Before the lesson:
Decide what you will wear before you arrive at the facility and bring a riding stick into the arena regardless of which horse you will be riding. If you don't have a locker to leave your valuables in, you can take them into the arena. Never leave valuables in the dressing room. In the entrance there is an iPad where you can find all the lessons of the day, as well as horses. Check in when you arrive.
On the left side of the entrance door you will find helmets and vests that you can borrow. Don't forget to return them to their place. Go into the stable and see if your horse/pony is in its box or if it is in an ongoing lesson. In the saddle room are saddles and bridle, buckets, sponges and cleaning gear
for the equipment. All equipment is marked with your horse's name. Tie up the horse with a safety knot in its box when preparing. The horses that cannot be tied up must be held with a halter shaft. In case of problems, get help from someone in your group or one of our stable hosts. It is fine to stand the horse in one of the grooming stalls.

During the lesson:
When the riding instructor calls the group in, the one standing closest to the arena begins to enter. The horses are lined up on the center line of the arena, with their rump against the plastic wall. The riding instructor will tell you if your horse needs to stand in a corner instead (to avioid standing too close to other horses). Prepare for mounting and sit up. Both horses and saddles lasts longer if you sit up using a stool. If an accident happens with another horse, stop your horse. Do not dismount your own horse to catch the loose horse if the rider has fallen off. The instructor takes responsibility for that.

After the lesson:
Line up the horses on the center line with at least one horse length between each horse. Dismount by releasing both stirrups, swinging over the right leg and sliding down facing the horse on the horse's left side. Remember to always have taut reins. Hold your horse and wait in case a new student comes to ride your horse after you. If there is a new student, help them up. If there is no new rider for your horse, pull up the stirrups and wait until the riding instructor says you can take the horse into the stable. If your horse is going to a new lesson, please help out with mocking the arena. After removing the horse's equipment, take care of the horse to the best of your ability. If the horse is sweaty, feel free to sponge it off, but keep in mind that the horse may have to be ridden again soon, so use water sparingly. Rinse the bit thoroughly and please polish the horse's bridle and your own boots/shoes. Don't forget to leave your helmet and vest in the storage room by the entrance door.

 

In the stable – clothes, equipment and safety:

For everyone's well-being and safety, both horses and people, it is important that we follow and respect the rules for staying in the stables.
• The stable is the horse's home. They must be allowed to have peace and quiet in their stable without a lot of noise. Talk calmly and don't run. This applies to the entire facility, not just indoors. This is important for the well-being of the horses, but above all for safety. It is easy for a horse to be startled and it may react by pouncing.
• From a safety point of view, there should not be many people around a horse or pony at the same time. It is enough with two people in the box or at the grooming area.
• Do not leave the horse alone when it is tied up in the stable aisle or in its box. If you have to run a short errand, ask someone to keep an eye on it. For those of you who are stabled in the eastern stable, if one of the riding school's horses is going to pass your horse, you must always put your horse in the box.
• The riding tracks at the facility are for riding - not play. Serious accidents can easily occur here if the existing safety regulations are not followed. For those of you who are stabled in the eastern stables or who have paid the fee for using the arena then you have a responsibility to learn the arena rules and follow them. Children who do not fully understand the riding rules must always be accompanied by an adult.
• In cases where children/youths are concerned, it is always the parents' responsibility that rules and safety regulations are followed. All horse handling is directly dangerous if not done correctly. Always follow the staff's instructions. In the case of horses/ponies that are stabled in the eastern stable, they must of course be supervised by an adult.
• Never sit in the stall aisle.
• Dogs must always be on a leash.
• GFRK is a SMOKING-FREE facility - show consideration!

 

Safety rules and the rider's equipment:

 

Use of riding helmet
• An approved riding helmet must be worn for all riding (and long reining).
• Helmets and gloves must also be used when long reining, lunging and other exercise of horses by hand.
• Everyone under the age of 16 must wear a helmet when handling the horses.

Use of safety vest
• Everyone under the age of 13 must wear a safety vest when riding.
• Everyone under the age of 18 must use a safety vest when jumping and outdoor riding.
• Everyone under the age of 10 must use a safety vest when handling the horses.

Shoes/boots
• When riding, shoes or boots with heels must be worn to avoid getting your foot caught in the stirrup.

• When handling horses, you must wear sturdy shoes or boots, preferably with steel caps, to reduce the risk of trampling injuries.

Other clothing
• Long sleeves should be worn when riding outdoors to avoid scratches. No hoodies.
• Long hair must be tied up when riding and handling horses so as not to be in the way and obstruct the rider's view.
• Jewelery such as necklaces, rings, piercings and the like must not be worn when riding and handling horses, as they pose a risk of injury if you fall off or get caught in something.
• Scarves and the like should not be worn when riding, if you fall off there is a risk of the scarf getting stuck and pulled tight around the neck.
• You should not use headphones or talk on the phone when riding and horse handling as it steals attention from the horse and what is happening around.
• Sweaters with a hood should not be used when riding as there is a risk of the hood getting stuck.
• Do not chew gum when riding.
• Remove the loop found on some riding sticks so that the stick does not risk getting stuck and spooking the horse.
• Gloves are recommended when riding and especially when leading the horses, as it reduces the risk of blisters and burns.