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The Student Experience
Weekly Lesson
Small groups organized into Lesson Pods on a semester basis with a reoccurring weekly ride time which can vary from morning to late afternoon based on students' class schedules.
Equipment & Tack
Riders bring their own helmets & boots. Personal saddles are optional (provided they fit school horses).
All remaining tack is provided.
Horse Shows
Completely optional up to twice a semester we coordinate add-on experiences to local rated & unrated shows or off-site riding fun.
Transportation
Group transportation is coordinated from campus to/from the barn by lesson pod. If there is any wait time at the barn, riders have access to the Lounge equiped with study space & wifi.
The Student Experience
Frequently Asked 💬
For the 2026-2027 academic year, we are able to welcome experienced English riders to participate in programming. In this case, we define "experienced" as individuals who at a minimum who can tack up independently, WTC with correct understanding of leads/diagonals. For more advanced riders, please note that we intend to source school horses jumping up to 3ft.
Space is limited & we cannot guarantee a riding slot for all interested students. Enrollment periods for riding programs happen ahead of each semester. Enroll in riding programs on a semester by semester basis or secure in the Fall for the entire academic year. Please check back for more information in Spring 2026.
Unfortunately, we do not offer Western riding nor Dressage at this time.
This program is designed first and foremost to serve the needs of undergraduate students, but we do offer ways for graduate and professional students actively enrolled in Vanderbilt University programs to engage. There are limited weekly riding program slots for Grad+ students in addition to periodic (~3x semester) programs. Plus, all graduate and professional students may join us for quarterly social events & bi-annual Horsemanship Clinics.
Riding programs include options to ride once or twice per week during the academic year, excluding school breaks. Riders should budget approximately 2.5 hours per ride, which includes commute time (30 minutes each way) plus tacking/grooming and ride time.
We strive to conclude the fall & spring semester programming prior to Finals Weeks.
Riders are responsible for providing their own helmets, boots, riding pants, and when applicable show attire. Riders' helmets and boots must adhere to USEF safety guidelines. During lessons, personal saddles are welcome & may be used by riders, provided they safety fit their assigned horse.
We provide tack (including optional school saddles) for all horses in the the program.
Group transportation, including pre-paid rideshares and carpooling will be provided to and from each lesson. Riders with their own transportation are welcome to use it and are eligible for car pool incentives if they commit to driving members of their Lesson Pod each week.
Participation in local competitions and off-site riding will be made available to experienced riders who wish to participate. Offerings will vary in the Fall and Spring semesters.
Program dues are billed per semester, they are inclusive of weekly riding lesson(s) and optional transportation to weekly lessons. Pricing for the upcoming academic year to be posted in Spring 2026.
Additional riding opportunities may be available at added costs and billed monthly.
At present there are no scholarships available for Program Fees, however it a goal of our Alumni Board to secure such opportunities in the future.
School horses will be available that align with the experience and competition level of current program participants.
We are actively looking for academic year care leases for qualified horses who can serve intermediate to advanced riders. The value of your care lease is tax deductible as Vanderbilt Equestrian is a 501c3. Contact us to learn more.
Maybe. Private boarding for personal horses depends on availability of stalls. Contact us to better understand current openings.
If you would like to donate your horse for an academic year care lease to the team, there are opportunities to do so. Note, in this case, your horse would be fully engaged in the team's lesson program.
We strive to create a curated and connected community. This is an opportunity for riders to remain active during college. It's educational, with Horsemanship Skills Clinics offered each semester with local equine veterinarian and industry experts.
It's networking and professional development with Alumni engagement at quarterly events.
It's a wellness break, get out of the Vandy bubble and away from Midtown, join us out on the farm for fresh air and horses.
It's a balancing act, we do have a Study Lounge with workspace and wifi to help navigate the time constraints of being at the barn. Pop in as needed throughout your time onsite.
At present this is an independently run Tennessee-based nonprofit community designed for equestrians with the common-bond of being enrolled at Vanderbilt University. It is not directly affiliated with Vanderbilt Student Clubs & Activities and thus not eligible to participant in Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association (IHSA).
Despite our leadership team's efforts, Vanderbilt is not able to offer this degree of engagement presently. It is our collective hope that we might be able to restore Vanderbilt's eligibility for IHSA competition at a later date and thus operating this program with many of its programmatic precedent in mind.
For clarification, Vanderbilt Equestrian did operate as an official IHSA team, founded in 2023 and active in Hunt Seat until becoming dormant in 2022.
LOCATION
Based in Franklin, TN
© 2026 by Vanderbilt Equestrian 501c3