No, we only offer group lessons as part of our 12-week long sessions. We do not offer trail rides. Check out Explore Minnesota for trail riding opportunities.

We typically limit our group lessons to four students at a time; occasionally, there may be 5 to a class. 

Spark Equestrian Academy offers locations with a focus on either English or Western riding. Visit our locations page to find the right fit for you!

A horse can carry about 20% of its own body weight, provided the rider is well balanced and experienced. We limit our beginner riders to 210 lbs to maintain the health of our school horses.

 Spark Equestrian Academy stands out in three key ways:

1. We follow a structured, written curriculum with clear levels, goals, and outcomes, so you can track your student’s progress and advancement.

2. Instead of individual lessons, we offer 12-week sessions to ensure consistent learning in both riding and horse handling.

3. Nearly half of our 85-minute beginner lessons focus on horsemanship, teaching students how to safely handle and care for horses, alongside their riding skills.

Most of our emails to current students are sent through MailChimp and iClass Pro, but they may be flagged as spam, especially if your email is a work or corporate account.

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You should be receiving automatic enrollment confirmations from iClass Pro, along with MailChimp notifications about instructor updates, student portal info, and next session recommendations. If you’re not getting these emails, please check your spam folder and mark them as “not spam” to ensure future delivery.

Before registering for any level beyond Introductory I, students must complete specific prerequisites. If you are new to Spark Equestrian Academy and wish to enroll in a higher level, please sign up for an assessment. If no assessments are available at your location, email info@sparkequestrian.com for assistance.

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Current Spark students who are unable to register for their recommended level should contact their instructor to ensure that all prerequisites have been met and properly recorded in their skill tree.

Most riders start at the Introductory Riding level, even if they’ve had a few lessons before. If you’d like to join a more advanced level, please sign up for an assessment (refer to our FAQ titled “How do I sign up for horseback riding lessons, camps, or assessments?” for instructions). If no assessments are available, email info@sparkequestrian.com. Assessments are $45 and last about 30 minutes, including tacking up. Please note that assessments are not lessons.  

If you can't make a lesson, please request an absence in the iClass Pro system by 8AM on the day of your lesson through your Student Portal. (It doesn't matter if the absence is marked "excused" or "unexcused.")

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Students are allowed ONE make-up lesson per session, regardless of the number of missed lessons.

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We'll contact you with a sign-up document offering available dates and times for your make-up lesson. Please choose the option that works best for you.

Clicking your location's Student Portal button on our website will take you to our iClass Pro registration system, where you can create an account and search for classes.

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Detailed Instructions:

After entering iClass Pro, create an account. You can then click "Enroll in a Class" from the homepage or use the "Booking" tab. Follow the prompts to view available classes on the "Classes" page. If unsure which class to choose, see the FAQ titled "How do I know what level to sign up for?"

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When you click "Add to Cart," your spot is held for 15 minutes while you enter payment information or sign up another person. A valid credit card is required to enroll and stay enrolled in classes. Clicking "Complete Transaction" confirms your enrollment, and your card will be charged immediately unless instructor approval is needed (e.g., for incorrect age groups). In that case, you'll be charged upon approval.

Riders may cancel their course registration and receive a refund up to one week before the course begins, subject to a $30 credit card processing fee. Spark Equestrian carefully determines the number of lesson horses needed based on course enrollments to ensure proper planning. We uphold a strict enrollment and attendance policy to maintain the right number of horses and ensure we can continue providing top-notch care for our lesson horses.

We almost never cancel lessons due to weather, as all Spark facilities have indoor riding arenas, and our winter lesson locations are heated.

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In the rare event that a lesson must be cancelled, your instructor will contact you directly via the phone number or email provided in your student portal.

All students are required to wear closed-toe shoes, though riding boots are highly recommended. Long pants are also mandatory, with breeches recommended for our English riding locations. Additionally, every rider must wear a properly fitting helmet. The helmet should be snug enough to stay in place even when the rider bends over, even if it's unbuckled.

Students can purchase boots, helmets, and breeches either from a local tack shop or online. If visiting a local tack shop, simply inform the staff that you or your child is starting riding lessons and requires an English short boot and a helmet. The staff will help you select the appropriate gear. If you're shopping online or unable to be fitted for a helmet in-store, ensure that the helmet is ASTM certified for horse riding and features an adjustable dial at the back for a proper fit.

Local Tack Shops:

St. Croix Saddlery (East Metro)

310 Stillwater Road

Willernie, MN

(651) 426 – 0831

Dover Saddlery (West Metro)

306 Clydesdale Trl

Medina, MN 55340

(763) 478-6150

Online Retailers:     Dover Saddlery     |      Schneiders Tack     |     SmartPak Equine