Starting Your Horse Riding Experience

A Preface from the Webmaster ... Horse riding can be a wonderful experience, but just like other things in life it needs to be done right to be enjoyable and beneficial to all involved. We like this guest journal entry because it begins with the horse riding basics, your initial decisions, an integral part of your long term horse riding enjoyment, success and safety. Begin Guest Journal Entry from Heather ... " So you or your child wishes to begin taking riding lessons. How do you go about this? Hopefully the following information will help. You need to first figure out which major seat you want to learn: English or Western. The main difference between the two, to an inexperienced observer, is the difference between the saddles. The Western saddle has a horn and swells on the front of the saddle, whereas the English saddle does not. Also, the western saddle uses a cinch around the horse’s belly to ensure the saddle stays put, whereas the English saddle uses a girth. The stirrups and leathers (or fender in the case of the Western saddle) will also look different, with the Western saddle’s being thicker and hardier. However, after one masters basic horse control in which the two seats don’t really differ, they do become more specialized and differ greatly. If you want to continue riding a Western seat, you can specialize in Western pleasure, reining, and of course the various rodeo events. If you wish to continue on in the English seat, you can specialize in dressage, jumping, and hunter-seat equitation. I personally rode both Western and English seats, but then went on and focused my energies into dressage. Do some research on the various disciplines; discover what you think you might want to do. If you are uncertain at this point, you can always change later on down the road. It is always good to learn as much as you can! After you gain an idea of the type of seat you want to begin in, you need to find a stable. The best way to do this is to check your local phone listings. When you are calling around, you must find out a few things. How much are the lesson prices? Can I come out and observe a lesson (this is a MUST!)? Do you use lesson horses? What is the background of your instructors? How long have they been instructing? Do you have private or group lessons? Typically group lessons will be less expensive. The more inquisitive you are, the better off you will be. Once you have decided on a stable that you would like to investigate further by observing a lesson (preferably a group lesson), there are some things that you need to look for. In the lesson, how does the instructor communicate with the student? Does he project his voice and make his instructions clear? Does the student follow the command with ease, confirming that he understands the instruction? If you are observing a group lesson, do the students have control of their horses? How many students are in the ring at the time with the instructor (preferably 8 or less)? How do the horses look? Do they look healthy? Do the barn grounds look well kept and safe? Does the instructor have the students groom and tack-up their own horses, even if they are lesson mounts? This last question is important to me, because I think horse care is an important aspect of the overall picture of equitation. After you have observed the lesson, and have deemed this stable and instructor to be the one for you, it is time to schedule your first lesson. Although group lessons are wonderful, I do insist that you schedule a few private lessons before you join the main group. Hopefully, your instructor will do the same. Even if you are a seasoned rider, it is good to get to know your instructor and how he teaches. This will help communication in the schooling ring within a group class. If this will be your first time taking lessons, it is wise to learn basic horse control before joining a group. When I was an instructor at a riding camp, I was forced to have students of all levels, from beginner to advanced, in my group lessons. It was rather frustrating, and unfair to the more advanced students, to have a beginner rider who didn’t understand horse control. Since they didn’t understand basic horse control, their horse would basically meander throughout the arena. I would have to give more attention to them in order to prevent an accident, as opposed to the rest of the class. Ultimately, if you learn horse control before entering a group class, you will benefit more from your lessons. Not only that, but you will excel faster in riding. I hope this crash course in how to begin your plunge into the world of horses helps you in some form. It is my desire that all experience the love and joy of working with horses, as I have. Good luck in your pursuits, and happy riding!"   End Guest Journal Entry from Heather, Posted 11-30-04   Good Advice, Thank You Heather!