Mercer County Stables: Spring Programs
Equine-Assisted Activities
Equine-assisted activities are any specific center activity, e.g. adaptive (therapeutic) riding, mounted or ground activities, grooming and horsemanship, etc., in which the center’s clients, participants, volunteers, instructors and equines are involved. Equine-assisted therapy is treatment that incorporates equine activities and/or the equine environment. Rehabilitative goals are related to the patient’s needs and the medical professional’s standards of practice
Adaptive Riding - Mercer County Stables is a member of and follows the teaching methods and standards of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship Intl. (PATH). Instructors are PATH certified and trained to teach riding lessons to individuals with learning and/or physical disabilities. Aside from learning riding skills, through the use of a horse and equine-oriented activities, participants work toward cognitive, physical, emotional, social and behavioral goals.
Cost: $40 per ½ hour lesson
Duration: Up to 30 minutes per weekly lesson
Age Recommendation: 4 years old and up
Please note: certain precautions and contraindications may affect participation
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Equine Assisted Growth and Learning (EAGL) – is an experiential learning approach that promotes the development of life skills for education, professional and personal goals through equine-assisted activities. This program operates to improve the lives of youth by improving their ability to grasp opportunities for advancement in education, character development, and social responsibility through a horse.
Cost: $40 per ½ hour session* additional fees if mental health professional is required
Duration: Up to 50 minutes per weekly lesson
Age Recommendation: May be determined by mental health professional
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Power Tools for Living - is a 5-session EAGALA model program designed to strengthen emotional resilience skills and healthy behaviors. It has been used with significant success in increasing social and emotional skills, goal-setting, conflict resolution, ability to control and self-regulate, school attendance and grades, and in decreasing bullying and behavioral problems in the classroom. Power Tools for Living program addresses six identified and common constructs which leads to improved emotional and behavioral health.
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) - is an experiential mental health session with a client, licensed therapist, and horse(s) to address client’s mental health goals. The horse acts like a large biofeedback machine, providing a plethora of information to the client and therapist.
For more information, pricing or to discuss EAAT program availability, call Mercer County Stables Director Christine Cardinal at (609) 730-9059 x 3 or email ccardinal@mercercounty.org
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2019 Spring Horses And Youth (H.A.Y.) Programs
For Schools and Organizations
The Mercer County Stables has equine-related after-school programs for schools and organizations. Our Horses And Youth (H.A.Y.) structured programs offer participants a combination of active recreation and classroom type learning or specialized programs incorporating horses in experiential learning. After-school programs can be tailor-made to suit the school’s or organization’s needs.
Equine Educational Program: Using our workbook in a classroom type setting, participants learn about horses and horse care. Topics include safety, body language, grooming/grooming tools, tacking, parts of the saddle, parts of the horse, and colors and markings. The classroom session is followed with hands-on grooming and tacking, and if option is added, a semi-led pony/horse ride with a small amount of riding instruction. Participants keep their workbooks.
Horses And Youth Afterschool Program: Started in 2006, our H.A.Y Program was a collaborative effort with the Rutgers Extension Office of Mercer County to offer urban youth the opportunity to experience horses and horseback riding after school. The program starts with a 45-minute interactive presentation about MSC and what is needed daily to take care of our horses. We then go on a barn tour, groom and tack ponies/horses and each child receives a led pony/horse ride around the ring.
Power Tools for Living: 5-session EAGALA model program designed to strengthen emotional resilience skills and healthy behaviors. It has been used with significant success in increasing social and emotional skills, goal-setting, conflict resolution, ability to control and self-regulate, school attendance and grades, and in decreasing bullying and behavioral problems in the classroom. Power Tools for Living program addresses six identified and common constructs which leads to improved emotional and behavioral health; respect, responsibility, relationship skills, boundaries, empathy, and choices and consequences.
 For more information, pricing or to discuss H.A.Y. Program availability, call Mercer County Stables Director Christine Cardinal at (609) 730-9059 x 3 or email ccardinal@mercercounty.org
2019 Spring Equine Educational Programs
For Schools, Organizations, Scouts, and Groups
Perfect for Scouts and schools, using our workbook in a classroom type setting, participants learn about horses and horse care. Topics include safety, body language, grooming/grooming tools, tacking, parts of the saddle, parts of the horse, and colors and markings. The classroom session is followed with hands-on grooming and tacking, and if option is added, a semi-led pony/horse ride with a small amount of riding instruction. Participants keep their workbooks.
Equine Informative Tours - Through a 45-minute interactive presentation, schools, organizations, and groups will learn about the MCS and what we need to do every day to care for our horses. Questions are posed to the participants to encourage learning and discussion about horses and horse care. A tour of the barns finishes off the session. If pony rides option is chosen then the participants groom and tack the ponies/horses and receive a led pony/horse ride around the ring.
Cost: $5 per participant, $8 per participant with pony rides
Duration: 45 minutes without pony rides, approximately 1.5 hrs. with pony rides
Age Recommendation: Pre-K and up
Equine Educational Tour - Using our workbook and interactive presentation in a classroom type setting, participants learn about horses and horse care. Topics include safety, body language, grooming/grooming tools, tacking, parts of the saddle, parts of the horse, and colors and markings. The classroom session is followed with hands-on grooming and tacking, and if option is added, a semi-led pony/horse ride with a small amount of riding instruction. Participants keep their workbooks.
Cost: $22 per participant
Duration: 90 -120 minutes
Age Recommendation: 8-13 years old
Min-Max participants in group: 6-12
For more information, pricing or to discuss Equine Educational Program availability, call Mercer County Stables Director Christine Cardinal at (609) 730-9059 x 3 or email ccardinal@mercercounty.org
2019 Horseback Riding and Miscellaneous Programs
The Mercer County Equestrian Center offers several passive, semi-active, and active programs for everyone at all levels of equine experience. Located on 243 acres of Mercer Meadows in Pennington, the Mercer County Equestrian Center welcomes visitors during our operating hours Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
English Riding Lessons- Our lesson program is for New, Beginner, and Intermediate level riders. Lesson programs are in 8-week sessions with private, semi-private, and group lessons available according to published schedule each session. Each lesson is one hour long. Additional information can be found on our website. Registration is required. Open lessons do not require registration or 8 week commitment.
Registration: Spring 2019 Session – March 9
Registration is completed on-line at Community Pass registration site
Cost: For 8 lesson session
- Private $480
- Advanced Private $560
- Semi-Private $448
- Group $368
Duration: 8 weeks
Spring Session starts the week of April 15, ends the week of June 3
Age Requirement: 6 and up (additional age and weight requirements for certain classes)
Open Riding Lessons- Our Open Riding Lessons do not require on- line registration or 8 week commitment. Reservation is required. Open Lessons are available during each lesson session. Each lesson is one hour long.
Cost: Per lesson
- Private $60
- Advanced Private $70
- Semi-Private $56
- Group $46
Reservation: Call (609) 730-9059 x 1 to make your reservation
Age Requirement: 6 and up (additional age requirements for certain classes)
Pony Rides- Good old fashioned pony ride!
Cost: $15 for 10 minutes
Reservation require: Call (609) 730-9059 x 1 to make your reservation
Age Recommendation: 2-10 years old
 Pony Ride Plus- With instruction, children learn to groom and tack their pony, go for a 10 minutes pony ride, and then help untack and groom again.
Cost: $35
Duration: Approximately 30 minutes.
Reservation required: Call (609) 730-9059 x 1 to make your reservation
Age Recommendation: 4-10 years old
Summer Camps- Eight weeks of our very popular half day riding summer camps run from the end of June through August. Camps run Monday-Friday and each week is specific to a riding level to ensure safety and to maximize the students’ learning. Summer camp registration opens Saturday February 2.
Cost: $395
Please refer to the Summer Camp Flyer for additional information and dates
Age Requirement: 6 and up (additional age , experience and weight requirements for certain classes)
Self-Guided Facility Walking Tour- Visitors are welcome to come during our normal operating hours; weekdays 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; weekends 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and stroll through all areas open to the public. This includes the two barns, around the outside of the riding rings and pastures, Educational Gardens, and Curlis Woods trails. For safety reasons, adults must remain mindful of children’s behavior, so no running or yelling around horses, and no feeding of the horses is allowed.
No Fee
4-H Horse Club - Started in October 2018, the only Mercer County 4H Horse Club calls Mercer Stables its home. Following the 4H curriculum, Club members will meet once a month to learn all aspects of owning and working with horses. There is no fee to join and participate in the 4H Horse Club. This program is a cooperative effort between Mercer Stables/Park Commission, Rutgers, and the Mercer County Extension Office.
No Fee
Registration required through 4-H website.
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