Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC
Current Policies - 2023
General Policies:
(As of March 1st, 2024 for all new/incoming clients)
(By April 1st, 2024 or earlier for all current clients)
Proper Attire for Equine Activities/Riding Lessons:
All clients must be prepared for lessons/equestrian activities with proper attire and safety gear, and failure to bring and wear said attire can and will result in limiting activities to a safer level/degree (such as riding on a leadline only, or no riding / handling of a horse at all) or cancellation of that participant’s lesson/equestrian activity with no refund. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to wearing proper attire and safety gear when working with horses. Please remember to dress appropriately for the weather as all riding/equestrian activities are outside, rain or shine! All those who wish to handle/ride a horse must wear:
Permanent Lessons:
Permanent Lessons are for those who wish to learn in a consistent weekly (same day/time each week) lesson spot. This lesson spot is intended for a client to keep indefinitely regardless of changes to their payment plan/method or any conflicts in the rider’s personal/work schedule. A single client may claim more than one permanent lesson spot with the understanding that they will be held accountable for paying for all their claimed lesson spots.
A client may only leave a Permanent Lesson Spot by giving a written Prior Notice of Withdrawal at least 30 days before their intended departure from the program. Any rider who leaves the program without giving a written 30 days notice will be charged a Termination Fee equal to the full cost of a monthly lesson package for the lesson type (Tiny Tot / Regular Rider). In all other instances, riders in a Permanent Lesson Spot will be automatically renewed/charged for their most-recently chosen lesson package option when their previous package expires. There are absolutely no refunds from any lesson packages.
Lessons may be purchased and taken in the following ways for Permanent riders of any age/level:
Floater Lessons:
A lesson option for those who can take lessons occasionally, but cannot commit to a permanent spot. Scheduling/purchasing lessons individually for a client/student with no requirement to have a Permanent Lesson Spot, but may be scheduled into available open lesson spots (subject to instructor/horse availability). A floater lesson must be paid for in full at the time of scheduling – no exceptions.
All Floater lessons have a 30-day expiration from the time-of-purchase (and as such Floater lessons may not be scheduled more than 30 days in advance). Floater lessons that are cancelled by the client (for any reason) have an extended 30 days to schedule a make-up for that lesson (pending instructor/horse availability).
Scheduling:
All scheduling for any sessions, activities, or events must be done directly through Coach Maddie and must be done in writing (via email and/or text). If you are unsure of the exact date and time you scheduled an upcoming session, please reach out to Coach Maddie with questions or for confirmation! However, do not expect to be sent reminders of upcoming appointments, and be sure any/all cancellations are done in writing and confirmed. Do not assume a session is cancelled due to a specific holiday/event/weather condition. Failure to appear at your scheduled session (for any reason) without prior written notice will be treated as a No Show and the full cost of the session will be owed.
Any one-time sessions (such as camps, special activities, events, etc.) must be paid for in full (or deposit paid, if applicable) at the time of scheduling to reserve a spot – no exceptions. There are absolutely no refunds, and there is no re-scheduling permitted due to a client cancellation for any one-time purchases of any kind.
In-Barn Lessons:
Any lesson that does not occur in the arena with a horse (in the saddle or on the ground) is considered an “In-Barn” lesson. These lessons can be scheduled independently to advance horsemanship skills, or can occur during a scheduled riding lesson at the discretion of the rider and/or instructor. Lessons that occur In-Barn are not eligible for replacement, re-scheduling, or any refunds. The instructor may elect to turn any scheduled In-Arena session/riding lesson into an In-Barn lesson at any time, for any reason, as frequently as they feel is appropriate.
Payment:
Payment methods for any session a client wishes to sign up for may be paid for via the following options (listed by order of preference):
For any scheduled sessions that are not paid for on time, there will be a Late Fee of $5 for every day that the payment is late. There are absolutely no exceptions to paying any late fees that are owed, even for first-time offenders. Any client that has missing payments and/or late fees on their account will not be permitted to participate in or schedule any further sessions of any kind until the outstanding balance is paid in full. Any client that has an overdue payment of more than six (6) days will have the outstanding balance automatically charged to the credit card saved on the client’s file. Clients who have multiple late or missing payments may be denied service and removed from the schedule completely with no option to return.
Punctuality and Session Time:
Any clients who are running late to a scheduled session will be permitted to use whatever time is remaining in their originally-scheduled session to learn. The time of the session will not be extended past its original end time just because you are running late (regardless of the reason). Students who arrive extremely late to a riding lesson are not guaranteed to practice any riding in the lesson if there is not an appropriate amount of time for it – horsemanship and care of the horse will always be the priority in every lesson and is not able to be skipped.
The instructor retains the right to extend the time of any session past the previously agreed-upon end time without additional charge to or negative feedback from the client. Participant further understands that any session may be terminated early/at any time at the instructor’s discretion without rebate if, in instructor’s opinion, participant is ill, not sufficiently responsive to instruction/directions, activity has become dangerous or considerably detrimental to horse or participant’s mental/physical health and safety, or if participant is in violation of any other rules or policies in relation to the program or activity involved.
Weather:
All sessions (lessons, classes, activities, etc.) are held rain or shine. During inconvenient* weather, the rider may choose to do the scheduled in-arena lesson or do an In-Barn lesson instead, or else would otherwise follow the Cancellation Policy that pertains to the time of the intended cancel. In extreme temperatures, the Instructor may elect to limit/prohibit any riding or working of horses in the arena and reserves the right to run scheduled lessons In-Barn at that time. During hazardous* weather (as determined by instructor), all sessions during that time will be offered to re-schedule* and would otherwise be considered an Instructor Cancel which carries no charge to the client.
Weather that client deems too hazardous to travel in to reach the barn falls under the rules of a regular/late cancel (depending upon time of cancel). Please remember the weather in your home/work location may not be the weather we are experiencing at the barn, and we cannot account for the weather that occurs everywhere.
Cancellations/Re-Scheduling:
When a client is unable to attend a session for any reason, the client always has the option to cancel (via email or text to Coach Maddie). Some cancellations may be eligible for re-scheduling*, but all cancelled sessions must still be paid in full by the original due date regardless of when/if that lesson actually occurs. Clients do not have the option to skip payment for scheduled sessions of any kind, cancelled or not, no exceptions! One of the following cancellation policies will apply (to be determined by the instructor) and will be marked on the client’s file. There are absolutely no refunds for any client cancellations or failed re-scheduling.
Lesson Spot “Holding”
If a Permanent client is expected to have an extended leave of absence from their lessons for any reason (travel, injury, schedule conflicts, etc.) and does not want to lose their Permanent Lesson Spot, the client may elect to place a “Hold” on their lesson spot. In the duration of a “Hold”, the client is still responsible for paying for the reserved lesson spot as if they were in attendance. Eligibility to place a “Hold” on a lesson spot is at the complete discretion of the instructor, and can be refused or denied at any time. A “Hold” is the only time a client is permitted to re-schedule multiple ‘Cancel Ahead’ lessons. For all instances except serious injury, it is understood that:
a.) the client must notify the instructor of the intended “Hold” at least 30 days in advance of their intended start date and must disclose expected time of return, if known
b.) the client must re-schedule expected missed lessons for both before and after their leave of absence
c.) the number of lessons permitted to be re-scheduled for after the client’s leave of absence cannot exceed the number of lessons that were re-scheduled for before the leave of absence.
For any “Hold” that is due to serious injury, lessons that are re-scheduled may total up to half of all missed lessons and may occur after the client’s return from their leave of absence.
Professional Courtesy & Kindness:
All clients (which includes students, parents/guardians, and families) and guests involved with Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC (whether at the barn property or away at a show/event/activity) will operate under a standard that demonstrates professional courtesy and kindness to all equines and humans involved (whether in the program or not). In this program, NO drama, hate speech, discourtesy, unkindness, hostility, or abuse will be tolerated from any client or guest AT ANY TIME, regardless of who or what it is directed at.
Discovery of any of the afore-mentioned poor behavior occurring in the barn, over text/social media, or at any related/associated events or activities will result in a one-time warning between instructor and client (or client’s parent/guardian in the case of a minor). If behavior continues after a one-time warning is given, the client in question will be removed from all programs immediately with no option to return. There are absolutely no exceptions or allowances for this kind of behavior. Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC is a professional and welcoming environment that is meant to be a safe space to all, and those who cannot behave according to our standards will be asked to leave.
Standard of Care and Consideration:
All clients will be asked to uphold the Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC reasonable standards of equine and facility care, as well as consideration for other clients and guests. We want our horses, facility, and programs to run as smoothly as possible in a well-maintained, organized, and healthy environment for all equines and humans involved. This includes (but is not limited to):
Standards of Safety:
All clients and guests must agree to abide by all instructor rules and regulations in regards to safe practices, equipment, and attire. All clients and guests must agree to follow all instruction given to the best of one’s ability at all times to maintain a safe, working equine-and-human-inclusive environment. Those too young/impaired to follow all instructions given must be under the care of an adult who will take full responsibility for all actions and instructions given. INSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE REPEATEDLY IGNORED, OR ANYONE WHO CONTINUALLY PUTS THE SAFETY OF ANY HUMAN/EQUINE AT RISK, WILL BE IMMEDIATELY DISMISSED FROM THE SESSION AND/OR PROPERTY.
Contact & Communication:
All official and consistent contact between a client and Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC is done through either text message or email with Coach Maddie (except for emergencies and time sensitive situations where phone calls are a necessity). All clients will provide a valid email address for news and updates from Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC, as well as for all invoicing purposes. All clients will also provide a valid, working phone number for direct contact via text messages or emergency/time sensitive phone calls.
For any known injuries sustained from working with/around horses and for emergency situations which involve a minor, Coach Maddie will contact any given parent/guardian phone(s) if parent/guardian is not present. For any emergency situations that instructor believes to be critical/life-threatening to any client/student/guest, Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC reserves the right to contact 911 for immediate emergency medical care without repercussion or expenses incurred toward either Coach Maddie or Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC. We want all of students and guests to be healthy and well to the best of our ability, and in an emergency we will not hesitate to call for help or emergency medical services to best ensure student/guest health and well-being.
All scheduling, cancellations, and re-scheduling/replacement lesson scheduling are to be made and/or confirmed in writing between Coach Maddie and the clients involved via email or text message. Any attempted cancellations given/not given at any time without written notice will be counted as a No Show and client will owe the full cost of the session involved. Scheduling or cancelling sessions when in-person (without anything being immediately recorded or submitted in writing) does not guarantee that the correct sessions will/will not occur – on some days the barn may be very busy and hectic, and scheduling plans/concerns that are not written down may be easily forgotten. Please help us to keep the schedule accurate and current with written notices!
In Case of Emergency:
In cases of an emergency, please observe the standards for acceptable and reasonable behavior around equines and at a learning facility. Do not shout or scream, do not run into the arena/barn/area where horse is located, do not make any other such big/loud noise or movement that may startle a horse and put a student or horse in more danger than they currently are. If you are not an equine professional, then please be still and wait quietly while student/horse is assessed for injury and next logical steps can be deduced by the instructor. Some situations involving horses can be very delicate, and allowing the instructor the room and time to solve an emergency situation could be the difference between a small injury to a horse/student and a very large injury. In these instances, carefully follow all directions given by the instructor without hesitations.
In the event of no notable/serious injury, instructor will discuss the events that led up to the accident/emergency with the student to better understand what happened and help prevent it from happening in the future, and the lesson/activity shall likely continue. In the event of a notable injury, lesson/activity may end and parent/guardian/emergency contact may be contacted. In the event of serious or life-threatening injury, Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC reserves the right to call 911 services.
Media and Documentation:
All clients/students agree to allow Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC to document, photograph, video, and in any other way record any and all sessions, lessons, classes, and interactions/occurrences at the barn or any related events/activities, or which involve the client/student and instructor/horses/activities associated with Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC. All clients/students also give their permission and consent for Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC to use said acquired media and data in any and all social media posts, advertisements, promotional material, official records, and/or teaching material.
Guests:
Any guests who come to any event/activity/associated facility of Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC will be considered to be under the responsibility of the client/student who brought or invited the guest, and shall follow all barn rules/procedures while present. A guest being unaware of the barn rues/policies is not an adequate excuse for breaking those rules/policies! Informing an incoming guest about the appropriate rules and policies of the barn is the responsibility of the client/student who invited said guest! Any rules/policies broken by guest will directly affect the responsible client, any damages/injuries caused by guest will be recovered from the responsible client, and Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC has the right to, at any time for any reason, ask guest(s) to leave the property or associated session/activity/event.
Smoking/Tobacco/Alcohol/Assorted Substances:
There is absolutely NO smoking or vaping of any kind permitted in the barn or on the property – persons wishing to partake in these actions must step off of the property entirely. No person under the influence/effect of alcohol or any recreational drugs will be permitted in barn or near horses/students at any time. Any rider who displays lack of reasoning skills, lack of reasonable coordination/balance, or shows any other sign or symptom that may be related to alcohol/drug use that is affecting their ability to be safe and reasonable when on/around horses will be immediately removed from barn premises.
Prescription drug use as recommended/required by a doctor is permitted on premises, unless client/guest is displaying an inability to be around or work with horses in what is deemed a safe and reasonable manner. Client/guest and instructor may discuss requirements for safety and concerns about the wellbeing of both equines and humans, and if a reasonable solution to keep all involved safe cannot be found then the client/guest in question may be asked to leave the program.
Medical Coverage for Equine Activities/Riding Lessons:
All clients must be covered under current personal medical insurance and all injuries, medical costs, and emergency transportation costs of client fall on the client/legal guardian.
Riding Lesson/Equine Activity Content:
The instructor will be teaching/guiding students in equine handling, care, management, and techniques (when riding and on the ground) using natural horsemanship principles. The initial lessons/activities and portions of subsequent lessons/activities will be on the ground and/or in the barn and may include working with more than one particular/favorite horse. WORKING WITH/AROUND HORSES INVOLVES MORE THAN JUST RIDING, AND THE INSTRUCTOR MAY DEDICATE TIME IN LESSONS/ACTIVITES TO IMPROVING UPON THE SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE STUDENT IN SUBJECTS SUCH AS PROPER EQUINE CARE, LEADING/HANDLING, AND GROUND TECHNIQUES. The focus of all programs at Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC is horsemanship, meaning the overall care, welfare, and understanding of the horse and how horses think/move/interact with the world.
Definitions:
Hazardous Weather: Lightning strikes within 10 miles of farm, extreme temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit or below 10 degrees Fahrenheit that risk equine overall health, heavy rain/snow/ice/intense winds that makes a lesson activity and/or driving in the general location of the barn dangerous.
Inconvenient Weather: Temperature that is hotter/colder than comfortable, light rain, light-moderate wind, light snow, etc. Non-dangerous weather conditions that may be less-than-enjoyable to ride in.
Prior Notice of Withdrawal: Giving written notice to Coach Maddie of client’s plans to exit the lesson program and forfeit their Permanent Lesson Spot. Prior Notice must be given at least 30 days in advance of intended departure date, or else will carry a Termination Fee equal to the full cost of a monthly lesson package for the lesson type (Tiny Tot / Regular Rider).
Re-scheduling: Moving a cancelled lesson to a different day/time than originally scheduled and/or is different from a rider’s Permanent Lesson Spot. Re-scheduled lessons are not automatically eligible to be “rolled over” into the next week’s available slot on the same day/time.
Skills: A wide range of knowledge and abilities that a student can consistently demonstrate which causes the student to be more capable of safely working with horses in an educated and confident fashion. Many of the Skills that make a capable horseman/horsewoman are acquired in the barn or on the ground with a horse rather than in the saddle. Students will be required to master certain skills in order to safely advance through the lesson levels.
Consent and Agreement:
I understand that these policies are firm and agree to abide by their rulings without contest. I understand that following and knowing this policy is my personal responsibility, and that if I need to reference it again it is always available on the Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC website or as a paper copy upon request.
(As of March 1st, 2024 for all new/incoming clients)
(By April 1st, 2024 or earlier for all current clients)
Proper Attire for Equine Activities/Riding Lessons:
All clients must be prepared for lessons/equestrian activities with proper attire and safety gear, and failure to bring and wear said attire can and will result in limiting activities to a safer level/degree (such as riding on a leadline only, or no riding / handling of a horse at all) or cancellation of that participant’s lesson/equestrian activity with no refund. There are NO EXCEPTIONS to wearing proper attire and safety gear when working with horses. Please remember to dress appropriately for the weather as all riding/equestrian activities are outside, rain or shine! All those who wish to handle/ride a horse must wear:
- A well-fitting riding helmet that meets current ASTM/SEI riding helmet standards, which includes replacing said helmet after significant falls, damage, or after five years of ownership. Bicycle helmets are NOT acceptable. All Permanent riders of all ages must have their own certified riding helmet to bring/use in lessons and will not be permitted to consistently borrow any Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC certified helmets.
- Correctly fitting closed-toe shoes - no tread on the sole is permitted, and no steel toes. All Permanent riders age 7 & older must wear their own proper riding boots with smooth soles and wide heel about a 1” high (such as paddock boots, cowboy boots, or tall boots) when participating in riding lessons. Riders who arrive to a lesson without proper riding boots may (with instructor permission) be permitted to ride on a lead line with a handler, or else may not be permitted to ride at all.
- Long pants of any kind that fit well, with a strong preference for riding breeches/jodhpurs. Jeans/dress pants/leggings are acceptable. Participants wearing clothing that fits loose or exposes the legs may not be permitted to participate in equestrian activities/riding at the increased risk of injury to the participant. Riders should refrain from wearing clothing with jewels/metal/bedazzle on the seat as this can damage saddles/riding equipment and may lead to riders not being permitted to ride in that lesson.
- Appropriately-fitting tops of any kind that cover the entire torso and the shoulders – no crop tops or tank tops are permitted. Please dress appropriately for the weather as all of our facilities are outside. Tops/jackets should be of appropriate size/length to suit the participant – wearing tops that are excessively large/long has a risk of getting caught on the saddle/horse’s equipment when handling and riding and may lead to injury.
- Half-chaps and riding gloves are highly recommended but not currently required for riding lessons.
Permanent Lessons:
Permanent Lessons are for those who wish to learn in a consistent weekly (same day/time each week) lesson spot. This lesson spot is intended for a client to keep indefinitely regardless of changes to their payment plan/method or any conflicts in the rider’s personal/work schedule. A single client may claim more than one permanent lesson spot with the understanding that they will be held accountable for paying for all their claimed lesson spots.
A client may only leave a Permanent Lesson Spot by giving a written Prior Notice of Withdrawal at least 30 days before their intended departure from the program. Any rider who leaves the program without giving a written 30 days notice will be charged a Termination Fee equal to the full cost of a monthly lesson package for the lesson type (Tiny Tot / Regular Rider). In all other instances, riders in a Permanent Lesson Spot will be automatically renewed/charged for their most-recently chosen lesson package option when their previous package expires. There are absolutely no refunds from any lesson packages.
Lessons may be purchased and taken in the following ways for Permanent riders of any age/level:
- Monthly Package: Taking a Permanent Lesson Spot in the schedule for a set day/time each week and committing to the entire month. Riders will be held accountable to pay for their lesson spot for that entire month even if the rider cancels/re-schedules a lesson. Monthly package riders are permitted to re-schedule up to one (1) Cancel Ahead lesson per month, to be completed in the current month or the following month only – no exceptions. Payment Plans include:
- Pay-As-You-Go Plan: Paying for each individual lesson as taken each week. Lesson fees to be automatically charged to a client’s credit card at the start of the day in which a scheduled lesson occurs – payment cannot be made via invoice on this plan.
- Paid-In-Full Plan: Paying for a full month of lessons (limited to 4 lessons per month), with payment given by or before the 1st of that month. Can be done via invoice or automatic charge to a client’s credit card.
Floater Lessons:
A lesson option for those who can take lessons occasionally, but cannot commit to a permanent spot. Scheduling/purchasing lessons individually for a client/student with no requirement to have a Permanent Lesson Spot, but may be scheduled into available open lesson spots (subject to instructor/horse availability). A floater lesson must be paid for in full at the time of scheduling – no exceptions.
All Floater lessons have a 30-day expiration from the time-of-purchase (and as such Floater lessons may not be scheduled more than 30 days in advance). Floater lessons that are cancelled by the client (for any reason) have an extended 30 days to schedule a make-up for that lesson (pending instructor/horse availability).
Scheduling:
All scheduling for any sessions, activities, or events must be done directly through Coach Maddie and must be done in writing (via email and/or text). If you are unsure of the exact date and time you scheduled an upcoming session, please reach out to Coach Maddie with questions or for confirmation! However, do not expect to be sent reminders of upcoming appointments, and be sure any/all cancellations are done in writing and confirmed. Do not assume a session is cancelled due to a specific holiday/event/weather condition. Failure to appear at your scheduled session (for any reason) without prior written notice will be treated as a No Show and the full cost of the session will be owed.
Any one-time sessions (such as camps, special activities, events, etc.) must be paid for in full (or deposit paid, if applicable) at the time of scheduling to reserve a spot – no exceptions. There are absolutely no refunds, and there is no re-scheduling permitted due to a client cancellation for any one-time purchases of any kind.
In-Barn Lessons:
Any lesson that does not occur in the arena with a horse (in the saddle or on the ground) is considered an “In-Barn” lesson. These lessons can be scheduled independently to advance horsemanship skills, or can occur during a scheduled riding lesson at the discretion of the rider and/or instructor. Lessons that occur In-Barn are not eligible for replacement, re-scheduling, or any refunds. The instructor may elect to turn any scheduled In-Arena session/riding lesson into an In-Barn lesson at any time, for any reason, as frequently as they feel is appropriate.
Payment:
Payment methods for any session a client wishes to sign up for may be paid for via the following options (listed by order of preference):
- Quickbooks GoPayment – A client credit card will be saved on file for automatic charges/renewals and any additional purchases. All clients are required to have a card saved on file for billing purposes/disputes even if the client plans / prefers to pay via invoice.
- Quickbooks Invoice - Sent to the client via email to be paid online.
For any scheduled sessions that are not paid for on time, there will be a Late Fee of $5 for every day that the payment is late. There are absolutely no exceptions to paying any late fees that are owed, even for first-time offenders. Any client that has missing payments and/or late fees on their account will not be permitted to participate in or schedule any further sessions of any kind until the outstanding balance is paid in full. Any client that has an overdue payment of more than six (6) days will have the outstanding balance automatically charged to the credit card saved on the client’s file. Clients who have multiple late or missing payments may be denied service and removed from the schedule completely with no option to return.
Punctuality and Session Time:
Any clients who are running late to a scheduled session will be permitted to use whatever time is remaining in their originally-scheduled session to learn. The time of the session will not be extended past its original end time just because you are running late (regardless of the reason). Students who arrive extremely late to a riding lesson are not guaranteed to practice any riding in the lesson if there is not an appropriate amount of time for it – horsemanship and care of the horse will always be the priority in every lesson and is not able to be skipped.
The instructor retains the right to extend the time of any session past the previously agreed-upon end time without additional charge to or negative feedback from the client. Participant further understands that any session may be terminated early/at any time at the instructor’s discretion without rebate if, in instructor’s opinion, participant is ill, not sufficiently responsive to instruction/directions, activity has become dangerous or considerably detrimental to horse or participant’s mental/physical health and safety, or if participant is in violation of any other rules or policies in relation to the program or activity involved.
Weather:
All sessions (lessons, classes, activities, etc.) are held rain or shine. During inconvenient* weather, the rider may choose to do the scheduled in-arena lesson or do an In-Barn lesson instead, or else would otherwise follow the Cancellation Policy that pertains to the time of the intended cancel. In extreme temperatures, the Instructor may elect to limit/prohibit any riding or working of horses in the arena and reserves the right to run scheduled lessons In-Barn at that time. During hazardous* weather (as determined by instructor), all sessions during that time will be offered to re-schedule* and would otherwise be considered an Instructor Cancel which carries no charge to the client.
Weather that client deems too hazardous to travel in to reach the barn falls under the rules of a regular/late cancel (depending upon time of cancel). Please remember the weather in your home/work location may not be the weather we are experiencing at the barn, and we cannot account for the weather that occurs everywhere.
Cancellations/Re-Scheduling:
When a client is unable to attend a session for any reason, the client always has the option to cancel (via email or text to Coach Maddie). Some cancellations may be eligible for re-scheduling*, but all cancelled sessions must still be paid in full by the original due date regardless of when/if that lesson actually occurs. Clients do not have the option to skip payment for scheduled sessions of any kind, cancelled or not, no exceptions! One of the following cancellation policies will apply (to be determined by the instructor) and will be marked on the client’s file. There are absolutely no refunds for any client cancellations or failed re-scheduling.
- Cancel Ahead: When a client cancels a session 24-hours (or more) in advance. To be counted as a cancel ahead, the client must give advance notice in writing (via text or email to Coach Maddie). Lessons that are cancelled ahead are usually eligible for re-scheduling (subject to instructor/horse availability).
- Sick Cancel: When a client cancels a session with a notice given in writing (via text or email to Coach Maddie) clearly stating that client is sick/unwell. Lessons that are cancelled for sickness are eligible for re-scheduling for within the following 30 days (subject to instructor/horse availability). We want you to be well so you can enjoy your experience (and we don’t want to spread any sickness at the barn)!
- Late Cancel: When a client cancels a session less than 24-hours in advance with a notice given in writing (via text or email to Coach Maddie). Late Cancellations are not eligible for re-scheduling.
- No Show: When a client fails to appear at a scheduled session and did not give any written notice of cancellation. Client owes the full cost of the session and is not eligible for re-scheduling.
- Instructor Cancellation: When the instructor cancels the lesson for any reason. The client and the instructor must make an honest attempt to re-schedule the cancelled lesson for within the current/following month. In instances where re-scheduling is not possible, a credit will be applied to the client’s account for future payments. There are absolutely no refunds for instructor cancellations
- An eligible session can be re-scheduled a maximum of one time (i.e. a re-scheduled session cannot be re-scheduled again). In the case of multiple re-schedules for a client, priority will be given to any Instructor Cancellations first, then will proceed in order from oldest cancellation to the most recent (if still within eligible time frame for re-scheduling).
- Sessions that are cancelled by a client may only be “Un-Cancelled” if the lesson spot is still available (i.e. has not been temporarily filled by another student) and/or at the discretion of the instructor. The instructor has the final say in whether “Un-Cancelling” is permitted and may elect to say no, for any reason, and is not required to justify said reason to the client.
- Any client who has what the instructor deems to be an excessive amount of cancellations and/or No Shows may be dismissed from the program without any refund/credit and may be banned from future sessions (at instructor’s discretion).
Lesson Spot “Holding”
If a Permanent client is expected to have an extended leave of absence from their lessons for any reason (travel, injury, schedule conflicts, etc.) and does not want to lose their Permanent Lesson Spot, the client may elect to place a “Hold” on their lesson spot. In the duration of a “Hold”, the client is still responsible for paying for the reserved lesson spot as if they were in attendance. Eligibility to place a “Hold” on a lesson spot is at the complete discretion of the instructor, and can be refused or denied at any time. A “Hold” is the only time a client is permitted to re-schedule multiple ‘Cancel Ahead’ lessons. For all instances except serious injury, it is understood that:
a.) the client must notify the instructor of the intended “Hold” at least 30 days in advance of their intended start date and must disclose expected time of return, if known
b.) the client must re-schedule expected missed lessons for both before and after their leave of absence
c.) the number of lessons permitted to be re-scheduled for after the client’s leave of absence cannot exceed the number of lessons that were re-scheduled for before the leave of absence.
For any “Hold” that is due to serious injury, lessons that are re-scheduled may total up to half of all missed lessons and may occur after the client’s return from their leave of absence.
Professional Courtesy & Kindness:
All clients (which includes students, parents/guardians, and families) and guests involved with Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC (whether at the barn property or away at a show/event/activity) will operate under a standard that demonstrates professional courtesy and kindness to all equines and humans involved (whether in the program or not). In this program, NO drama, hate speech, discourtesy, unkindness, hostility, or abuse will be tolerated from any client or guest AT ANY TIME, regardless of who or what it is directed at.
Discovery of any of the afore-mentioned poor behavior occurring in the barn, over text/social media, or at any related/associated events or activities will result in a one-time warning between instructor and client (or client’s parent/guardian in the case of a minor). If behavior continues after a one-time warning is given, the client in question will be removed from all programs immediately with no option to return. There are absolutely no exceptions or allowances for this kind of behavior. Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC is a professional and welcoming environment that is meant to be a safe space to all, and those who cannot behave according to our standards will be asked to leave.
Standard of Care and Consideration:
All clients will be asked to uphold the Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC reasonable standards of equine and facility care, as well as consideration for other clients and guests. We want our horses, facility, and programs to run as smoothly as possible in a well-maintained, organized, and healthy environment for all equines and humans involved. This includes (but is not limited to):
- Picking up and disposing of any manure that the horse the client is working with deposits in the barn aisleway, wash rack, riding arena, and/or walkways/grazing areas on the property in a timely manner (i.e., right away unless handling/riding of horse, at which manure should be removed at earliest availability).
- Shutting and latching all gates and doors that were previously shut and latched when moving through a paddock/field/arena/entryway, whether client is with or without a horse, in order to prevent other horses from entering/exiting said areas and to maintain set systems (such as designated pathways, paddocks, or maintaining internal temperature/cleanliness).
- Returning all tack, equipment, tools, medications, objects, etc. to their original proper location in their proper condition (such as returning bridles to their proper rack with a clean bit, or returning horse treatment bottles to the correct shelves with lids screwed firmly shut).
- Exercising care and caution when handling any tack/equipment, whether attached to a horse or not. In particular, any leather equipment is not to make contact with the ground, intentional or otherwise (ex: no dragging leather reins on the floor or dropping of leather saddles will be tolerated at any time).
- All tack and equipment will experience normal wear and tear as a part of regular use (to be managed or replaced as necessary by Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC), but any severe damages, destruction, or vandalizing of tack and equipment caused specifically by client negligence or direct action will result in the client in question being billed for the cost required to properly repair or replace the tack and equipment involved (at equal quality to that which was lost and no more). Failure of client involved to pay the cost of repair or replacement may lead to dismissal from any and all sessions or programs, as well as legal action being taken. Please treat our equipment with the care and respect you would treat your own!
- Ensuring the horse they are working with receives proper quality of care and grooming before and after all riding/handling sessions, including proper care and store of all tack and equipment used. Failure to properly care for equine and/or tack will result in the following sessions being adjusted to include supervised time and/or guidance in these tasks until they are up to the barn’s standards.
Standards of Safety:
All clients and guests must agree to abide by all instructor rules and regulations in regards to safe practices, equipment, and attire. All clients and guests must agree to follow all instruction given to the best of one’s ability at all times to maintain a safe, working equine-and-human-inclusive environment. Those too young/impaired to follow all instructions given must be under the care of an adult who will take full responsibility for all actions and instructions given. INSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE REPEATEDLY IGNORED, OR ANYONE WHO CONTINUALLY PUTS THE SAFETY OF ANY HUMAN/EQUINE AT RISK, WILL BE IMMEDIATELY DISMISSED FROM THE SESSION AND/OR PROPERTY.
Contact & Communication:
All official and consistent contact between a client and Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC is done through either text message or email with Coach Maddie (except for emergencies and time sensitive situations where phone calls are a necessity). All clients will provide a valid email address for news and updates from Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC, as well as for all invoicing purposes. All clients will also provide a valid, working phone number for direct contact via text messages or emergency/time sensitive phone calls.
For any known injuries sustained from working with/around horses and for emergency situations which involve a minor, Coach Maddie will contact any given parent/guardian phone(s) if parent/guardian is not present. For any emergency situations that instructor believes to be critical/life-threatening to any client/student/guest, Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC reserves the right to contact 911 for immediate emergency medical care without repercussion or expenses incurred toward either Coach Maddie or Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC. We want all of students and guests to be healthy and well to the best of our ability, and in an emergency we will not hesitate to call for help or emergency medical services to best ensure student/guest health and well-being.
All scheduling, cancellations, and re-scheduling/replacement lesson scheduling are to be made and/or confirmed in writing between Coach Maddie and the clients involved via email or text message. Any attempted cancellations given/not given at any time without written notice will be counted as a No Show and client will owe the full cost of the session involved. Scheduling or cancelling sessions when in-person (without anything being immediately recorded or submitted in writing) does not guarantee that the correct sessions will/will not occur – on some days the barn may be very busy and hectic, and scheduling plans/concerns that are not written down may be easily forgotten. Please help us to keep the schedule accurate and current with written notices!
In Case of Emergency:
In cases of an emergency, please observe the standards for acceptable and reasonable behavior around equines and at a learning facility. Do not shout or scream, do not run into the arena/barn/area where horse is located, do not make any other such big/loud noise or movement that may startle a horse and put a student or horse in more danger than they currently are. If you are not an equine professional, then please be still and wait quietly while student/horse is assessed for injury and next logical steps can be deduced by the instructor. Some situations involving horses can be very delicate, and allowing the instructor the room and time to solve an emergency situation could be the difference between a small injury to a horse/student and a very large injury. In these instances, carefully follow all directions given by the instructor without hesitations.
In the event of no notable/serious injury, instructor will discuss the events that led up to the accident/emergency with the student to better understand what happened and help prevent it from happening in the future, and the lesson/activity shall likely continue. In the event of a notable injury, lesson/activity may end and parent/guardian/emergency contact may be contacted. In the event of serious or life-threatening injury, Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC reserves the right to call 911 services.
Media and Documentation:
All clients/students agree to allow Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC to document, photograph, video, and in any other way record any and all sessions, lessons, classes, and interactions/occurrences at the barn or any related events/activities, or which involve the client/student and instructor/horses/activities associated with Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC. All clients/students also give their permission and consent for Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC to use said acquired media and data in any and all social media posts, advertisements, promotional material, official records, and/or teaching material.
Guests:
Any guests who come to any event/activity/associated facility of Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC will be considered to be under the responsibility of the client/student who brought or invited the guest, and shall follow all barn rules/procedures while present. A guest being unaware of the barn rues/policies is not an adequate excuse for breaking those rules/policies! Informing an incoming guest about the appropriate rules and policies of the barn is the responsibility of the client/student who invited said guest! Any rules/policies broken by guest will directly affect the responsible client, any damages/injuries caused by guest will be recovered from the responsible client, and Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC has the right to, at any time for any reason, ask guest(s) to leave the property or associated session/activity/event.
Smoking/Tobacco/Alcohol/Assorted Substances:
There is absolutely NO smoking or vaping of any kind permitted in the barn or on the property – persons wishing to partake in these actions must step off of the property entirely. No person under the influence/effect of alcohol or any recreational drugs will be permitted in barn or near horses/students at any time. Any rider who displays lack of reasoning skills, lack of reasonable coordination/balance, or shows any other sign or symptom that may be related to alcohol/drug use that is affecting their ability to be safe and reasonable when on/around horses will be immediately removed from barn premises.
Prescription drug use as recommended/required by a doctor is permitted on premises, unless client/guest is displaying an inability to be around or work with horses in what is deemed a safe and reasonable manner. Client/guest and instructor may discuss requirements for safety and concerns about the wellbeing of both equines and humans, and if a reasonable solution to keep all involved safe cannot be found then the client/guest in question may be asked to leave the program.
Medical Coverage for Equine Activities/Riding Lessons:
All clients must be covered under current personal medical insurance and all injuries, medical costs, and emergency transportation costs of client fall on the client/legal guardian.
Riding Lesson/Equine Activity Content:
The instructor will be teaching/guiding students in equine handling, care, management, and techniques (when riding and on the ground) using natural horsemanship principles. The initial lessons/activities and portions of subsequent lessons/activities will be on the ground and/or in the barn and may include working with more than one particular/favorite horse. WORKING WITH/AROUND HORSES INVOLVES MORE THAN JUST RIDING, AND THE INSTRUCTOR MAY DEDICATE TIME IN LESSONS/ACTIVITES TO IMPROVING UPON THE SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE STUDENT IN SUBJECTS SUCH AS PROPER EQUINE CARE, LEADING/HANDLING, AND GROUND TECHNIQUES. The focus of all programs at Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC is horsemanship, meaning the overall care, welfare, and understanding of the horse and how horses think/move/interact with the world.
Definitions:
Hazardous Weather: Lightning strikes within 10 miles of farm, extreme temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit or below 10 degrees Fahrenheit that risk equine overall health, heavy rain/snow/ice/intense winds that makes a lesson activity and/or driving in the general location of the barn dangerous.
Inconvenient Weather: Temperature that is hotter/colder than comfortable, light rain, light-moderate wind, light snow, etc. Non-dangerous weather conditions that may be less-than-enjoyable to ride in.
Prior Notice of Withdrawal: Giving written notice to Coach Maddie of client’s plans to exit the lesson program and forfeit their Permanent Lesson Spot. Prior Notice must be given at least 30 days in advance of intended departure date, or else will carry a Termination Fee equal to the full cost of a monthly lesson package for the lesson type (Tiny Tot / Regular Rider).
Re-scheduling: Moving a cancelled lesson to a different day/time than originally scheduled and/or is different from a rider’s Permanent Lesson Spot. Re-scheduled lessons are not automatically eligible to be “rolled over” into the next week’s available slot on the same day/time.
Skills: A wide range of knowledge and abilities that a student can consistently demonstrate which causes the student to be more capable of safely working with horses in an educated and confident fashion. Many of the Skills that make a capable horseman/horsewoman are acquired in the barn or on the ground with a horse rather than in the saddle. Students will be required to master certain skills in order to safely advance through the lesson levels.
Consent and Agreement:
I understand that these policies are firm and agree to abide by their rulings without contest. I understand that following and knowing this policy is my personal responsibility, and that if I need to reference it again it is always available on the Happy Hiccups Equestrian LLC website or as a paper copy upon request.