No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle
About
Hi, I'm Tara Sullivan and the face of the relatively newly formed 'Sullivan Stables'. Based in Ardmore, South Auckland.
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About 18 months ago I started out the riding school with my one semi retired ex SJ pony Cracka, I developed a vision - to have a boutique riding school, providing well schooled ponies with a particular focus on students being able to progress to competitive jumping. While emphasising the importance of great horsemanship. I'm proud to say the dream is becoming a reality.
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My riding career started before I could walk, being born into a family of horse lovers. I started out in Pony Club achieving my certificates up to C+ level. It wasn't long before I discovered a huge passion for showjumping and I've never looked back. I currently compete to 1.30 level and I hope to make my way to the top of the sport in the years to come. I am equally passionate about teaching riders, it is so rewarding seeing riders achieve their goals and grow in confidence both with the horses and in themselves. As the riding school has grown I have introduced fellow horse lover and my great friend Milan Caporn as a coach. Milan is equally passionate in seeing riders achieve their goals and enjoy their time in the saddle. Milan has competed to Junior rider level show jumping herself. She really is an asset to our team.
Horses have taught me some of my most important life lessons to date, they are truely incredible creatures. To start your riding journey with us you don't need to have any past experience or huge ambition, just a great attitude and willingness to learn.
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Services
We cater to all types of riders, form 5yrs to adults who have never ridden before. From those with big ambition to those who just want to ride for enjoyment!
Private lessons
45 minutes riding school horse $85
45 minutes own horse $65
1 hour riding school horse (includes horsemanship) $115
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One on one sessions are great for riders wanting to fine tune their skills in their chosen discipline.
Group lessons
1 hour riding school horse $80Â
1 hour own horse $60
Groups of 2-4 riders. Group lessons are a great way for riders to start out, most people enjoy riding with others and learning not only from their own riding but those in their group.
Pony days
$115Â 9am-3pm
Pony days are fun and educational days run in the school holidays. These days aim to teach riders everything from grooming and caring for their horse to cleaning tack and mucking out as well as group lessons and hacking. Pony days are very popular as an introduction to riding, for those on our waitlist for lessons pony days are a great opportunity for horsey time!
PONY DAYS
We run our pony days on occasional weekends and throughout the school holidays. Children do not need to be enrolled for lessons or have any riding experience to participate in pony days, we welcome anyone 5yrs +. The riders enjoy the group environment and extra time spent looking after and learning about the ponies. New riders do not need to purchase equipment for these days they just need to wear sensible footwear, long pants and a smile :)
BYO PONY?
Already have a pony? We welcome riders who want to bring their own horses and ponies to lessons. Prices as follows: 1 hour private $95, 30 minute private $45, Group $60, Pony days $60.
FAQS
Frequently Asked Questions
What do riders need to bring/ wear?
For initial lessons all we ask if that riders wear long pants, ideally jodhpurs but track pants or tights are fine too, and riding boots or similar shoes. We provide helmets and back protectors, we also have a small supply of riding boots. Most riders purchase their own helmet and boots after a few lessons.
Do riders spend time learning horsmanship and getting the horses ready?
It depends on what type of lesson you choose. All 1 hour lessons learn how get their own horses ready, but for the 45Â minute lessons we have the horses ready to go. Pony days are a great opportunity for riders to learn horsemanship and all aspects of horse ownership.
Once our riders reach an intermediate level and are capable of getting the horses ready themselves we invite them to arrive 30 minutes before the lesson starts.
How quickly will I progress with my riding?
This is totally independent to the rider. We don't have a set time frame on these things, everyone progresses differently and has different ambitions. We try to establish what the rider would like to achieve and then tailer a plan to suit them.