Frequently Asked Questions

What do you teach during riding lessons?

At Finish Line Farm we teach a combination of riding and horsemanship. Students will learn how to care for their horse as well as ride. We teach both English and Western style of riding. In a typical lesson students will learn how to safety handle their horse, brush, put on the tack (saddle, bridle, etc), ride, and then care for their horse after the lesson.

Who can sign up for lessons?

Finish Line Farm welcomes any level of rider and we specialize in beginner riders, riders who may have had a bad experience in the past with horses, timid riders, and riders with emotional disabilities. We usually tell parents age 7 is our minimum, but depending on trainer availability we can sometimes take younger riders. We do have a 20% weight limit rule for the welfare of our horses. If you think this may be a concern please contact Meredith before your lesson.

How do I sign up for lessons?

Finish Line Farm has 4 quarters of instruction; Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. At the beginning of the session there will be a sign up form posted. After the sign up period has ended Meredith will create a schedule. This can sometimes go through a number of revisions as we do our best to group students appropriately and give everyone an assigned time that works with their schedule. Each revision of the schedule will be posted on our Facebook page.

If you do not see the sign up on our Facebook page you can always email Meredith at finishlinefarmmd@gmail.com.

What do I need for my first lesson?

Please arrive on time for your first lesson. You will meet the instructor and the horse you will be riding. We have specific horses for beginner riders so unfortunately we cannot honor horse requests. Please wear long pants (jeans with no holes, leggings or riding breeches), a full coverage shirt (no crop tops please), and close toed boots or shoes. While riding boots are the safest option, we do allow sneakers at first since all of our saddles have safety stirrups but please do not wear any shoes or boots with zippers or buckles on the inside of the leg. Eventually we encourage all riders to purchase riding boots and their own helmet.

What do I do when I get here?

You will be given a gate code for the farm, please don’t share this code. If you do not have the code or for some reason the gate is not opening please call Meredith- 302 379 2578. Please drive slowly as we have children and animals around the farm. Parking for lessons is located on the left side of the house against the wood fence. You may park at any fencing that has green painted post tips. You may then walk towards the light yellow metal building and wait at the picnic tables for your instructor. Please do not fed or pet any animals until you have been introduced to them and most if not all of the fencing is electric.

How often can I ride?

Most students do scheduled weekly lessons. These are scheduled for a quarter (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) are are guaranteed spots. You can also schedule more than one lesson per week. Riders who wish to ride less than weekly can schedule private lessons or take “drop in spots” when available.

What are “drop in lessons” ?

Drop in lessons are offered for students who can not ride on a set schedule. They can not be purchased as a package. Drop in lessons are offered if someone cancels in their regularly scheduled weekly spot, a trainer has extra availability, or sometimes just when the weather is really nice! Drop in lessons are posted on our Facebook page and may be offered as group or private. All payment and cancelation policies apply to drop in lessons.

What if there is bad weather?

We do not have an indoor riding arena but depending on the severity of the weather we will try to hold lessons. We will sometimes do unmounted lessons in the barn, these are not optional and if a student chooses not to attend they can not make it up. If we need to cancel the lesson entirely any student who has a package will be able to make up the lesson during “make up week” or by taking a “drop in” spot. If at all possible make up lessons need to be completed in the same session.

Do you have a cancelation policy?

Yes. Meredith must be notified 24 hours in advanced if a student can not attend their lesson. No shows or late cancelations will be charged for the full price of the lesson with no make up. This also applies to private lessons and drop in lessons.

What can I as a parent do during the lesson?

We ask that parents provide their children space to learn during lessons. We encourage you to stay and have viewing benches at the riding arena. Parents and siblings are not allowed in the barn during lessons but children can always be within view of their parents. We teach students to be as independent as possible and even our youngest riders can brush and get their horse ready with help from their instructor. We do not allow excessive comments or coaching from parents during the lesson. Siblings or guests need to stay in the viewing area or the playset during lessons. Parents are welcome to take photos or videos of their children but please do not post images of other children in the lesson on social media. We are a gated facility, please do not give out the gate code to guests.

Are you licensed and insured?

Yes ! We are proudly licensed with high marks from the Maryland Horse Industry Board and are fully insured. Meredith and all parent volunteers are Safe Sport Certified. The farm has video security and we pride ourselves in providing a safe environment for children to ride and learn!