Verde Valley School's Equestrian Program

Imagine loping your horse through single track trails, swimming him across Oak Creek and then ascending to the base of majestic Cathedral Rock…at Verde Valley School you can do all of this on a single afternoon trail ride.

Our equestrian program boasts some of the most stunning riding terrain in the nation, and perhaps in the world. Surrounded by thousands of acres of National Forest, VVS’ “backyard” has limitless potential for learning and adventure.

VVS has one of the most diverse recreational riding programs offered at the high school level.  At the heart of our equestrian program is the belief that horses are amazing teachers and master communicators.  Students learn invaluable skills from the horses.  Our goals are to create a strong connection between horse and rider, and to expose our students to a variety of riding disciplines, events and terrain. Ours is a “liberal arts” rather than a specialty or trade school type of program with an emphasis on natural horsemanship.  VVS’s program teaches leadership and teamwork while encouraging safety and fun. Students learn all of the necessary skills needed to own and care for a personal horse so that riding can become a lifetime sport. 

While focusing on Natural Horsemanship students learn daily horse care and stable management.  Students are responsible for morning and evening feeding and participate in all facets of the barn operation.  Riders are taught to catch, tie, groom, pick hooves, and saddle their mount before each session.  Following each ride, students cool down, unsaddle, groom and turnout their horses. Students also learn to bathe their horses, which can be done during free time. They are taught how to carefully monitor the horses for injuries, swelling and other health issues and help with doctoring and wound care. They also gain a basic understanding of commonly used equine drugs and medications, and learn how to do soaks and wraps and give vaccinations.  The basics of trailering and tack maintenance are also covered.

 

Riding for Sports:  available Fall, Winter and Spring – 3:45pm -5:45pm on Tuesday, Wednesday. and Friday and 3:00pm -5:45pm on Thursday. 
 

There are four trained riding instructors in addition to the program director, Caroline Diehl. Each instructor has either a Wilderness First Aid Certification (WFA) or Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Certification. 
 Maintaining the safety of our horses and riders is always a top priority.  Caroline pairs students with horses based on temperament and ability.  To strengthen the horse/rider bond, students are matched with a horse they then care for, ride and train consistently.  In essence, it becomes his or her “own” horse while they are at VVS.  Experienced riders who want the opportunity to ride many different horses have that option as well.   


Riding disciplines: English, Western, and bareback riding (both in the arena and on the trail) are offered. There are opportunities for jumping, playing pato and horse soccer, practicing gymkhana events, swimming with the horses, and galloping endless miles of stunning trails.  Riders are encouraged to put themselves in a wide range of situations with their horses in order to establish greater levels of understanding, connection and trust.
Groundwork:  One of the fundamentals of natural horsemanship is to teach students how to work a horse on the ground.  This groundwork ultimately solves issues in the saddle as well.  Riders are also taught how to do “join up” and establish themselves as the horse’s leader through their own body language.  Students always have the opportunity to work on groundwork exercises during the sports slot and also during their free time.


Competitive Riding: VVS riders train for several competitive events throughout the year. These include 25, 35, and 50-mile endurances races which are AERC sanctioned events. We are the only high school in the Southwest, and perhaps in the nation, that competes in endurance. Throughout the training period, students ride hundreds of miles in order to condition themselves and their horses, which results in a totally new level of connection. Although this is usually an individual sport, VVS rides as a team. In the past 15 years of competition, VVS has finished consistently in the top 10 at almost every race in which we’ve participated. We have won the coveted Best Condition Award, the highest honor in endurance racing, three times.

VVS also competes against other boarding schools at the Quad School Gymkhana.  Last year was our third year competing and we finished second overall. This year we are competing monthly on the Camp Verde Gymkhana Association circuit and in local English schooling shows in Flagstaff and Scottsdale. These gymkhanas are comprised of timed speed events that include pole bending, barrels, Figure 8 relays, and much more. 

Weekend Riding and Special Events:  
Opportunities for riding on the weekends are common.  These rides range from two to three hour trail rides to half day or all day picnic rides depending on the instructor available and students’ interest. Weekend rides are open to all VVS students, not just those in the riding program for sports. 

For those training for competitive events like Endurance and Gymkhana, we offer longer hours of training on weekends as well.

 Full Moon “Moonlight” rides are open to all VVS students who have previously ridden at the school and are incredibly popular as few have had the chance to ride at night before coming to VVS.  A “ 25 Mile Pasture Ride” takes place before each school break (three to four times a year). On this all day picnic ride, there are often 20+ students riding our herd of horses from Sedona to Camp Verde to turn them out on green pastures. This is a VVS tradition and the horses are always as excited as our students when this adventure begins.

In May Project Period offers a weeklong intensive opportunity for students to focus on horse pursuits.  Horse projects in the past have included: de-spooking clinics, teaching horses tricks, barn and corral construction, and weeklong horse camping trips.

Please contact Caroline Diehl with any questions about the VVS Equestrian Program or call 928-284-2272.