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Homeschool Horse Classes

East Side of Bend by the Airport

Fresh air, friends, and horses await!

2026 Class Times: 11am-2pm on Monday or 11am-2pm on Wednesday

Kids come for a 2 hour block in this time window

Private lessons available other days or we can form another group on request

​​​​​What’s Included:

  • 🐎 Weekly Barn Day - Riding lesson plus unmounted horse management lesson

  • 💻 Weekly Zoom Horse Class, 45 minutes each

  • 📚 Printables (worksheets, quizzes, coloring sheets, maps, etc) for each virtual class

  • *Scroll down to read the course curriculum in detail

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Questions? We are happy to help! Our program is much easier to explain usually with a phone call. Text or call: 541-508-6998​​

 

What to Bring:

  • Helmets provided, but bring a horse helmet if you have one (no bike helmets).

  • Pants and closed-toed shoes required.

  • Boots required for riders progressing to riding with stirrups

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Location: 

22333 Nelson Rd, Bend, OR 97701

We have an indoor arena with good airflow so can ride in all weather over 20 degrees. 

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Rider Details:

  • Minimum 4 kids to run a session

  • Maximum 8 kids per cohort.

  • Our horses can fit riders up to 140lbs but everyone is welcome for groundwork lessons

  • Students grouped by age and experience.

  • Ages 4.5 and up for Homeschool Horse Class but we offer preschool classes for other ages! We can also sometimes have siblings ride before class starts or after class starts to save your family an extra trip to the barn.

  • Please note: we are not trained or insured for therapeutic riding.

 

Virtual Horse Classes:
Fun, interactive Zoom sessions (we will discuss with families if they want to focus on horse knowledge or explore horse breeds around the world)

  • 45 minutes each

  • Recorded for busy families and we also have a self-paced option in the works

  • Attendance optional

  • A great teacher! Kali has over 300 5-star reviews for teaching horse classes on Outschool

 

P.E. Component:

  • Vaulting on horseback or riding

  • Conditioning for stronger riding

  • Barrel practice & mat drills

  • Gymnastics-style fun​​

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Volunteers Needed:
1–2 helpers make the magic possible—thank you in advance!

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Continue reading below to see an example of daily schedule.

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How does the timing work?

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Our Program

We combine private riding lessons with group learning, giving kids the best of both worlds. 

 

Riding Lessons
Each child receives a 30-minute private lesson  before or after the presentation. For riders with the skills and confidence, semi-private or small-group lessons are also an option. Splitting the day like this also allows riders to come enjoy time at the barn without getting too cold in winter. With two instructors teaching side by side, we can welcome 4 riders before the presentation and 4 riders after if all require private lessons.

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Schedule:

 

  • 11:00-11:30 – 2 riders

  • 11:30-12:00 – 2 riders

  • 12:00-1:00 - Group horse management presentation with all students in attendance

  • 1:00–1:30 – 2 riders

  • 1:30 –2:00 – 2 riders

 

Group Presentation
From 12:00-1:00, all families gather for an engaging, hands-on presentation focused on horse care and equine science. These sessions are a time to learn together, ask questions, and connect as a community.

 

Why Families Love It
This structure keeps riding lessons personalized while adding a fun and educational group experience. Families often share that the presentations are not only enjoyable but also one of the most valuable parts of the program.

Friendships that Last: 

If students continue after the first 4 weeks, we’ll keep cohorts together so kids can grow lasting friendships alongside their horsemanship skills.

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We’re also happy to add more hands-on or virtual days if there’s demand. Kids can supplement with private riding lessons too.

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Pricing:

  • Yes, we accept allotment money from charter schools

  • We offer a substantial discount from our regular pricing to bring opportunity and community to our fellow homeschool families. 

  • Please choose your price:​

    • Standard pricing ($75 a lesson, this is based on the going rate of $65-$100 a lesson in Bend)

    • For each session, the presentations and virtual classes are included at no cost as a free bonus for homeschool families

  • It is possible for us to bill however you need - 2 months at a time, 1 week at a time... We just ask that if at all possible you commit to joining us for a minimum of 2 months to provide continuity for the other homeschool children

Alternative Program with Greater Emphasis on Horse Training

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This summer, we had a group of kids that wanted to focus more on riding and training. The program was something new, but works well with kids around age 10 and up, and is something we are happy to try again this Fall. The kids have to work together a great deal and coach each other to make this program work. They also have to understand barn rules and be trustworthy for safety. That being said, they progress very quickly because they do a huge variety of things in a day. For this program the kids mainly ride in a bareback pad versus a saddle to make it easier to switch between riders.

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Schedule:

11:00-3:00

Kids stay the whole time and choose when to take breaks to snack or rest.

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Some unmounted skills students have learned:

Longeing

Ground driving

Making grain for the horses

Cuing a horse to lay down and sit up

Clicker training horses

(less focus on equine science academics)​​​

Stations (Described by the horse's name) -

We try to make sure each students does all of the following tasks over the course of the 3 hours. We adapt the skills to the level of the rider.

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Cinnamon (riding independently with steering):

Walk/trot/canter

Jumping small courses and gymnastic lines
Western & English Pattern exercises

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Ivie:

Vaulting compulsories

Vaulting freestyle

Longeing

Moving mounts (walk/trot)

Pattern exercises with steering walk/trot​​

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Dutch (on or off the longe):

Seatwork

Jumping (increasing height, trying solid jumps)

Building stamina for cantering 

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Vaulting Barrel:

Compulsory routine

Freestyle routine

More challenging tricks 

Curriculum

Horse Management Class Curriculum in Detail

It's ok to start and stop at any time but we have created sessions to make it easier to work with charter schools and to add some predictability for families.

Session 1: 

Dates: 3rd week of Sept – 1st week of Nov
Classes: 8 total
Price: $75/class = $600 total

Weeks & Topics

  1. 3rd week of Sept – Safety basics: helmets, boots, leading, tying, barn safety

  2. 4th week of Sept – Parts of the horse, horse breeds

  3. 1st week of Oct – Colors & markings of the horse

  4. 2nd week of Oct – Tack I: Saddle & bridle parts

  5. 3rd week of Oct – Tack II: Care & cleaning

  6. 4th week of Oct – Feeding I: Forage, water, salt

  7. 5th week of Oct – Feeding II: Concentrates & rations

  8. 1st week of Nov – Stable Management I: Stall setup, bedding, daily routine

Our Horse Management curriculum is an international curriculum used around the globe. The coursework helps students learn about equine nutrition, vet care, conditioning, and more. Scroll down to learn more about a fun competition you can do. You don't need to ride or own a horse, and parents can compete alongside kids or form their own team if they want!

Session 2

Dates: 2nd week of Nov – 3rd week of Jan
Classes: 7 total
Price: $75/class = $525 total

Weeks & Topics

  1. 2nd week of Nov – Stable Management II: Barn safety, fire plans

  2. 3rd week of Nov – Health I: TPR (temp, pulse, respiration) & first aid basics
    — 4th week of Nov: No Class, Thanksgiving, drop-in class may be offered

  3. 1st week of Dec – Health II: Colic, lameness, illness signs

  4. 2nd week of Dec – Hoof Care: Parts, farrier tools, trimming/shoeing cycle
    — 3rd & 4th weeks of Dec: No Class, Holiday Break, drop-in class may be offered

  5. 1st week of Jan – Parasites & worming, stable vices

  6. 2nd week of Jan – Bandaging knowledge: Types, purposes, supplies

  7. 3rd week of Jan – Tack & Equipment: Stable tools, trailer safety

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Session 3

Dates: 4th week of Jan – 1st week of Mar
Classes: 7 total
Price: $75/class = $525 total

Weeks & Topics

  1. 4th week of Jan – Advanced Conditioning & Fitness for the Horse

  2. 5th week of Jan – Feeding III: Poisonous plants & body condition scoring

  3. 1st week of Feb – Conformation & unsoundnesses

  4. 2nd week of Feb – Vaccinations, dental, preventive care

  5. 3rd week of Feb – Speed bridle assembly, record book checks, equipment ID

  6. 4th week of Feb – Riding Sport Knowledge: Names of jumps (stadium & cross-country), dressage arena layout

  7. 1st week of Mar – Mock Quiz Competition

— 2nd week of Mar: No class – Getting ready for optional Quiz Rally Competition hosted by Oregon Region Pony Club

These sessions are designed to prepare kids for the Oregon Region Quiz competition if they would like to attend. The cost is $60 usually and it takes place on a Saturday in Silverton, Oregon. It's super fun! There are also competitions in Battleground and Seattle usually for kids who want to do more, although they're generally all within about 2 weeks of each other so it can be a lot of travel. There is a national-level competition in July that kids generally automatically qualify for if they attend a regional level event, like Quiz Rally in Silverton. It's a super fun competition, akin to Battle of the Books. The kids form a team of 3-4 and are asked trivia questions about horse knowledge and have a blast. You don't need to ride or own a horse to do these competitions. Adults can compete too! If students were to progress through this curriculum over several years they would achieve equivalent knowledge to the first 2 years of an equine veterinary degree.

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Our program will likely continue after the competition in March integrating what we have learned in the last 3 sessions about how to best serve families.

Quiz
"These people are fantastic! I can't think of any better place to study or to trust with my child's equine education. We are blessed to have them in Bend!"

T.W.

"Your online classes are the best we've found on Outschool. Thank you for being so great. Your class is what she looks forward to most each week. "

E.S.

"Kali Kiger is an extraordinary trainer, and she works with young people to help them connect with horses in a sustainably real, life-long kind of way."

M.C.

A Note From Our Founder:

“Our Homeschool Horse Classes grew very naturally. As a homeschool mom myself, I wanted my daughters to have a strong friend group. I partnered with another homeschool mom to start first with a Spring Break camp. Many of our signups were homeschool kids. Our camp grew into a weekly homeschool program.

We quickly realized there was a real need for three things:

  • Opportunities for homeschooled preschoolers

  • Recreational, anxiety-friendly lessons for ages 6–14

  • Affordable options for families who wanted either a short-term animal science unit or a long-term path toward horse ownership

We built our programs around those needs. What I cherish most is the joy it creates—not just for the kids, but for the parents, for me, and even for the horses. This program has become a little village, full of laughter, learning, and the kind of friendships that last a lifetime.” - Kali Kiger

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PS You can reach me at 541-508-6998 to ask questions!

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