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Equestrian Center FAQ

Equestrian Center & Facilities

Yes. Admissions can set up a visit for you in conjunction with a campus visit. Email [email protected] or call (910) 277-5555.

The barn and campus are only a couple of miles apart. Most students drive back and forth. If you don’t have a car there is a lot of traffic between the two facilities for riding lessons, work study, volunteering for therapeutic riding and for the many classes that are held at the barn. Catching a ride should not be a problem once you get to know a few people.

The St. Andrews Equestrian program welcomes riders of all abilities. If you are compete on the “A” circuit, AQHA or USDF then we have the horses and the instructors to help you develop further. If you have never competed but want the opportunity our intercollegiate teams might be a good choice. If you have only ridden for fun but would like to improve your skills that is OK too. Never ridden before but would like to try? Then sign up for PE 150 Horsemanship Basics and get started.

Absolutely! We welcome all majors to ride in the program, compete on our teams and be leaders in our various clubs and activities.

Yes! Our work study program is essential to running a large equestrian program. Students work alongside the barn staff to feed, water, blanket, turn out horses and keep the facility clean. Work shifts are scheduled around your academic schedule and riding lessons. There is also some weekend work. This is a great way to build your equestrian resume while doing something you love! In addition to federal work study we offer institutional funds for those that do not qualify for federal money.

Click here to view all Majors and Minors offered at St. Andrews.

There are Performance Scholarships available for team members. The application deadline is February 15 of each year. We also offer scholarships for the Therapeutic Horsemanship and Pre Veterinary majors. The application deadline for the TH and Pre Vet scholarships is April 1. Follow this link for Scholarship Information.

Follow this link for other scholarships offered by St. Andrews.

Riding Program

Yes. We do have a limited number of stalls available for student boarders. You must be an admitted student before you can apply to board your horse. The Request to Board Form should answer most of your questions.

No, your horse is at school for you to ride regularly in lessons and outside of lessons. We do expect that all Boarders groom and ride their horses regularly. Students on intercollegiate teams usually elect to take one lesson a week on their horse and their second lesson on a school horse.

Anyone is welcome to ride in the equestrian program whether you compete or not. Our instructors are here to help you improve your skills. Be prepared to work hard in your lessons, we take equitation seriously whether you plan to compete, teach, train or just enjoy horses.

Students are expected to wear tidy jeans or pants at the barn with closed toed shoes. No halter tops or spaghetti strap tops permitted. Tidy polo shirts or suitable T shirts are OK for everyday activities.

All riders at the equestrian center must wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet when mounted. No exceptions. Hair must be tidy and preferable contained within the helmet.

Students must wear appropriate hard-soled footwear when working around the horses. When riding, breeches with half-chaps or tall boots are recommended for English riders; western riders may wear jeans with appropriate boots. All shirts should be tucked in and a belt worn.

We schedule your lessons around your academic schedule Monday through Thursday. Friday is reserved for team practice. During the semester we have horse shows most weekends.

Students ride in groups of 4 – 6 riders with students of a similar standard. Lessons are an hour; however, students must allow at least 30 minutes before and after their lesson to care for their horse properly. Private and semi-private lessons are available for boarders and can be scheduled as time permits for other riders. Check with our office for current lesson prices.

Equestrian Teams

St. Andrews is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA) competing in hunter seat and western. We are the President College for North Carolina. Our hunter seat team has qualified for and competed in the IHSA National Championship, finishing in the top ten in the nation many times in the last five years. Our western horsemanship and reining team has qualified for and competed in the IHSA National Championship the past ten years and was national champion in 2016 and 2017.

We host several IHSA shows each semester as well as traveling to other colleges in North Carolina. IHSA is a team competition offering classes from walk/trot to the open class which jumps a 3′ course in hunter seat and walk/jog to reining in western.

In the spring semester we compete in the American National Riding Commission (ANRC) National Championships. This equitation based competition tests riders in four areas; theory, dressage sportif test, a derby course and a medal course. ANRC is designed to promote the American System of Forward of Riding which is based on position, control and schooling through cooperation of horse and rider. The competition tests horsemanship and equitation at the highest levels.

The St. Andrews Show Team competes regularly at United States Equestrian Federation shows in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Winter showing in Florida is also available. Riders compete in the Adult Hunter and Adult Jumper Divisions. Students with their own horses may also compete in the Amateur Owner Divisions.

The St. Andrews Schooling Team competes at schooling and regional circuit shows in North Carolina and South Carolina. This team offers a great opportunity for a rider to gain experience and confidence in the show ring. It is also a great introduction to the show ring for a young or inexperienced horse.

Team tryouts are held on the second or third weekend in September. Tryouts are done in a horse show format with students wearing show clothes.

Horse shows are held fall and spring with Regional, Zone/Semi Finals and Nationals in the spring semester.

Horses

We have everything from the horses and ponies that work in the Ride-Like-A-Knight Therapeutic Horsemanship program, to the school horses that allow our riders to perfect their position, to the show horses that come from careers in USEF, AQHA and USDF competition.

We accept horses for donation although generally not from current students. Learn more about the donation process and our requirements in Donation Requirements.

We generally keep our horses for a long time, however the time does come when we need to find a retirement home for a horse. St. Andrews Equine Retirees has more information.

St. Andrews Equestrian Program is dedicated to the development of future leaders in the equine industry. The program is home to the 2016 and 2017 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) National Champions in Western Horsemanship. The Hunter Seat team is regularly represented at IHSA Nationals. Students also ride at USHJA and USEF rated shows as well as attending schooling shows.

A small liberal arts and sciences university, St. Andrews majors include Business, Biology and Therapeutic Horsemanship.