Our riding program - through mastery of 21st Century skills, structured exploration, teamwork and understanding a partnership with horses - excels at developing the whole girl who has the tools for a successful life.
The Chatham Hall Riding Program is a dynamic and unique experience among equestrian boarding schools. Our riding program offers the American Forward System of Riding fundamentals in accordance with modern hunter and equitation styles. Students learn the theory behind the instruction and how to handle a variety of horses. Taking a holistic approach to lessons, students benefit from mounted and unmounted instruction, a fitness plan, best dietary habits, and sports psychology. This approach to training the equestrian athlete ensures achievement while competing as well as with any challenge at hand.
The Interscholastic Equestrian Team (IEA) is an integral part of Chatham Hall Riding. This team travels and competes at different venues locally and nationally. The IEA is an opportunity for our equestrian athletes to showcase their skill “catch-riding” and is a building step towards showing in college. Within the past four years, Chatham Hall has had two trips to the national finals as a team earning Reserve Champion in 2015 and placing fourth in 2016.
Equestrian athletes also have the opportunity to show in USEF rated and association shows within Virginia and North Carolina. Riders can take their own horse or lease a school owned horse to these events.