Palisades school breaking in new equestrian program

Palisades Episcopal School is reining in on a new physical education program.

Beginning this fall, the middle school students in fifth through eighth grades will have the option to take horseback riding.

“It’s a program unique to our school,” said Emily Frye, director of equestrian program. The school program will use up to eight horses from the Palisades Equestrian Center’s existing community riding lesson program.

Dad Bob Breslin said he “jumped all over it” to sign up his daughter rising seventh-grader Caroline Breslin, 12.

She’s been riding for three years. For a girl with everything horse – sheets, pillows, piggy bank and more – she said she was surprised and “really excited” she can take riding lessons during school hours.

Frye, who was part of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association team and earned a business management degree in equine studies program at Virginia Intermont College, will be the school’s program instructor.

“It’s well-suited for middle aged students because that can be a tough age,” Frye said. “Riding can build confidence, it’s great exercise you don’t even realize you’re doing, and it teaches you to care for something before yourself.

“It can be a life-changing experience for a lot of kids,” she said.

Headmaster Kerin Hughes understands the benefits first-hand having grown up on a horse farm in upstate New York.

“It also keeps with our mission to challenge the mind, body and spirit,” she said. “Our goal is to create lifelong learners, and this is definitely something they can learn about forever.”

Hughes said when the school opened 10 years ago, an equestrian program was in the plan. But the recession of 2008 pushed it to the back burner until donors stepped up this year, leasing the equestrian center to launch the program.

Students will be able to enroll in the program that will meet 90 minutes two times a week each semester. The cost is $2,500 per session. The program will start with a limit of 10 participants, hoping to grow to 20, Frye said. Students will learn English hunter/jumper style riding, as well as horsemanship including grooming, nutrition, conformation and equine anatomy. About 25 percent of the term will be spent in the classroom, with the rest in riding classes. Students also will have opportunities to compete in extra-curricular activities.

The Palisades also offers community lessons for adults and children.

For information about the school program, call 704-583-1825. For information about the equestrian facility, call 704-588-5591.

This story was originally published July 8, 2016 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Palisades school breaking in new equestrian program."