May we talk about riding lessons?

[MomOfOneFunOne]

My girl would dearly love to have a horse in her life and she has for a very, very, long time. We live in the city, I had horses growing up so I have an idea of $/time required, and I know how much we can (or in this case, cannot) afford; all this makes it impossible for my daughter to have a horse right now.

 

We're looking at riding lessons but I want to go in with eyes wide open. Lessons is something I never had so experience can't inform my decision in any way.

 

I'd like to know everything you know, everything you wish you had known before getting into it, what I'm really getting into beyond what I think I'm getting into (for example, when I signed my girl up for violin I knew I was getting into violin. what I didn't think through was orchestra concerts, concert outfits and cookies/punch, fiddle contests, et c).

 

Any experienced moms/dads out there who can give me good inside info?

[Laura Corin]

Hobbes has been taking riding lessons for the last eighteen months. We have only done the once-a-week lessons. There have been no kit requirements: they provide a helmet and are happy with his wearing any sturdy boot with a heel (they also loan out boots if necessary). So far that's it.

 

Laura

[wbtx]

your daughter will take lessons at participates in Shows. The shows can get expensive because you may need jacket, boots,etc and then our stable charged a hauling fee for the horse and an extra lesson fee. My daughter rode for about 5 years and still would but once she got old enough to drive she had to make a difficult choice (lol). I think its a great sport overall though, and wish you and your daughter luck.

[lllll]

..

[Kate in Arabia]

The kids and I started riding lessons last week! The stables provide helmets, and body vests for the kids. I haven't talked about it with the instructor, but my goal is just to have general riding proficiency, I'm not interested in shows. Of course, my kids may disagree with me on that in the future, but that is what we're going with for now.

 

They only required closed shoes; and my middle ds couldn't find both shoes last week so they gave him a special saddle that had an enclosed stirrup and he rode with sandals. I am really happy with the way the lessons are run (so far).

[Nakia]

My oldest daughter has been taking lessons for several years. We are on our 2nd instructor. The first was very focused on shows, and that was not our goal so we found a new one. We are so happy with this instructor. The only thing I have had to buy is riding boots, and those are not that expensive. Anna is learning Parelli natural horsemanship, which is amazing. I love to watch the communication between horse and rider. It is a beautiful thing!!

[Pink Fairy]

I wouldn't invest any money in special clothing or equipment until you are sure your dd enjoys *real* horses. We discovered that my horse crazy daughter loved the idea of horses more than the reality. She had several lessons, but quickly decided it wasn't for her. I was a little sad, actually. All the horse books and stories she'd been pouring over the last two years never get looked at anymore. :sad:

[sassenach]

DD12 takes once a week group lessons. The hardest reality for us has been that while we can only afford once a week lessons, there are a lot of girls who get daily lessons. The end result being that they progress a whole lot faster than she does. Christmas provided us with chance to have grandparents purchase her equipment. Up until then, she had been wearing jeans and using the stable's boots. She received boots and 2 pairs of breeches ($150). It's not a cheap sport. Shows are very expensive, but we don't plan to get that far into it. We will do the 2 practice shows that the stable does a year (still expensive for us, about $60 a show) and that is it. She does love it, and that's what matters to me.

[Closeacademy]

My youngest has been doing lessons at a local stable. They are one on one and we can only afford 2 lessons per month. We did buy her boots ($20) and gave her a helmet and gloves for Christmas. The stable has helmets and she could just wear tennis shoes or a heeled shoe but my dd wanted to have the look.

 

Her lessons are an hour long (but usually last 1 1/2 hours). My dd gets to go out into the pasture and lead the horse she rides into the barn where there is a large riding area. She then gets to prep the horse for riding--brushing, cleaning hooves and helping to put on the blanket and saddle (her teacher does most of the work but my dd is learning how to care for a horse).

 

Then she gets to work on riding. She is small and weighs very little so she has spent a lot of time working on using the reins. Sometimes, her teacher will get up behind her on the horse and take her for a trail ride on the property but most of the time they work in the barn. Her teacher uses games that get both my dd and the horse (it is an older lazy horse) moving and doing things.

 

After the lesson, my dd gets to help put away the saddle and brush the horse down again before taking her back to the pasture.

 

Right now, my youngest is too young for shows and stuff around her and I haven't asked about that. But I have looked at the catalogs and the gear can get expensive. I do know that if we wanted to for the cost of boarding a horse we can rent one that my dd could ride anytime she wanted to.

 

Hope this helps.:001_smile:

[OnTheBrink]

DD is has been taking lessons since October. We were required to provide a helmet and boots, but they said a bike helmet was fine. I did end up getting a riding helmet, used from a friend, so it was not expensive. We weren't required to buy specific riding boots, but I did, since we were going to have to buy boots anyway (dd had no appropriate footwear for riding).

 

I told the instructor that we're not interested in shows, Dd just wants to ride for fun, and it's not been a problem at all. Her lessons are every other week. If dd gets more into this, we might beef it up to weekly lessons. Overall, it's been a great experience for dd.

[mooooom]

At the age of 13, my dh brought her to the local stable and just asked if she could come and help out - she wanted large animal experience as she is interested in being a vet. She went for 3-4 hours a week and groomed horses, helped the younger kids w/ their horses, fed and watered horses, led them around the ring with really little kids on them, etc. After about a month they started throwing her in to a group lesson, for free.

 

Then that stable moved a half hour away and we brought her to a different stable, asked if she could volunteer, and she was off. They also offered her lessons after a few weeks, and sometimes she just goes into the ring between lessons and rides by herself.

 

We did not have the money for lessons, and never even thought she would have the opportunity to get on a horse. She does 4H dog and has her full responsibility for her own dog, and shows him all summer; riding lessons were never in the budget, but her experience has been tremendous... not to mention free.

 

Just thought I'd mention it as another possible option.

[Brigitte]

First you would have to decide if she wants to ride English or Western. Stables tend to do one or the other, not both.

 

I would buy a helmet and boots. We get them at Dover Saddlery (they have a website), but Tractor Supply does also carry the helmets. A child's helmet is about $40 and the paddock boots (not leather) are $30-$35. Even if the stable supplied them, I would buy my own if I were you.

 

Just like dance studios, different stables have differnt expectations for showing. Our stable does not require it, but it is hard to avoid it when everyone else is doing it.

 

If you live in a cold climate, I would find a stable that has an indoor ring. Some of our friends go to a stable that does not have an indoor ring, so their lessons are cancelled from the end of October until some time in March. One particular friend has her kids in the 4-H program and they miss all winter (no indoor ring) and the lessons do not continue in the summer. That is fine for a kid who is looking to ride, but never really excel at the sport, but for a kid who is serious about riding, it would never do.

 

Word of mouth is also important. Check references, etc. While accidents don't happen with great frequency, a program that emphasizes safety is very important.

 

hth's

 

ETA - It is important that she get experience grooming the horse in prep for her lessons and untacking etc. I wouldn't use a stable that all the child has to do is walk in the door and get on the horse

Edited February 6, 2010 by Brigitte

[HSMom2One]

We have had our dd in lessons for the past year, and it has been a huge boost in her life. She has a fantastic instructor, a young college-aged woman who is passionate about horses, and who teaches dd about horses as well as about how to ride. If dd wants to get into showing, her instructor will help and support with that. If dd is happy just to come over and ride and get experience, that is okay too.

 

A helmet is provided with the lessons, and we just made a decision during the winter that dd needs to get riding pants finally due to the seams of her jeans rubbing on her inner legs and hurting. Her instructor is going to take us to a consignment shop to look for a good, gently used pair before we shell out for brand new.

 

All in all, I think riding lessons are wonderful for a girl as long as she is interested in them. We've also learned that introducing horses to preteen girls often times delays their interest in the opposite sex -- an added bonus that we really hope will be the case for dd. :D

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[shanvan]

Find out how many lesson horses the stable has and what they are able to do by watching lessons. Don't take the instructor's word for it. Also see if the barn is mostly about boarding and showing.

 

My poor daughter had an awful year of riding lessons because the pony she was using got sick. The only other pony available is just burnt out. She's been ready to canter and jump for quite some time, but the pony can't do it. He's been overused and his legs can't take it. They didn't tell us this-- I figured it out. She could barely get this pony to move. They kept telling her it would make her a better rider, or that her legs just weren't strong enough. Meanwhile...I took her to ride a friend's pony (in the photo with my dd) all through the summer. She canters on him just fine. I started teaching her small jumps myself.

 

The problem is that the barn where she took lessons does not want to invest money in lesson ponies. They want the big bucks they get from boarding and horse shows. So, if we aren't going to buy our own horse (and pay over $700 a month for board plus extra for lessons) my daughter is out of luck. They just keep a couple ponies to get the kids hooked until they are willing to buy their own.

 

HTH

 

Shannon

[Ottakee]

You don't mention how old your daughter is but I HIGHLY suggest that you find a lesson place that teaches all of the basics of horse care--leading, grooming, tacking, basics of health, etc. None of this hop up on a tacked up horse, ride, hop down and leave.

 

You might see if a local 4H leader gives riding lessons. I pay $35/hour for mine now but they are from a professional trainer and I am riding at $10,000 horse (NOT mine). For my girls, I pay $25/hour and that is for both of them from the local 4H leader.

 

You want to make sure that they focus on safety--requiring helmets for all kids working with the horses, being taught safety rules around horses, etc.

 

What style of riding does your daughter want to do? Western or English? Then in these are trail riding, reining, showing, jumping, and an million of other options--some inexpensive, some very expensive. Then within the show world there are some very inexpensive "fun" shows all the way up to very expensive breed and other shows. My daughter rode her pony in a show wearing a $5 used outfit and paid $3 for the class. Other shows, riders might pay $500 or more for their outfit.

 

Riding is a lot of fun. Right now my girls each have their own horses and I am on the search for one for myself. We mostly trail ride but my girls do a few of the very small fun shows and my 13dd is in 4H this year.

 

Oh, and on equipment, ask around for when/where they are having used tack sales. In our area we have 4 or 5 big ones coming up. I can buy nice leather boots for $5-15, used riding clothes for just a few dollars, etc.--it doesn't matter if they have small stains, etc. just for lessons. These sales can save you a fortune in clothes, boots, tack, etc.

[Journey]

I want to agree with the last poster who said that it is more important to find a barn where they teach basic horsemanship (grooming the horse, learning to tack up, ride, untack, groom etc). This is so important. So many (girls) today just think they can get a horse, ride it and get off and be done. No way. There is so much more involved in riding than riding. When a child is taught proper horsemanship, they learn so much responsibility. Having said that...if I were to look for a barn for a beginner rider, I would try to find a place that has several lesson horses/ponies. Imagine being a lesson horse who does 3-5 lessons per day. That is very hard on the horse and these kinds of horses tend to be "push button" which means they already know everything and many of them know the instructors voice and will start to trot when the instuctor says the word, which in turn, doesn't teach the rider what she needs to do to make the horse trot. Secondly, and I don't like to say this but, taking one riding lesson a week isn't really a good thing. I know that most people can only afford one lesson a week but it just isn't enough. Not sure how old your daughter is but if she can find a working position at a barn what she will learn will be priceless. My daughter started riding (one lesson a week) at her last barn and because she offered to work (and listened to the owner and did what he wanted her to do) he took her under his wing and she rode in 6 lessons a week and he would trailer her to shows for free, I only had to pay for the classes. Now, this is a little unusual but not unheard of. Barn owners (especially larger barns) know that good helpers are worth their weight in gold and will do what they can to keep good help. My daughter started riding with the idea and desire to show, we both felt that she needed to have a goal instead of just taking riding lessons because she loved horses, that is expensive. I look at riding as more than a hobby, it is a sport just like soccer or ballet and I think that it's good for a child to aim toward something...in our case it is showing. As for the riding helmet, I would not use a bicycle helmet, they are not the same thing and I would invest in a good pair of paddock boots and breeches. Jeans tend to pinch and just don't feel right, especially if your daughter is interested in English riding. The trainer is most important. If I were you I would read up on horses/riding so that you don't get taken for a ride. Because I have been invovled with horses for over 30 years, I cringe when I listen to these "trainers" of little kids who tell the parents things that just aren't necessary. My advice is to read up and educate yourself so that you know what the trainer is saying to you and you don't end of spending more money than you need to. I can honestly tell you that there aren't too many things more beautiful than watching your daughter handling an 1100 lb. animal and making it do what she wants it to do. I cry so often when I watch my daughter and her horse, it is so beautiful. I wish you the best and if you need any other information, please feel free to PM me. I've been on both sides of the fence, as a mom and also as a teacher (not alot but I have taught lessons too!).

[Ottakee]

Having your daughter help out at the barn also teaches her the WORK involved in a horse. They need to be fed 2-4 times a day, EVERY day---EVEN Sundays, when the weather is bad, you are sick, want to go on vacation, etc. Horses also POOP--a LOT and that needs to be cleaned up. Water buckets need to be cleaned and filled daily, etc.

 

When my girls were riding with a friend of mine--not real lessons but being led around on the horses when they were younger, she also had them scooping poop, helping to brush, etc.

 

Now they each have their own ponies and they can do everything on their own if needed---bring them in, feed, sort the grain, throw out the hay, scoop the poop, clean stalls, put in new bedding, brush, tack, etc.

 

Another positive about horses (that someone else mentioned) is that girls that are really into horses, often aren't really into boys as a teen.

[Mommyof4ks]

My dd started lessons last year. She goes once a week to a friend's house just outside of town, and it has been great. We bought a helmet, but other than that nothing special. She wears jeans, a t-shirt and walking shoes. She cleans the pony, saddles him up and leads or rides him to the arena. A place that starts them out on ponies might be a good idea too, because if my dd had started out on a full sized horse she would have quit the first day. It is a very different view from atop a horse. :D

 

We don't do shows, this is just to encourage her in her love of horses. If you are interested in shows, then look for a place that does well in local shows so that she 'learns from the winners' so to speak.

[Kate in Arabia]

The stables we are using also work in caring for the horse, they send you to the stable where your horse is when you get there to help the groom get him/her ready, and have you lead it back and watch/help get him/her "unready" when you're done.

 

I also didn't realize that when they say you have a 45 min lesson, that starts when you are on the horse and in the ring. My first thought was that 45 min starts when you get to the stables and start working with the horses, but that is not how they do it here.

[gemrae]

DD8 has been taking lessons this past year. She arrives half an hour before the lesson to fetch the horse in the pasture, tack up and get the horse to the arena. They spend a full hour on the horses then another 15-20 untacking. I spend almost two hours there for one lesson (and it's cold out there this time of year!!). Cost - $20/lesson. We got a great deal because this instructor wanted to start a homeschool program so she is doing it to encourage us. We have five homeschooled girls riding currently.

 

Helmets are provided and the instructor encourages the girls at this age not to spend too much on boots. She says the thinsulate hiking boots you can get at Walmart are good for the winter. DD grows a size every few months so I'd rather not spend a fortune on riding boots just yet. Having said that, there is always someone selling used boots/helmets, etc. at the riding farm so you can probably pick those up for a good price.

[KidsHappen]

My girls used to ride. Hour lessons once a week plus shows whenever they had them. It is not a cheap activitity. In the beginning, I just let them wear their regular clothes and borrow helmets from the stable until I was sure they were going to stick with it but eventually you have to buy paddock boots, chaps, riding pants, a helmet, a jacket for shows, show fees and so on. The did learn general horsemanship so that they also knew how to care for the horses - feeding, washing, brushing, mucking the stalls and so on. My youngest was maybe five at the time so they pretty much had no fear although they sometimes scared me to death. If you child rides long enough they will hit the ground a few times. We eventually had to give it up due to cost. Four girls with lessons, shows and camps simply got to be too much.

[Guest]

I agree with everyone who says to do some asking about and observing. Most schools/stables here are show-centered. Make sure you find someplace that is focused on developmental riding, does not push kids to own horses (that's how they make a lot of money, by boarding and training horses) and show all the time. HUGELY expensive. Like a second mortgage payment expensive.

 

Also I agree with everyone who says that your child should be learning all about taking care of the horse, not just riding. The very first lesson my daughter had, she had to go get the horse (the teacher went with her and told her how to do everything, but my daughter had to do it), lead it to the cross-ties, groom it, pick hoofs, saddle up, and lead the pony into the arena. After riding, she had to do everything again in reverse. At first this took a really long time, but after a bit it gets quicker and easier. Still, a half hour riding lesson takes us a good hour and a half, because my daughter loves to take her time grooming and loving up the horse, and give all the horses carrots or treats after.

 

Because my daughter so obviously loves the horses, she was given a job helping at summer camp one year (leading kids on ponies, fetching and grooming) and now has a work-study arrangement where she works several hours a week taking care of the horses in exchange for riding time or free lessons. This helps enormously with costs for us.

 

Our stable also arranged a show experience for her after her first summer of volunteering. We bought second-hand riding clothes and boots but it was still expensive. The school now offers kids who do not own or lease horses (that's us) a chance to do three or so shows a year if they are interested. We only pay the show registration fees. Still a stretch, but with the free lessons we get through my daughter's work experience we can just manage.

 

The shows are not the end goal for my daughter's teacher, which I really appreciate. They're just about another form or aspect of riding, about having to memorize a course and ride under that pressure, and about coming to watch other kids ride and cheer them on. There is often a barbecue or party afterwards, so it's a social occasion. The kids set up horse jumps and run over them themselves and judge one another on form and style. I really appreciate the informal, developmental nature of our school and was really just lucky to find it on my first try.

[Ottakee]

Another option is to find someone with a GOOD, BEGINNER SAFE horse that will give her a few lessons to see if that is what she wants or not. You want to get started off right, but sometimes after a few lessons the kids decide they would rather do something else. Again, make sure safety is a top priority anywhere you go.

 

My girls were out riding again today. They were riding through the snow making patterns as they went.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Our 3 dd's learned to ride from a neighbor who had lots of horses and offered to teach them. Dh always went with them. They rode in the woods. They started with nothing; but we eventually bought them all helmets. This guy just loves his horses and loves to ride. And the price was right. :)

 

Do you know anyone with many horses who would like to have them exercised once a week? Our dd's also helped get the horses ready to ride and groomed them afterwards. His horses were a little "wild", says dh. Dd's loved it though.

 

Boy, wouldn't that be great!

[MomOfOneFunOne]

DD12 takes once a week group lessons. The hardest reality for us has been that while we can only afford once a week lessons, there are a lot of girls who get daily lessons. The end result being that they progress a whole lot faster than she does. Christmas provided us with chance to have grandparents purchase her equipment. Up until then, she had been wearing jeans and using the stable's boots. She received boots and 2 pairs of breeches ($150). It's not a cheap sport. Shows are very expensive, but we don't plan to get that far into it. We will do the 2 practice shows that the stable does a year (still expensive for us, about $60 a show) and that is it. She does love it, and that's what matters to me.

 

That's kind of what I was worried about. Lessons alone are expensive . . . and then add shows, et c . . . I think being able to care for a horse and ride it are all she wants but then once in, will I start hearing how important the shows are?

 

hmmmm . . . .

[MomOfOneFunOne]

My oldest daughter has been taking lessons for several years. We are on our 2nd instructor. The first was very focused on shows, and that was not our goal so we found a new one. We are so happy with this instructor. The only thing I have had to buy is riding boots, and those are not that expensive. Anna is learning Parelli natural horsemanship, which is amazing. I love to watch the communication between horse and rider. It is a beautiful thing!!

 

Parelli: I'll have to look into that. "Natural Horsemanship" sounds like something good.

[Ottakee]

Just be VERY careful with new riders about having them just ride the neighbor's horses or a stable near by, etc. Often those horses are not beginner safe for a new rider. I know a lady down the road that trades some riding time for chores which is a great thing............but sometimes she has kids up on horses that are newer riders that I wll not let my girls that have had their own horses for 3 years even think of riding. Everyone's ideas of "kid safe" or "beginner friendly" are different.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

First you would have to decide if she wants to ride English or Western. Stables tend to do one or the other, not both.

 

I would buy a helmet and boots. We get them at Dover Saddlery (they have a website), but Tractor Supply does also carry the helmets. A child's helmet is about $40 and the paddock boots (not leather) are $30-$35. Even if the stable supplied them, I would buy my own if I were you.

 

Just like dance studios, different stables have differnt expectations for showing. Our stable does not require it, but it is hard to avoid it when everyone else is doing it.

 

If you live in a cold climate, I would find a stable that has an indoor ring. Some of our friends go to a stable that does not have an indoor ring, so their lessons are cancelled from the end of October until some time in March. One particular friend has her kids in the 4-H program and they miss all winter (no indoor ring) and the lessons do not continue in the summer. That is fine for a kid who is looking to ride, but never really excel at the sport, but for a kid who is serious about riding, it would never do.

 

Word of mouth is also important. Check references, etc. While accidents don't happen with great frequency, a program that emphasizes safety is very important.

 

hth's

 

ETA - It is important that she get experience grooming the horse in prep for her lessons and untacking etc. I wouldn't use a stable that all the child has to do is walk in the door and get on the horse

 

"Hard to avoid it when everyone else is doing it."

 

Right, that's the thing with shows et c. I need to know the culture of the place b/f starting.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

 

All in all, I think riding lessons are wonderful for a girl as long as she is interested in them. We've also learned that introducing horses to preteen girls often times delays their interest in the opposite sex -- an added bonus that we really hope will be the case for dd. :D

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

I've heard that about horses and girls . . . that was one of the reasons Daddy is willing to consider the big cash outlay!

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Find out how many lesson horses the stable has and what they are able to do by watching lessons. Don't take the instructor's word for it. Also see if the barn is mostly about boarding and showing.

 

My poor daughter had an awful year of riding lessons because the pony she was using got sick. The only other pony available is just burnt out. She's been ready to canter and jump for quite some time, but the pony can't do it. He's been overused and his legs can't take it. They didn't tell us this-- I figured it out. She could barely get this pony to move. They kept telling her it would make her a better rider, or that her legs just weren't strong enough. Meanwhile...I took her to ride a friend's pony (in the photo with my dd) all through the summer. She canters on him just fine. I started teaching her small jumps myself.

 

The problem is that the barn where she took lessons does not want to invest money in lesson ponies. They want the big bucks they get from boarding and horse shows. So, if we aren't going to buy our own horse (and pay over $700 a month for board plus extra for lessons) my daughter is out of luck. They just keep a couple ponies to get the kids hooked until they are willing to buy their own.

 

HTH

 

Shannon

 

That's hideous! Poor ponies AND girls! The place we're looking at (though I'd like to find someplace closer) comes highly recommended and the person recommending it, specifically commented on the horses, school horse, et c.

 

Thanks.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

You don't mention how old your daughter is but I HIGHLY suggest that you find a lesson place that teaches all of the basics of horse care--leading, grooming, tacking, basics of health, etc. None of this hop up on a tacked up horse, ride, hop down and leave.

 

You might see if a local 4H leader gives riding lessons. I pay $35/hour for mine now but they are from a professional trainer and I am riding at $10,000 horse (NOT mine). For my girls, I pay $25/hour and that is for both of them from the local 4H leader.

 

You want to make sure that they focus on safety--requiring helmets for all kids working with the horses, being taught safety rules around horses, etc.

 

What style of riding does your daughter want to do? Western or English? Then in these are trail riding, reining, showing, jumping, and an million of other options--some inexpensive, some very expensive. Then within the show world there are some very inexpensive "fun" shows all the way up to very expensive breed and other shows. My daughter rode her pony in a show wearing a $5 used outfit and paid $3 for the class. Other shows, riders might pay $500 or more for their outfit.

 

Riding is a lot of fun. Right now my girls each have their own horses and I am on the search for one for myself. We mostly trail ride but my girls do a few of the very small fun shows and my 13dd is in 4H this year.

 

Oh, and on equipment, ask around for when/where they are having used tack sales. In our area we have 4 or 5 big ones coming up. I can buy nice leather boots for $5-15, used riding clothes for just a few dollars, etc.--it doesn't matter if they have small stains, etc. just for lessons. These sales can save you a fortune in clothes, boots, tack, etc.

 

I want to agree with the last poster who said that it is more important to find a barn where they teach basic horsemanship (grooming the horse, learning to tack up, ride, untack, groom etc). This is so important. So many (girls) today just think they can get a horse, ride it and get off and be done. No way. There is so much more involved in riding than riding. When a child is taught proper horsemanship, they learn so much responsibility. Having said that...if I were to look for a barn for a beginner rider, I would try to find a place that has several lesson horses/ponies. Imagine being a lesson horse who does 3-5 lessons per day. That is very hard on the horse and these kinds of horses tend to be "push button" which means they already know everything and many of them know the instructors voice and will start to trot when the instuctor says the word, which in turn, doesn't teach the rider what she needs to do to make the horse trot. Secondly, and I don't like to say this but, taking one riding lesson a week isn't really a good thing. I know that most people can only afford one lesson a week but it just isn't enough. Not sure how old your daughter is but if she can find a working position at a barn what she will learn will be priceless. My daughter started riding (one lesson a week) at her last barn and because she offered to work (and listened to the owner and did what he wanted her to do) he took her under his wing and she rode in 6 lessons a week and he would trailer her to shows for free, I only had to pay for the classes. Now, this is a little unusual but not unheard of. Barn owners (especially larger barns) know that good helpers are worth their weight in gold and will do what they can to keep good help. My daughter started riding with the idea and desire to show, we both felt that she needed to have a goal instead of just taking riding lessons because she loved horses, that is expensive. I look at riding as more than a hobby, it is a sport just like soccer or ballet and I think that it's good for a child to aim toward something...in our case it is showing. As for the riding helmet, I would not use a bicycle helmet, they are not the same thing and I would invest in a good pair of paddock boots and breeches. Jeans tend to pinch and just don't feel right, especially if your daughter is interested in English riding. The trainer is most important. If I were you I would read up on horses/riding so that you don't get taken for a ride. Because I have been invovled with horses for over 30 years, I cringe when I listen to these "trainers" of little kids who tell the parents things that just aren't necessary. My advice is to read up and educate yourself so that you know what the trainer is saying to you and you don't end of spending more money than you need to. I can honestly tell you that there aren't too many things more beautiful than watching your daughter handling an 1100 lb. animal and making it do what she wants it to do. I cry so often when I watch my daughter and her horse, it is so beautiful. I wish you the best and if you need any other information, please feel free to PM me. I've been on both sides of the fence, as a mom and also as a teacher (not alot but I have taught lessons too!).

 

My girl is all about caring for the horse. She would choose caring for the horse over lessons any day. We contacted a place about her volunteering there and after a bit of hemming and hawing, agreed to let my girl muck, feed, et c. But when it came down to it, it seemed that the woman's daughter (or herself or maybe some other kid?) was willing to have the laborious work done for her but not the grooming. My girl was working herself to the bone mucking and hauling (she was 9 then) but was always told that it would be better to just stick with that and not groom, the horses might not like it.

 

I understand on some level but seeing my girl work like that, and not for lessons but just for the privledge of grooming and feeding, and then not get it frustrated us both.

 

She says now, now that she's much (1 year) older and has the benefit of wisdom and hindsight ;), that she wants a contract. She'd like to find a place where she can volunteer her willilngness to work to get to take care of the horses. I don't know . . . We'll see what happens.

[Journey]

I agree with the lady who said to be careful about what horse you put your child on. Even if the owner says it's 'beginner safe" you need to KNOW it's beginner safe. My daughter rides 3'6" hunters (shows them) and just yesterday we were talking about a woman at our barn and her horse who is gigantic and stupid. This woman lets anyone ride the thing and I said to my daughter (who knows what she's doing) "if that woman ever asks you to ride her horse, you tell her that you will NOT get on that animal, he is dangerous." She agreed. So, just because an owner/trainer thinks her horse is beginner safe, you need to be absolutely sure for yourself before you let your child ride it.

[prim*rose]

There is a huge discrepancy in cost, quality, etc. It really just depends on what you want.

 

First, what kind of riding do you want? Hunt seat? Saddle seat? Western? The cost of shows and clothing will vary depending on what you're looking for. Dd wanted to get to the Olympics, so she chose hunt seat.

 

8.5 yr old dd has been riding for 3.5 yrs. She started when we lived in WI, and we spent $15 on lessons. The lesson quality was exactly what we paid for, it was eh, ok. Dd needed paddock boots (you can find cheap ones for around $30 new) and borrowed show clothes. We only competed in 4H shows at that point. When we moved to AZ in August, we decide to kick her lessons up a notch. We found a fantastic trainer in a wonderful barn, and lessons went up to $55. She needed jods and a shirt for competitions, and each competition is pretty pricey, so we only do 2 a year, and she has to earn half the entry fees for each show. She is really excelling and doing great, and we can absolutely see a difference in quality of lessons.

 

I thought riding was expensive, but recently heard from a friend that her 12 yr old dd is in volleyball at public school and has to pay $2000 per semester to play. So I guess it's all relative. There doesn't seemt to be a "cheap" sport these days.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

I agree with everyone who says to do some asking about and observing. Most schools/stables here are show-centered. Make sure you find someplace that is focused on developmental riding, does not push kids to own horses (that's how they make a lot of money, by boarding and training horses) and show all the time. HUGELY expensive. Like a second mortgage payment expensive.

 

Also I agree with everyone who says that your child should be learning all about taking care of the horse, not just riding. The very first lesson my daughter had, she had to go get the horse (the teacher went with her and told her how to do everything, but my daughter had to do it), lead it to the cross-ties, groom it, pick hoofs, saddle up, and lead the pony into the arena. After riding, she had to do everything again in reverse. At first this took a really long time, but after a bit it gets quicker and easier. Still, a half hour riding lesson takes us a good hour and a half, because my daughter loves to take her time grooming and loving up the horse, and give all the horses carrots or treats after.

 

Because my daughter so obviously loves the horses, she was given a job helping at summer camp one year (leading kids on ponies, fetching and grooming) and now has a work-study arrangement where she works several hours a week taking care of the horses in exchange for riding time or free lessons. This helps enormously with costs for us.

 

Our stable also arranged a show experience for her after her first summer of volunteering. We bought second-hand riding clothes and boots but it was still expensive. The school now offers kids who do not own or lease horses (that's us) a chance to do three or so shows a year if they are interested. We only pay the show registration fees. Still a stretch, but with the free lessons we get through my daughter's work experience we can just manage.

 

The shows are not the end goal for my daughter's teacher, which I really appreciate. They're just about another form or aspect of riding, about having to memorize a course and ride under that pressure, and about coming to watch other kids ride and cheer them on. There is often a barbecue or party afterwards, so it's a social occasion. The kids set up horse jumps and run over them themselves and judge one another on form and style. I really appreciate the informal, developmental nature of our school and was really just lucky to find it on my first try.

 

Wow! what a great girl you must have! She's really earned their respect! I'd love for an opportunity like that to be presented to my girl.

 

Sounds like my kind of teacher, too. Focus on horses, care, riding: Show are okay but not the main thing.

 

Like ballet recitals, which killed ballet for all of us the very first year, I'm thinking shows won't be my thing.

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Thank you EVERYONE who replied!! I had no idea how popular riding lessons were!

 

There are two places we're looking in to. One is a regular riding stable that comes highly recommended . . . the lessons do include care of horse, getting him ready for the lessons, and after care. I don't know the people but have a friend to takes lessons there herself. The other place is run by an acquaintence of mine and is a horse ranch where they provide equine therapy for disabled adults (weekdays) and kids (Saturdays). The dont' have regular lessons, though. The plus is that she would get all the volunteer/care work she could handle with the horses and she'd like to help with the kids but she'd only be able to work with kids on Saturdays. We'd rather do it on a weekday.

 

We're still looking.

 

You advice is invaluable and I thank you for it!