Horsemanship That Builds Confidence, Connection, and Skill
Whether you’re returning to the saddle, wanting to hone your skills or just beginning your horse journey, Bear Creek offers a safe, supportive place to learn, grow, and belong.
About the Lesson Program
At Bear Creek, our students learn much more than simply how to start, stop and steer a horse. We also encourage cooperation, critical thinking and promote life-long learning.
Through the non-judgmental feedback they provide, our horses build confidence, encourage decisiveness, reward clear communication and increase self-awareness. The horses help our students hone relationship and leadership skills.
At Bear Creek, we teach why the fundamentals of horsemanship apply to all horse disciplines and how the balanced seat is key to bringing horses and riders into harmony with each other.
Students have their choice of tack (Western, English or Dressage) as best suits them. We work with all kinds of students, from those who have never touched a horse to those preparing to show. We have some of the best trained lessons horses there are and most are prize winning show horses. We listen to our horses, explain our processes and provide hands-on experience with our methodology.
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Lynn Sheen
DIRECTOR
Lynn grew up in the family’s boutique horse breeding business and on the national show circuit.
A prodigy, Lynn received her National Youth Recognition Award at the unprecedented age of ten and turned professional early on. Over the years, Lynn has started well over a hundred horses under saddle; trained and ridden numerous others.
Lynn personally won many national championships, reserve-championships and futurities. In addition, a couple dozen horses trained by Lynn and shown by riders she coached have won national titles.
Lynn has trained horses for most disciplines, but credits her success to the foundation in dressage basics she received at Centaur Farms in Bloomfield Hills MI.
Lynn is well known for her horses’ willing harmonious performances, highlighting effortless self-carriage, and for her ability to develop independent students who are able to monitor and critique their own winning performances.
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Claire Lesperance
RIDING INSTRUCTOR
Claire is an amazing young lady, popular instructor and studying to become a teacher.
A Bear Creek alum, Claire started out taking lessons at Bear Creek, progressed to showing for Bear Creek and has taught riding lessons at Bear Creek for years.
Bear Creek is extremely proud of the accomplishments of their “home grown instructor” and highly recommends her cheery teaching style to everyone from the youngest riders we accept (7 years old) just starting out to established winners wishing to refine their equation and technique over fences.
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Esther Robards-Forbes
HORSEMANSHIP INSTRUCTOR
Raised on a cattle ranch in the Texas Hill Country, Esther has been riding since the age of four. She honed her skills chasing cattle, riding fence lines, and later barrel racing as a teenager. Over the years, she’s worked as a trail guide and wrangler and taught countless young riders their first lessons in the saddle.
At Bear Creek, Esther brings a straightforward, easygoing teaching style that meets students where they are. She believes horsemanship is as much about growth and connection as it is about skill and that progress is measured not by comparison, but by the journey each rider takes with their horse.
Rediscover Your Passion or Learn Something New
New to Bear Creek? Here’s How to Begin.
Orientation
Meet and greet. See the facilities, meet our horses, learn more about our philosophy for life long learning and the variety of equestrian programs we offer.
Offered by appointment. 1 hour. $20.
*Fee can be applied to future lessons.
Evaluation Ride
For riders ages 7+ Required for all new students who want to ride horses, regardless of experience level or course requested.
Offered by appointment, 90 min with Lynn Sheen. $120.
Safety Class
Our single most important course — please pay attention, actively participate and ask lots of questions. Learn what things are risky, which are less so and how we mitigate the risks.
Offered by appointment. 1 hour. $30.
*Fee can be applied to future lessons.
Level 1 - Introductory Courses (no experience needed)
Principles of Horsemanship. Book now
Broad concepts of horse care, equine behavior and fundamental training principles. Introduces students to the basic tack, equipment and terminology used in the horse world. Weekly hands on ground activities, no riding and no previous horse experienced required. Limited to a max of six participants, 1 hr for six weeks $400.
Introduction to Riding
Casual introduction to riding, presented in a traditional hands-on riding format with extra emphasis on broader horsemanship principles — horse/tack care before and after riding, ground work and basic equine behavior. Provides an excellent introduction to what we offer at Bear Creek in a relaxed program. Weekly hands-on riding activities, no previous horse riding experience is required. Must be approved to ride independently in a group. Limited to a max of four participants, 90 min (45 minute max ride time) for six weeks $500.
Principles of Horsemanship & Introduction to Riding - Special Combined Summer Session for ages 7-12. AKA “Mother’s Morning Out (intro)”. Book now
Combination of the two courses, plus more, offered during the summer vacation. Designed as an educational and character building summer adventure with horses; also includes hands on horse care and fun activities. Encourages independent judgment while working together. No previous horse riding experience is required. Offered in the morning from 7:30 - 11:30 AM, limited to a max of six participants, for six weeks $900. 2025 Special Session begins Thursday July 10th.
Equestrian Fitness for Riding
Stretches and exercises specifically for Equestrians to gain strength and flexibility. Free for members, $10 otherwise.
Pilates for Equestrians
Equestrians in every discipline know the benefits of pilates. Our course is designed specifically for Equestrians. Free to members, $10 otherwise.
Level 2 - Beginner Courses:
Beginner Horsemanship
Deeper dive into horsemanship. Covers common horse care procedures, how equine psychology impacts alternative training methods and how different types of horses will respond differently. Includes general tack fitting issues, common speciality equipment and a more extensive list of the terminology used in the horse world. Weekly hands on ground activities, no riding, pre-requisite Principles of Horsemanship or the equivalent. Limited to a max of six participants, 1 hr for six weeks $400.
Beginner Riding
Casual beginner riding course to practice fundamental skills necessary to smoothly and consistently walk and trot independently on the rail and make smooth transitions. Similar skills to those required for successfully showing walk/trot equitation on the rail with simple pattern work. Presented in a traditional hands-on riding format with extra emphasis on understanding and applying broader horsemanship principles — horse/tack care before and after riding, ground work, basic equine behavior. Provides an excellent continuation after our Introduction to Riding course, allows students time to practice their riding skills in a more relaxed program.. Some previous horse riding experience is required, graduation from our Introductory Riding course for example. Must be approved to ride independently in a group at this level. Limited to a max of four participants, 90 min (45 minute max ride time) for six weeks $500.
Beginner Horsemanship & Riding - Special Combined Summer Session for ages 7-12. AKA “Mother’s Morning Out (beginner)”. Book now
Combination of the two courses, plus more, offered during the summer vacation. Designed as an educational and character building summer adventure with horses; also includes hands on horse care and fun activities. Encourages independent judgment while working together. Must be approved to ride independently in a group at this level. Offered in the morning from 7:30 - 11:30 AM, limited to a max of six participants, for six weeks $900. 2025 Special Session begins Tuesday July 8th.
Level 3 and beyond - Speciality Courses:
Private & Semi-Private Lessons (Riding and/or Ground). Private Bookings Only
Designed for individuals as part of their customized riding program instruction and includes targeted horsemanship principles as appropriate to the student(s). “One off” and ongoing evaluation lessons are primarily for students in courses at level 1 or 2 who are considering getting into a more serious, individually targeted, program.
Lynn Sheen: 90 min Private is $120 on a monthly plan and $140 for “occasional one offs”. 90 min Semi-Private is $90/each on monthly plan and $115 for “occasional one offs”. Ongoing 90 min Private Evaluations for students concurrently enrolled in another course are $120.
Other Instructors: 90 min Private is $100 on monthly plan and $120 for “occasional one offs”. 90 min Semi-Private is $85/each on monthly plan and $100 for “occasional one offs”.
Intermediate Riding
Casual intermediate riding course to practice fundamental skills necessary to smoothly and consistently walk, trot and canter independently on the rail and make smooth transitions. Similar skills to those required for successfully showing equitation on the rail with simple pattern work. Presented in a traditional hands-on riding format with extra emphasis on understanding and applying broader horsemanship principles — horse/tack care before and after riding, ground work, basic equine behavior. Provides an excellent continuation after our Beginner Riding course, allows students time to practice their riding skills in a more relaxed program.. Some previous horse riding experience is required, graduation from our Beginner Riding course for example. Must be approved to ride independently in a group at this level. Limited to a max of four participants, 90 min (45 minute max ride time) for six weeks $500,.
Intermediate Horsemanship
Dive way deep into horsemanship. Covers a wide variety of horse care topics, explores equine psychology and movement, examines the influence confirmation has on performance, etc. Includes speciality tack choice and fitting. Introduces discipline specific terminology and discusses how some terms have different meanings in different equine disciplines. Weekly hands on ground activities, no riding, pre-requisite Beginner Horsemanship or the equivalent. Limited to a max of six participants, 1 hr for six weeks $500.
Open Arena Supervised Riding
Social hour for horses and humans, great preparation for riding in groups on trails or at shows. Must be approved specifically for “open arena” group rides on the horse you are riding. Leased horse rides or $50 horse reservations, as available, first come first served (no advance reservations), currently enrolled students only.