Riding Clinics at Applewood

Clinics are held throughout the year for both eventers and dressage riders. All horses and riders from entry level through advanced are welcome! Participants are scheduled in groups of four to six, at the appropriate level for their stage of development and their goals.

Winter Jumping & Cavaletti Clinics

Applewood’s winter series of jumping clinics offer an opportunity to tune up your jumping skills and get ready for the spring season, while riding in comfort indoors on perfect footing.  Levels offered:  Intro/Starter through Preliminary.

Dressage riders enjoy the cavalletti-only sessions, which include cavalletti at walk, trot and canter, on straight lines and circles, plus exercises for lengthening and shortening strides. Each one of the three clinics in this series will include cavalletti-only sessions for dressage horses and riders.

Auditors may observe at no charge from the heated viewing lounge, which is equipped with a sound system. Complimentary refreshments are available all day.

Each group includes 4 to 6 riders and runs 1 ½ to 2 hours. Please indicate the date you prefer on the entry form – one date per clinic! You may enter the entire series at once, or enter individual clinics.

 
  • Cavaletti only
  • Starter:  x-rails to 2’3″;
  • Beginner Novice:  2’3” to 2’7”;
  • Novice:  2’7” to 2’11”;
  • Training:  2’11” to 3’3”;
  • Modified:  3’3″ to 3’5″
  • Preliminary:  3’5” to 3’7”

2026 Jumping Clinics

January

23rd, 24th, 25th

February

20th, 21st, 22nd

March

27th, 28th, 29th

New Dressage Tests Clinic

Discover the New USEA 2026 Dressage Tests

Join us at Applewood Farm on January 31 for a welcoming, educational clinic focused on the new USEA 2026 Dressage Tests. This clinic is open to judges, riders, and trainers who want to deepen their understanding of the updates, intent, and rideability of the new tests. Participants are invited to learn in the way that suits them best—observe comfortably from the heated viewing room or join us in the indoor arena for interactive, engaging discussions. Whether you’re preparing to teach, judge, or ride these tests, this clinic offers a relaxed and supportive environment to ask questions, share perspectives, and leave feeling confident and inspired.

Day 1 Demo rides – Marilyn will explain each new test with a demo horse and rider, followed by a discussion with both judges and riders. 30 min per test. 

Day 2 – Fix-a-test – riders can sign up to ride a test of their choice, then Marilyn will work with the rider on any elements she feels need improving for the remainder of the session.  30 minute per test, lunch will be served.

  • Fee: Demo rides: $100 per rider, $25 to audit.
  • Fix-a-test rides: $125 per rider, $25 to audit

2026 - New USEA Tests

January

31st

February

1st

Cross Country Clinics

Tune up your cross-country skills!  Get ready for the spring events, or enjoy the outdoors on your dressage horse!  Groups for Starter through Prelim levels, including cavaletti-only.  All groups will ride from the indoor arena to the outdoor and back, to avoid early-spring footing problems. Learn to trot, canter, gallop and jump from light into dark, and vice-versa. Work on galloping and balancing before fences, practice narrow fences, “fake” ditches, and turn questions outdoors.  Cavaletti groups will ride both indoors and out, working on lengthening and shortening strides, bending lines and going from light to dark and back again.

Cross-country clinics offer groups for every level, including Applewood’s very popular cavaletti-only group for dressage horses and riders. All groups consist of up to six riders; each group rides between one and two hours. Depending on the level, obstacles include ditches, banks, water and other appropriate XC questions.

  • Cavaletti only
  • Starter:  x-rails to 2’3″;
  • Beginner Novice:  2’3” to 2’7”;
  • Novice:  2’7” to 2’11”;
  • Training:  2’11” to 3’3”;
  • Modified:  3’3″ to 3’5″
  • Preliminary:  3’5” to 3’7”

Fee: $125 per rider per group

This clinic will be outdoors and will include a variety of obstacles on Applewood Farm’s cross-country courses. Groups of no more than six riders of similar experience will ride at levels ranging from Starter through Training, schooling over banks, ditches, logs, water and other obstacles, depending on the appropriateness of these challenges for the level of each group.  A special group for dressage riders will consist of cavaletti only, and will include questions such as bending lines, riding up and down gentle grades, lengthening and shortening strides, and a shallow water crossing.

April

11th & 12th

Summer 1

TBD

Summer 2

TBD