PROSPECTIVE STUDENT INFORMATION
Choosing a college is a difficult decision to make. If you're considering coming to Bard and you have equine inclinations, let us know! We're happy to answer any questions you have. Below are some frequently asked questions we get from prospective students. Please us at cavalier@bard.edu if your question isn't listed.
Q: What does the Equestrian Club do?
A: We are a group of students dedicated to riding. The club itself acts as a liason between students and stable. We set up group lessons at Blue Star Farm and pass on our discounted lesson package - $250/semester - to all our members. We also have occaisional meetings to discuss what's going on in the club. This year we've joined in the IHSA and will be showing in competitions against other colleges. No one must compete if they don't want to. We have several purely recreational riders, many in the club are beginners or are starting riding again after a long time off. We also try to bring horses to campus for fundraisers and try to bring interesting speakers for everyone. We'll also hopefully screen a few movies this year.
Q: What does it cost to join the Equestrian Club?
A: It doesn't cost anything to join the club. If you'd like to take lessons, we get a fabulous discount package of $250/semester at Blue Star Farm where we ride. It's about 10 weeks of lessons, so it's $25/lesson. You may order more lessons after the 10 weeks for $25 per lesson. Since we are not funded by Bard at the moment, we must pay all our own showing fees. If you wish to join IHSA, there is a $20 membership fee and then you have to pay to enter each show and a coaches fee (around $100 per show).
Q: Where do you ride>
A: Bard does not have its own riding facility, so we ride at Blue Star Farms in Tivoli. It's only 8 minutes from Bard and is run by an alumn. The facilities are excellent (indoor ring, outdoor ring, grassy jump field, trails, plenty of pasture and two barns) as are the training and horses.
Q: I'd like to bring my horse - what should I do?
A: Owning a horse is a big committment and some people feel they don't have time to give a horse the attention it deserves and keep up with their school work. For others, having a horse is the only way to stay sane in school and leaving their beloved equine at home is not an option. It's highly recommended if you are bringing your horse, you also should bring a car. No stable is close enough to Bard that you can walk or take the shuttle there. All require transportation. While it is possible for you to hitch rides to whichever barn you choose with a friend or another student who rides there, your own personal transportation is the best idea. Owning a horse in the Hudson Valley can get quite expensive. If you don't have the thousands it requires, you should try listing your horse for lease around campus and on the Bard Classifies as well as in area tack shops. Many people are eager to get the benefits of ownership without the full fees. Students who have leased their horses in the past have had positive results finding others to share expenses with. Listed below are a few stables (in order of distance from Bard, shortest is first) that Bard students have had positive experiences with:
* Blue Star Farm (Andrea) - (845) 756-5078
$250/mo basic outdoor board, $650/mo basic indoor board (discounts for working students)
* Hidden Hollows (Stephanie Weber) - (845) 758-0619
Outdoor board is $190/mo.
* Hollow Brook Stables (Amy Schwarzenegger) - (845) 889-4509
Full board is $450/mo.
* Southlands (845) 876-4862
Outdoor board $375/mo., Basic Full board $750/mo.
* Hidden Pond (Lisa Ianelli-Winkler) - (845) 454-0211
$700/mo Basic Full Board
These are of course not the only stables near to Bard. There are many other private one or two horse facilities and other riding stables, we simply do not have experience with them. For more information about the area and for further equine resources visit these websites:
*Equinesite.com - everything horse in the Northeast (including horses/tack for sale, boarding options and jobs)
*Hudsonvalleyhorses.com - everything horse in the Hudson Valley (more limited, but more local listings that equinesite)
*HudsonValleyHorseSource.com - another Hudson Valley horse site, again local but more limited.
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