara’s specialty lies in her quiet and positive demeanor both with people and with horses. Her greatest moments have been starting riders correctly and in balance and rebuilding confidence in riders who have almost given up. She stresses the importance of a balanced position and will work on correct riding. Correct riding will lead to positive communication with the horse and thus a positive ride.  

Kara stresses safety at all times both on and off the horse. She believes that everyone should enjoy the art of horsemanship not just the time in the saddle. She is happy to teach all aspects of the horse from grooming, general care, stall cleaning, tack cleaning etc. Beginner riders at Sea Star will learn proper handling, grooming and tacking up as part of their riding experience.

Having goals has gotten Kara to where she is now and she believes each rider should have a goal to strive for whether that be to show or to trot independently with control and confidence.  There is no set time frame, no predetermined rate of success that must be met. Each rider determines the rate of his or her progress. 

Assistant Instructor Sarah Falk is well versed in Kara's philosophies and carries her positive, fun attitude into her teaching. Safety is always our top priority! 

Horses can be unpredictable by nature but we select and match horses and riders together that are level appropriate and do our best to keep everyone having fun in a balanced, confident manner. 

"A hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had in the bank...but the world may be a better place because I made a difference in the life of a child." -- Forest Witchcraft

Lessons
We offer on-site lessons on either our school horses or you may truck in your own. In addition, Kara can travel to your farm or a suitable location within a reasonable distance if the schedule allows (please inquire for pricing).

Cost (Sessions last between 1/2 hr and an hr)
Lesson type

Private ½ hour (beginners will have an hour including tacking up etc)
Kara: $50  Sarah: $45

Boarders
Kara: $45 ($40 each  if pay ahead with board - you keep track + must use w/in the month!)

Semi-private 45-60 min
Kara: $45/person  Sarah: $40/person

Small group (4 max) 1 hour
Kara: $40/person  Sarah: $35/person

Family rate - either together or separate sessions (2+ members of a family riding - does not have to be together)
Kara: $40/student  Sarah: $35/student

All checks or cash will be paid to Sea Star Stable. Please put in the cash box either in the lesson barn or in the indoor arena.

All beginner lessons will be between 45 min and 1 hour and instruction will include the following in addition to riding:
How to safely retrieving the horse/pony, cross tying and brushing the horse/pony
Tacking up before and un-tacking after his/her lesson
How to properly take care of the horse/pony after exercise (hosing off in the warmer months, blanketing in the cooler months) and then how to safely return horse/pony to it's stall and put away all tack & brushes
Experienced riders will be required to obtain their own horse and tack up independently and be ready for their lesson at their set time.  

Required attire for riding
Boots  (hard sole & 1” heel covering at least the ankle) short or tall, NO SNEAKERS!
Helmet  (approved ASTM standard), bring own helmet (Sea Star Stable does have a few older approved helmets for students to borrow until they get one of their own)
Long pants: if you don’t have riding pants, soft sweatpants or yoga type pants are best.


Cancellation Policy 
If you need to cancel your lesson, I need to have at least 24 hours notice or you will be charged the lesson fee. Sudden illnesses or weather are reasonable exceptions