Kids Horse Riding - Where To Learn

Making the decision about which riding school to choose for your child can be a tough issue for many parents.

What is the most suitable riding school to go to? Will your child be safe? Will they be challenged and is the staff skilled? These are all likely thoughts to be running through your mind - and to be frank, like me you're probably also very aware of the money and time involved. All are very valid points to be evaluated when determining where your child should learn to ride.

Depending on your location, accreditation by a national organization is usually the best way to guarantee a set of standards are being upheld - especially in North America and the UK - after all, riding is a complex sport that requires unique attention to facilities, animals and instruction. Do not be afraid to solicit opinions from friends and acquaintances as this can be the best way to select a quality facility.

Establish a set of criteria prior to committing to a riding school. Things to consider include whether they are specifically set up for teaching children? Do they offer lessons to students who do not own their own horse or pony? Are the teachers experienced with instructing absolute beginners? What sort of time commitment and involvement is expected? By this last point I mean will your child be expected to help tack-up and put their mount away or will they only have to arrive there for the ride?

Once you've made a few phone calls to potential riding schools, you should make a list of the ones that you wish to visit. Call ahead to ensure that a visit is acceptable and schedule the tour when a lesson comparable to one your child would be joining is planned. If it is a smaller barn, understand that you may need to wait until well after the lesson (and the horse or pony has been cared for) to approach the instructor with any questions.

Ultimately, you want to find a facility that caters to beginners, has a safe string of lesson horses and seems like a warm, welcoming learning environment. But relax, your initial choice of a riding school need not be a permanent one. If your child advances beyond their instructor's teachings, a trainer leaves the barn or simply you find reason to be dissatisfied with your original selection, all are valid reasons to search out another location.

As the saying goes, location is everything. Hopefully, you are able to find a stable that meets your criteria close to home. If not, make sure to plan accordingly for drive time, lesson and related time at the barn, exhaustion levels and homework. Initially, your child is likely to be exhausted after riding. Plan accordingly for ample rest and relaxation time in addition to getting homework completed.

Lastly, given the information presented above, when considering where to learn to ride a horse, we have to recommend you avoid the offer from the neighbor down the street to teach your child to ride. While paying them a visit for a ride or two, with a few lessons under your child's belt, would be a fun outing, leave the lessons to the tried and true professionals.


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David Lee has been watching his daughter learn to ride since she started aged 8 in 2002. To help other parents learn from his experience he has written a free report looking at some important Questions and Answers which every parent should read before booking a lesson - you can get it free at our Blog at www.horseridingforbeginners.com