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Girls standing with a horse

Normantown Equestrian Center

 

The Plainfield Park District offers a variety of equestrian lessons and activities at the Normantown Equestrian Center, a 6-acre facility on Normantown Road, just south of 119th Street.

The center features a large 78×180-foot indoor riding arena with a heated observation area, a small indoor riding arena, two large outdoor riding arenas, and five paddocks. The stable has 48 11×12-foot stalls and includes a renovated indoor wash rack, as well as a club room/classroom. NTEC does not offer trail rides or therapeutic riding.

Registration for group lessons and special programs can be done by using the registration form link below, registering online with the information below, or by going to NTEC or the Prairie Activity & Recreation Center (PARC). Return the completed registration form and payment to NTEC or PARC. Students are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. A waiting list will be created and program and camp sections will be added if needed. NTEC does not participate in a lottery.

Registration Form

Long pants and sturdy shoes with a half-inch heel are required to ride. Open-toed/open-heeled shoes, gym shoes, and flip flops are prohibited and cannot be worn while riding. Riding helmets must be worn while on horseback. All private lesson students must provide their own ASTM/SEI certified horseback riding helmet. Those without proper riding attire are not allowed to participate. There is a 250-pound weight limit for riders. Private lessons are for riders 8 years and older. Payment is due at the time of service.

A liability release form must be filled out and signed before you can begin riding. All participants are expected to follow the barn rules and regulations that are posted at the stable.

NTEC Release Form

Riding decisions are based on the health and safety of our participants and horses. Horse theory classes are provided and feature topics such as wrapping, grooming, nutrition, and other equestrian educational topics at times when riding is not appropriate. If you choose to cancel your lesson because of the weather with less than 24 hours notice, you will be billed for the lesson. If NTEC decides to cancel riding lessons, you will be notified and not charged for the lesson. Lesson will be cancelled if weather is below 10 degrees or above 100 degrees.

Please check our Statusfy site for the most-up-to-date weather information.

The Normantown Equestrian Center is currently accepting applications for volunteers!

Volunteer Details

Full Board
  • $1,025 per month
  • Includes four lessons on boarded horse. Lessons do not roll over monthly. Additional fees apply if using a school horse.
  • Daily turnout weather permitting
  • Fed AM, Lunch and PM
  • Stall cleaned 6 days per week (no Saturday cleaning but supplies are available for private owners cleaning)
  • Will feed supplements in grain as long as they are put in storage containers
  • $1,025 refundable deposit required.
Partial Board
  • $700 per month
  • Daily turnout weather permitting
  • Owner responsible for stall cleaning
  • Fed AM, Lunch and PM
  • $700 refundable deposit required.
Dry Stall Board
  • $350 per month if using non-barn shavings
  • $450 per month if using barn shavings (includes 10 wheelbarrows that do not roll over monthly). Additional shavings may be purchased through the barn.
  • We provide a stall and 1/3 of an empty stall for storage of supplies
  • You provide hay, grain, buckets, wheelbarrow, pitchfork and labor for the care of your horse
  • Co-op schedule is available but is worked out privately among other dry stall boarders
  • The barn sells shavings and grain by the scoop
  • $350/$450 refundable deposit required.

Additional services are available upon request for a fee TBD.

The stalls are 11X12′. We offer two indoor arenas (one is heated) and a furnished clubroom with air conditioning and heat.

Private lessons are available for riders ages 8 and older. The fee for ½ hour private lesson is $45 for boarders or $55 for non-boarders. Contact Amanda Bergman at bergman@plfdparks.org to schedule.

Private Lesson Availability

Private non-boarder lessons are $55 each for a half hour and a minimum of four must be purchased at a time. Permanent weekly lessons are tuition based and billed on the first of each month. More detailed information will be given after scheduling.

LESSON PACKAGES WILL EXPIRE IF NOT USED WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF PURCHASE.

Barn Hours

Monday through Friday 9AM-8PM | Saturday and Sunday 9AM-7PM | Closed on major holidays

Registration

Registration for group lessons and special programs can be done by using the registration form on this page, registering online, or by going to Normantown Equestrian Center (NTEC) or the Prairie Activity & Recreation Center (PARC). Return the completed registration form and payment to NTEC or PARC. Students are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. A waiting list will be created if needed. NTEC does not participate in a lottery.

Release Form

A Liability Release Form must be filled out and signed before you can begin riding. All participants are expected to follow the barn rules and regulations that are posted at the stable.

Riding Attire

Long pants and sturdy shoes with a half-inch heel are the safest to wear when riding. Open-toed/open-heeled shoes, gym shoes, and flip flops are prohibited and cannot be worn while riding. Riding helmets must be worn while on horseback. All private lesson students must provide their own ASTM/SEI certified horseback riding helmet. Those without proper riding attire are not allowed to participate.

Meet and ride our ponies!

Check our registration page for available pony ride events. Click HERE to view.

Earn your grooming badge at NTEC! Scouts learn the basics of horse safety and are shown how to properly groom a horse. Children are divided into small groups after the demonstration to clean up a horse or pony. The grooming session is followed by a short ride on a horse or pony that is led by a handler. There is no riding instruction included. Sessions are offered by appointment only on available Sunday afternoons, May through October. We can tailor the classroom portion to fit your troop’s requirements. NTEC does not provide the badges. Sessions are 1 ½ hours long.

Ages 8 & up | $35 per child | Min. 5/Max. 12

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Meet the NEC Crew!

Ruth the Mule

Ruth

Breed: Mule
Color: Dun
Riding Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Fun Fact: A mule is a cross between a horse and a donkey.

Thomas the Horse

Tom

Breed: Thorougbred
Color: Bay
Riding Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced
Fun Fact: He doesn’t wear shoes.

Coco

Coco

Breed: POA
Color: Chestnut
Riding Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Fun Fact: She is the smallest lesson horse.

Bird

Breed: Thoroughbred
Color: Bay
Riding Skill Level: Advanced
Fun Fact: She was previously used as an eventing horse

Shrek

Breed: Draft Cross
Color: Chestnut
Riding Skill Level: Beginner
Fun Fact: He is the biggest lesson horse

Baylee

Breed: Quarter Horse
Color: Bay
Riding Skill Level: Beginner thru Advanced
Fun Fact: She prefers cantering on her right lead

Horse Motley

Motley

Breed: Paint
Color: Tobiano
Riding Skill Level: Beginner thru Advanced
Fun Fact: He is the youngest school horse

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