Please take a moment to read all the way to the end. It may well save you a trip to the barn someday!
We know you are excited to ride and disappointed if lessons are canceled. When lessons are canceled, it is always for the safety of our riders. We would much rather be working and making the money it takes to keep the barn operating. The horses eat, drink and need new shoes even if it’s raining. I hope this will help you understand why lessons may be canceled even if the weather seems beautiful and clear.
Wind~Here in Orange County we are often subject to Santa Ana Winds. When the wind is blowing the students simply can’t hear our instructions. These winds also make our horses agitated and unpredictable. Both of these situations make riding lessons difficult if not downright unsafe. Keep in mind that even our staff do not ride their own FULLY TRAINED horses in the wind. It’s simply not safe.
The weather at the ranch is usually different from other parts of Orange County or even Yorba Linda. Due to our closeness to the hills, the wind always seems to hit us stronger and longer than anywhere else. Even if the weather is good at the time of your lesson, previous conditions may have prevented us from working the horses enough so they are ready for our riders. For more information about how wind affects horses please read- http://crktrainingstable.com/?s=blow+hard
Rain~ When the rain comes, everyone understands that they can’t ride in the rain. What they don’t always understand is that the arena is often too wet to use for several days after the rain stops. The rain will also pack the arena sand and make it very hard. Once the arena is dry, we must rake the sand with the tractor to fluff it up so it is soft and safe for the horses to work on. Our horses are fit and expect to work daily. When they have been confined for several days they have lots of pent-up energy. This energy needs to be worked out before we can put students on them. Therefore; we need time to get the horses worked and ready for our students. With 5 horses this easily takes 4-6 hours to accomplish. Therefore, it can take up to a full day after the arena is dry and raked before lessons can resume.
Hopefully you now understand that we don’t cancel lessons because we wish to inconvenience you. We are simply doing what’s best to keep everyone having wonderful riding experiences.
INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY
CRK Training Stable will not call or email you if lessons are canceled due to weather issues.
You must call and check the answering machine (714) 693-4886 for a lesson cancelation message. If no cancelation message is on the machine, lessons will run as scheduled. Messages may also be posted on the CRK Training Stable Facebook page and this website.
Do not assume lessons will be canceled without calling. You will be charged for “No-shows”. No Refunds!
Do not assume lessons will run without calling.
Rain- If it has been raining within the past 3-5 days, call for a message regarding lessons. If it looks like rain, but has not rained yet, plan to attend your lesson.
Wind- During Santa Ana wind conditions, lessons may be cancelled. Please call for a message regarding lessons. Keep in mind that wind conditions change rapidly, so call often.
Heat- Lesson will often run as usual during hot weather so bring a water bottle, wear a hat and sunscreen. However; if the temperature is over 100 degrees, be sure to call and check the answering machine.
If safe riding is not possible, there will be a message offering a choice between-
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A non-riding lesson during the regularly scheduled lesson time.
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Rescheduling the lesson to another day (restrictions apply).
How do I choose a non-riding lesson?
To choose a non-riding lesson, leave a message on the answering machine or send an email. For staffing purposes, requests must be made before 8:30 A.M for morning lessons and before 12:30 P.M. for afternoon lessons. If the issue resolves by lesson time, riding may be available, otherwise the lesson will run as scheduled, non-riding. If we don’t hear from you, the lesson will run as scheduled, non-riding.
How do I choose to reschedule a lesson?
If you choose to reschedule, we will do our best to accommodate it. However, we do not guarantee that lessons can be rescheduled. Our regular schedule is often very full. When we have many days worth of lessons to reschedule, getting a make-up time could be extremely difficult or impossible. To reschedule a lesson, leave a message on the answering machine or send an email. For staffing purposes, clients must request to reschedule no later than 8:30 AM for morning lessons and 12:30 PM for afternoon lessons. Text notice is not acceptable. If notice is late or not given, the lesson will run as scheduled, non-riding. Please plan ahead!
If a client chooses to reschedule due to weather issues, the following restrictions apply.
- All make-up lessons must be within 30 days of the missed lesson.
- Make-up lessons may be with any available horse or instructor.
- Make-up lessons cannot be rescheduled a second time. Canceled make-ups are forfeited.
- You must contact the CRK Stable office to schedule make-up lessons. CRK Stable will not contact clients. Email works well here.
- If you canceled before weather became issue, the normal lesson policy applies, even if weather became an issue after you cancelled.
- If your notice is late or not given and you don’t attend the lesson, it is a No-Show and will be charged accordingly.
For Serious Horseplay, Come To CRK!