Policies and Procedures

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Updated: August 2017

In order to ensure all riders the best possible riding experience, while keeping our focus on safety for our staff, riders and equine friends, we ask that you review our Policies and Procedures.
 

Lesson Monies:
Due on the 1st of each month, and considered late on the 6th of the month.The stables accepts cash, check, credit card or PayPal (additional 3.1% fee applies to PayPal).

 

Late Payment/Bounced Check Fees:
The 2nd bill requesting payment will have a $25 processing fee added to riding costs. The 3rd bill requesting payment will have a $50 processing fee added to riding costs. Bounced checks will include a $60 processing fee, plus the fee incurred by the bank, in addition to the riding costs due and any accrued late fees. A $25 late fee may be added at the discretion of MOMS if payments are consistently late.
 

If you have issues making payment, please contact Ms. Amy to discuss so that arrangements can be made and no-one’s time is wasted on repetitive billing or an accountant.

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Receipts: 
Receipts are available upon request.  Request must be made in writing (please put into envelope with payment and in payment box) or by email. No verbal requests for receipts can be honored, there is too much going on at the stables on any given day for an instructor to remember this type of request.

Cancellation Policy:
Cancellations require 24 hour ADVANCE notice. Please Email or call, and leave a voice mail. Emails and voice mails record the date/time you communicate. I do not have time to call and confirm every cancellation/lesson change. Simply EMAIL. I receive them all.  We understand and appreciate emergency situations/illness may arise, this policy is for repeat offenders and necessary to ensure we have proper staffing of volunteers and horses.

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Client cancellations:
Please give the stables a 24 hour notice of a cancellation. We invest time and energy in being ready for you/your rider. Volunteers are prepared and horses are tacked, all calculated on how many riders will attend. A same day cancellation will result in a full lesson charge. If you are getting ill and on the way here, I understand.

If you knew about an absence, and forget to tell me, a fee will be charged. A no show/no cancel will result in the full lesson charge.

It is up to Ms. Amy’s discretion on whether or not to allow a

make-up lesson to take place. 

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MOMS cancellations: 
Cancellation of a lesson by MOMS may occur due to extreme weather conditions. Extreme weather is considered temperatures over 90 degrees, or anything that “feels like 95 or above”.  Alternately, temperatures below 15 degrees, or anything that “feels like 10 degrees or colder". A make-up lesson will be offered within a reasonable amount of time that works for both parties. We will contact you personally if we are canceling lessons at the stables. If you do not hear from us, lessons are on as scheduled. 

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Scheduling of lessons:
While we do our best to set up schedules to accommodate our clients, we understand that there are circumstances that arise that make it necessary to change those schedules. We do our best to make note of any requests, but strongly recommend you follow up with an email or voice-mail message with any schedule changes. Meadows of Mendon stables will not be responsible for errors as a result of verbal requests for schedule change. 

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Gift Certificates:

• Must be used for horseback riding programs.

• Gift certificates cannot be exchanged for cash.

• Must be used within a 3 month period. 

• Not transferable to other parties.

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Lesson Etiquette:

• Please take extra care by driving SLOWLY when entering and exiting our parking lot.

• There are many children, cats, persons in wheelchairs and often horses moving through our parking lot, none of which prefer the noise/distraction of a fast moving car.

• We and our clients are very fond of our cats; please look before you drive to ensure they are not under or around your car.

• Please do not drop off/pick up at the gate. This causes more problems than it solves.

• We do not provide lunch or snacks unless part of a planned holiday celebration.

  • Please send at least one water bottle with your rider to lesson.

  • If your rider is here on a lease/full-day program, please send in a lunch, including healthy snacks.  

  • Repeat necessity of feeding a rider snacks/lunch by the stables will result in a lunch fee on your riding bill.

• There is no smoking or e-cigarettes anywhere on stables property, including inside vehicles.  No exceptions.

• Please do not bring any type of electronic device to the stables.

  • Volunteers and Riders:  No cell phones, tablets, MP3 players or laptops are to be used on property.  If you are seen with them, you will be asked to put them away.  

  • MOMS is not responsible or liable for lost electronics, so we strongly recommend not bringing them or sending them with your rider.

  • Electronic devices are distracting to you and others around you, our policy is enforced with safety in mind.

• No animals other than those who reside at the stables should be brought on property, with the exception of dogs that remain in vehicles.  

• Please park at the farthest end away from the door to the indoor arena.  If your dog shows nuisance (barking or growling) behavior, you will be asked not to bring them again.

• You must have permission to feed anything to our horses/animals.  

  • We have special diets that meet the needs of each horse, and without familiarity, your “treat” may not be in that horses best interest.

  • If given permission, treats must be placed in feeding bowls on the floor in the stalls.  

  • Do not hand-feed the horses.  Hand feeding promotes mouthy behavior and could result in you/your child being bitten by a horse who is looking for a treat.
     

Remember horse safety!

• Although our horses are very well mannered, please do not walk up behind a horse and stand there.

• Even if you have a hand on their backside, it is a natural instinct for horses to be nervous about the area directly behind them where they cannot see well.

• Horses may also react to other horses in the area by trying to kick, without concern to whether you are standing there or not.

• Being kicked by a horse is a serious injury, for your safety and the safety of everyone around you, give our horses a wide berth and follow instructions on where you should stand/wait.

• Please do not speak with an instructor during lesson time about scheduling, billing, etc. We pride ourselves on the high level of attention we pay to our clients while riding.

• Do not make loud, unexpected noises that could startle a horse/rider.

• Do not stand in entrance ways, lift night bars, or open/close doors without instructor permission.

• Treat others the way you wish to be treated.

• Meanness, bragging or gossiping will not be tolerated at this stable.  We encourage a family friendly atmosphere and those types of behaviors do not belong at our facility.

• Treat our volunteers with the respect they deserve.  Please remember to use manners so we can keep our dedicated staff of helpers!

• Family/marital problems or any type of family drama will not be worked out here at the stables. All parties involved in any conflicts will be asked to leave, this is a no-drama stables.

• Please strive to be respectful and courteous to everyone you interact with at the stables, and help us continue to have a warm, family-friendly stables.
  
  Show –off Rides:

• The focus of our stables is to help our riders develop strong horsemanship skills and foster warm relationships with our equine staff.  

• We are not a show barn. 

• We are not set up to accommodate large groups of visitors observing our riders.

• If you would like to share your rider’s improvements, or just love of riding, with family and friends, please schedule a show-off ride.

• Scheduling of horses:

• We understand that our riders have preferences of certain horses they love to ride and we try to accommodate those preferences as much as possible.

• Unless you are participating in a full-time lease, horse assignments are at the discretion of the instructor, that often has to take in to account rotation of activity for the horse, any other horses being ridden that day as well as the abilities of the rider.

 

Stables attire:
If you are not dressed appropriately for riding for your lesson it is at the discretion of the instructor whether you are permitted to ride.  Safety is our number one concern!

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Year round:
   Boots – We strongly recommend boots for any lesson rider, preferably with a heel (so the foot will not slide through the stirrup).
   Sneakers are acceptable only for party situations where a guest is being led for the duration of their ride.
   Sandals or slide on shoes without backs are not acceptable, ever.
   Please wear sun screen.

 

Warm Weather

• Please wear light, breathable clothing.  

• The stables offers active-wear stables shirts for purchase.

• We recommend knee or full-seat breeches, and often have pairs to borrow to let your rider see if they are comfortable. Jeans or other long pants are also acceptable.

• We do not recommend shorts or skirts due to the high level of leg contact with the horses and saddles.

• Tank tops, half/crop tops or other tight tops should not be worn to the stables.

• Cold/Wet Weather: You may substitute weather appropriate boots, like Bogs, Rain Boots or Snow Boots, but please keep in mind they may not always be compatible with the stirrups.

• Please dress in layers, including some kind of coat and hat for when you do not have your riding helmet on.

• Stables sweatshirts are available for purchase; please speak with an instructor if you are interested.

• Photography/Videotaping at the stables:

• You must obtain permission before taking any pictures or video. No exceptions.

• There are people (volunteers and/or riders) at our facility that cannot be photographed or videotaped, EVER.  Please be respectful of their needs and our policy.

• If you are caught breaking this policy, we will ask to see your device and will delete those pictures/videos.  If you refuse, authorities will be called.

 

Stables visits/security:

The white fences surrounding paddocks are electrified to discourage our equine friends from leaving their paddock and visiting friends.  We strongly recommend you attend to all members of your family while at the stables, and do not leave children unattended for any length of time.  Children will be hurt by the electrified fence.

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The stables may be visited by appointment or scheduled lesson only.   If you need to drop something off outside the scheduled times, please contact Ms. Amy first so authorities are not called to discuss your visit with you.

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Our stables are equipped with multiple cameras and a locked gate to ensure the safety and security necessary to run a successful lesson program.  Issues of theft confront every business in our area.  We prefer to be proactive in keeping our stables safe.  When in doubt, authorities will be called.  If you are not comfortable with security cameras on the property, you may need to find another stables.

Meadows of Mendon social media:

No individual or group may open any type of social media account for our stables.  We have a website and Instagram we pay for and maintain.  We have NO other social media accounts.  If you would like to offer content for our website or Instagram, please contact Ms.Amy.  Anyone caught opening a social media account will face legal consequences.