LESSONS

The first lesson scheduled will be a private evaluation lesson. If you have ridden before, it will be to determine which group you would fit into best (unless you prefer to continue with the 30 minute private lessons). If you haven't ridden much or lately, it might take more private lessons before we can place you in a group. You can ride our horses (weight limit 200 lb) or your own (riders any size). You will need a helmet and boots. We have an online tack store and can order these items before your first lesson. You will use english tack, which we can supply. We have one "loaner" helmet in each size that you can use until you get your own.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Sunday
10:30 Available	12:00 Available	12:00 Available	11:00 Available
12:00 Available	1:30 Available	1:30 Grace V.	12:00 Available	11:00 Sofie, Danielle
1:30 Available	3:00 Available	3:00 Lucy, Claire	1:30 Available	1:15 Cheyenne Ellorie
4:45 Lily, Mia, Lindsay	4:15 Jadyn, Addison H. Addison E.	5:00 Mia	4:30 Available	2:15 Brooke, Daisy
6:00 Harper	6:00 Atalissa, Alyvia	6:00 Katie, Kiera	6:00 Brianna, Zoe	4:00 Sean, Brenna, Kaylee W.
7:30 Available	7:30 Available	7:00 Available	7:30 Aliyah	6:00 Available starting late May

To schedule a private or first lesson, just click on the Available time that works best for you. The schedule above may vary from week depending on the horse show travel schedule, so please make sure you receive a confirmation e-mail or there might not be an instructor waiting for you. If you prefer, you can schedule a lesson over the phone by texting (309) 738-7767. If you have any questions, ask via text or e-mail: lessons@HuntermarkFarm.com

The designated time on the schedule is the time you should arrive, unless the time is highlighted in white. If the time is highlighted in white, that is time you should be ready to ride. You can come as early as you need to in order to get the horse ready if your time is highlighted in white.

You can also use this lesson table for rescheduling your regular lesson time either for good or for a make-up lesson, or to set up an additional lesson temporarily or permanently.

payable in cash, check (made out to Huntermark), or *Venmo ( https://www.venmo.com/u/Rachel-RockRobinson ) or *PayPal ( @rachelrobinson1205 ). If you use a transfer service and select business you will be responsible for all the fees assessed by Venmo or PayPal.

Group lesson on the flat = 45 minutes - 1 hour (depending on the size of the group and how long they take to get the horse ready)

Group lesson over fences = 1 hour - 1 1/2 hours (depending on the size of the group and how long they take to get the horse ready)

* Your first lessons will be 30 minute private lessons, but intermediate and advanced groups ride longer (see Riding Times above)

The daughter of a hunter/jumper trainer and an equine veterinarian, Rachel has always been immersed in the horse industry, primarily training and showing. She reaped the benefits of having a variety of horses to ride, and was training green ponies from a very early age. In the late 70s and early 80s, she enjoyed success in Ponies, Childrens, Juniors, Medals, and, as a professional, in the Pre-Green and Green divisions, as well as the Hunter Classics and Hunter Derbies on both Zone 5 and Zone 6 circuits. Her students have gone on to Horse of the Year awards, Medal Finals, and numerous grand prix wins.

For over 30 years, Huntermark hosted an annual clinic, giving Rachel a chance to ride with a wide variety of skilled clinicians. She was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to ride with Olympian Ian Millar, and has also done several clinics with Karen Healey and Archie Cox, among many others. In addition to an Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees, she also has a teaching degree which strengthens her ability to communicate effectively with her students, and write detail-oriented, success driven lesson plans. She has written several articles about training, and has given a seminar at Black Hawk College in Kewanee, IL. and appeared as a clinician at the 2015 Hoosier Horse Fair in Indianapolis. Rachel has a passion for horse shows and is a creative course designer, as well as a careful judge with over two decades of judging experience at shows from Michigan to Des Moines.

Jan started riding in 1962 with Zander Duffield at Stoney Creek in Bloomfield Hills, MI. By 1972, she was working as an exercise rider in Oxford, MI breaking two year old Thoroughbred fillies and stud colts, and benefitted from working with renowned horseman Major Robert Borg at Red Bob Farm. Then she moved to Metamora and rode with George Dawson, and worked for Troy Maschmeyer at the Metamora Hunt, taking the green horses out for their first hunts.

In 1975, her husband, an equine veterinarian, started working for Patricia Hewitt at Friendship Farm in East Moline, IL which gave Jan the opportunity to continue breeding, training, and showing her own horses, as well as teaching lessons. In 1980, she opened her business Huntermark Farm at its first location in Coal Valley until they sold the farm in 2018 and relocated to Black Spur Equestrian Center in Milan.

Throughout her professional career Jan has taken advantage of clinics and has had the good fortune to ride with a number of talented individuals including Rodney Jenkins, Peter Leone, Tony Font, Ian Millar, Christine Jones, Bernie Traurig, and has ridden in numerous clinics with George Morris, Karen Healey, and Archie Cox.

She has brought horses she has bred and raised, and horses off the track, through the ranks of 1st Year, 2nd Year, all the way to Working (Performance) Hunters and Hunter Derbies. She has shown successfully at the prestigious Detroit Horse Show, and at indoors. Her students have excelled in all three rings, including competitive grand prix rider Kris Killam. Her judging has taken her from Chicago to Des Moines to Littleton, CO and includes Intercollegiate shows.

Rachel Rock Robinson on Punk Rock ~1981 Robin Robinson on Chasing Rainbows, 2017

We travel to USEF Rated shows on the IHJA A (Zone 5) and INHJA (Zone 6) show circuits. From November-April we also have a team in Ocala, FL for the snowbirds. WEC and HITS are right there and we can travel to WEF (as well as Fox Lea, Grand Oaks, and lots of other nice Florida shows). Whether you are trying to get to Pony Finals or Maclay Finals, we can help you reach your goals. And best of all, schooling and shipping prices are reasonable, so it won't cost you an arm and a leg to get there. Talk to us about your goals and we can plan a season that will help you accomplish them. www.USEF.org www.USHJA.org www.IHJA.com www.INHJA.com

There are 5 MIHJA and USHJA Outreach shows a year here at Black Spur Equestrian Center (3 hosted by Huntermark and 2 that are run by MIHJA volunteers to raise funds for year-end awards) and we travel to all the shows on the MIHJA circuit including Swisher, IA and Lebanon, IN. These shows are a great place to start up to 3' in hunters and equitation and 3'6" for jumpers. There is no better circuit for developing a green horse (Hunter Breeding, Walk/Trot and Trotting Poles in classes restricted for green horses, xrails, etc.) or a rider on their way up, or a 3'6" rider who just wants to keep their skills tuned up in an inexpensive, fun atmosphere. Also, the prizes at the year-end awards banquet on the MIHJA circuit are better than the rated circuits'! www.MIHJA.org

Thus circuit was modeled after the IHSA (Intercollegiate Horse Show Assn), but is for riders in grades 4-12. At Huntermark we have both the 4-8 grade Futures team and the 9-12 Varsity/Jr Varsity team. The shows are run in the same format as college shows. Riders are able to watch the horses warming up with their coach and discuss how the horses are behaving. Then horse and rider combinations will be drawn at random (exceptions will be made for riders taller than 5'8" and over 150 pounds so that these riders do not draw ponies). Showing a horse you've never ridden before can be intimidating at first, but once you've done it, it can be a great confidence builder. The opportunities to ride so many different horses make this an incredible learning experience! The season runs from August-February, followed by post-season shows for Regionals, Zones, and Nationals. www.rideiea.org

45 minutes (approx.)		brush, saddle, and bridle the horse
30 minutes* (min.)		in the saddle, riding the horse
15 minutes (approx.)		removing the tack and putting the horse away
90 minutes (approx.)