Riding at Chatham Hall

expect the best

RIDING AT CHATHAM HALL

EXCEED EXPECTATIONS “THE LEVEL OF STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS MY COACHES HAD FOR ME WAS SO MOTIVATING. OVER TIME, THAT BECAME MY EXPECTATION FOR MYSELF AND THAT’S WHEN MY RIDING WENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.”

The Chatham Hall Riding Program is a distinctive experience among equestrian boarding schools. While our program is home to some of the nation’s top competitive riders who compete at the highest levels, it also provides opportunities for girls with a wide range of skills to experience the joy of riding.

BOOMER, EARL, GILLY, AND OPHELIA, TO NAME A FEW

Chatham Hall owns 35 to 40 school horses of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds that are available to our riders within the lesson program. Our school horses are donated from a variety of professionals. They are all schooled in the forward system of riding and range in ability from the beginner school string to advanced-level show horses. In addition, riders have the opportunity to lease or board their own horses.

conditions. Its facilities include eight indoor stalls, offices, two wash bays and a classroom for riders. Outdoor facilities include a permanent hunter trial field, outdoor teaching areas, and miles of trails throughout the rolling hills of our campus and beyond.

TRAINING THE WHOLE RIDER

Our riding program offers the American Forward System of Riding fundamentals in accordance with modern hunter and equitation styles. Students learn the theory behind the instruction and how to handle a variety of horses. Through a holistic approach to lessons, students benefit from mounted and unmounted instruction, a fitness plan, best dietary habits, and sports psychology.

This approach to training the whole equestrian-athlete ensures a mastery of navigating challenges that results in a high level of achievement both during competition and beyond.

IEA is an opportunity for our equestrian athletes to showcase their skills catchriding and is a building step towards showing in college. Within the past four years, Chatham Hall has had several trips to the national finals both as a team and as individual riders. In addition, equestrian athletes also have the opportunity to show in USEF-rated and association shows within Virginia and North Carolina. Riders can take their own horse or lease a school owned horse to these events.

OUTCOMES

Through the mastery of 21st Century skills, including but not limited to: structured exploration, teamwork, and understanding a partnership with horses—our program excels at developing the whole girl with the tools for success in life.

YEAR-ROUND FACILITIES

The Mars Riding Arena is the centerpiece of Chatham Hall’s extensive equestrian facilities. Measuring 125 by 250 feet in size, the Mars Riding Arena allows for year-long riding, regardless of weather

EQUESTRIAN TEAM COMPETITION

The Interscholastic Equestrian Team (IEA) is an integral part of Chatham Hall Riding. This team travels and competes at different venues locally and nationally. The

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