FAQ

While deciding whether or not to join U.S.R. Hippeia you may have several questions. In order to help you out we’ve gathered the most frequently asked questions and their answers for you here on this page. If you have any further questions feel free to contact us by sending an email to info@hippeia.nl

I am an international student, can I become a member?
Yes, as an international student you can become a member of Hippeia. Whether you’re here for one semester or your entire bachelor/master, you’re always welcome to join us. Many international students join us not only to be able to continue their sports here, but also to make new friends. One of the benefits of becoming a member for you as international student is that you will join a group of Dutchies who, speak English, are willing to help you with learning the Dutch language, getting to know Utrecht and any other questions or problems you may have.

What are the costs?
The membership fees for Hippeia members are as follows:

Riding and non-riding members pay €35 per year.
If you become a member halfway through the year, you pay a reduced rate.
Donors pay a minimum of €35 per year.

As a riding member (if you attend weekly lessons), you pay lesson fees to the riding school. At the moment, the lesson fee for a weekly subscription is €94.06 per month (reference date: October 2025). This includes discounts from the riding school, Hippeia, and Olympos.

In addition, you need an Olympas with SSV registration in order to ride at the discounted rate. The cost of this is €175 per year (reference date: September 2025). For the most up-to-date information about the Olympas, please visit the Olympos website.

It is also possible to take individual lessons without a subscription. The cost for this is €32.50 per lesson (reference date: September 2025). Please note that riders with a subscription have priority when scheduling lessons, and that occasional riders cannot reserve a fixed spot in a lesson.

Lesson prices may change in the future, so for the most up-to-date rates, please send an email to info@hippeia.nl.

Is there a weight limit for riders?
Yes, our riding school applies a weight limit to ensure the welfare of our horses.
Horses carry not only the rider’s weight while riding, but also that of the saddle.
Excessive weight can lead to back and joint problems for the horse.

The maximum rider weight limit at the riding school is 75 kg (including riding clothing, boots, and helmet).

Do you have any questions or are you unsure about anything? Feel free to contact us, we are happy to think along with you.

No worries if you are above the weight limit! You can still become a member and take part in (horse-related) activities that have no weight limit or a higher limit.

Do you offer lessons in other languages than Dutch?
Our instructor will take any foreign member into account. This means that the lesson will be given in Dutch but will be repeated in English for the non-Dutch speaking rider.

Can I get a try-out lesson?
Yes you can! You are always welcome at the stables during Wednesday evenings to get an idea of what the association is like. If you want to come and give riding a try, you can ask for a try-out lesson by sending an e-mail to the board at info@hippeia.nl.

What duties do I have as a member of Hippeia?
At Hippeia you have very little duties. One of them would be showing up if you have decided to become a riding member. You can cancel your riding lesson latest 24 hours in advance.

How often are there activities?
There are lots of activities every month. Every first Wednesday of the month we have drinks together at our pub in Utrecht. We also eat together once every month before the lessons on the third Wednesday of the month. The bar committee prepares a meal for everyone who wants to join. You can sign up for these meals (we call them “Daghap”) the day before and the costs are 4 euros. Apart from that there are different activities each month such as the national student competition and events organized by Hippeia’s event’s committee which include trail rides, jumping clinics, cross clinics, natural horsemanship and non horse-related activities.

When can I become a member?
You can become a member throughout the year. Hippeia has no deadlines for this. We also don’t do student hazing.

I don’t have any experience with horse riding, but I would like to learn. Is that also possible?
You sure can! Every so often stables ‘t Hoogt organizes a beginnerscourse for students with little to no experience with horse riding. In four lessons you will learn the basics of horsemanship after which you can join our beginners lessons on the Wednesday evenings. If you want more info about this, you can contact us by sending an email to info@hippeia.nl.