| It has always amazed me how many parents pay | | | | they unconsciously develop bad habits that will be |
| $40.00 per hour to watch their children ride around in | | | | difficult to break several months or years down the |
| circles during a riding lesson. Even more amazing are | | | | road. Riding is largely an instinctive sport, in which |
| the scores of riding instructors who talk on their cell | | | | position can be ingrained into the mind. When you ride |
| phones, chat with the parents and do just about | | | | with poor habits for any length of time, they become |
| anything other than actually pay attention to the lesson | | | | harder to break. |
| that they are supposed to be teaching. | | | | A riding instructor should constantly be looking for |
| Are you getting the most out of your riding lessons? Is | | | | ways in which to improve his students' positions, |
| your hard-earned money spent on quality instruction, or | | | | techniques and habits. If he isn't paying attention, |
| is it floating down the drain along with your child's future | | | | however, those little habits will go unnoticed and |
| as an avid horse-lover? Many parents don't | | | | become big problems down the road. |
| understand what should go on during a horseback | | | | Preparation |
| riding lesson, and as a result waste money on what | | | | If your child is hoping to show, then adequate |
| could easily be found for free at a petting zoo. | | | | preparation takes place in riding lessons. Although |
| For this reason, I have coined a term that should be | | | | showing is a rewarding and beneficial experience, it |
| applied to all riding lessons: Pro-Active Riding Instruction. | | | | can be detrimental if the rider is not sufficiently |
| When you or your child takes a horseback riding | | | | prepared. Lessons should be spent educating students |
| lesson, it should be filled not only with riding and | | | | on the finer points of riding, as well as what to expect |
| merriment, but also solid, useful information. Your riding | | | | in the show arena. |
| instructor should spend the full hour (or forty-five | | | | Connection |
| minutes, or whatever) actually teaching the class. This | | | | Riding lessons should be a fulfilling experience for |
| means full engagement with both students and horses. | | | | everyone involved, and if the student is unable to |
| Accidents Happen | | | | connect with the instructor, he or she is not getting the |
| Horseback riding is a dangerous sport, and accidents | | | | most out of that experience. The instructor should |
| do happen, regardless of the qualifications of the riding | | | | work to create a positive rapport with each of his or |
| instructor. If he or she is not paying adequate attention, | | | | her students during lessons so that they trust one |
| seconds will be lost should a child fall off or a horse | | | | another and can continue to build a positive relationship. |
| spook violently. If your riding instructor is not focused | | | | In addition to the above, your instructor should also be |
| on his or her students, your child could be in significant | | | | teaching your child about the basics of horsemanship. |
| danger. | | | | There is more to horses than just riding them in an |
| In other words, paying attention during riding lessons is | | | | arena; your child should be taught to tack up, groom, |
| not only an issue of providing value for the money | | | | cool down and turn out. Many instructors--myself |
| spent, but also of safety. If a riding instructor is | | | | included-- reserve ten minutes at the end of each |
| distracted, accidents will happen right under his or her | | | | class to teach parts of the horse, parts of tack, |
| nose and your child could be the casualty in this | | | | common equine illnesses, and the different colors and |
| situation. | | | | breeds of horses. |
| You Pay; They Teach | | | | Students who have a well-rounded view of horses |
| You are not paying a riding instructor to supervise your | | | | and riding will enjoy the sport more and will be capable |
| children as they ride; rather, you are paying for | | | | of furthering their education as they become |
| instruction. Even after more than fifteen years of riding, | | | | mesmerized by the world of horses. |
| there is much I can learn from a qualified riding | | | | Next time you attend your child's riding lessons, pay |
| instructor, which means that you and your children | | | | attention to the behavior of the instructor. Is he or she |
| should enjoy action-packed lessons jammed full of | | | | paying attention during the lesson? Do you hear the |
| information. | | | | instructor calling out commands and affirmations? Is |
| Would you pay to attend a college where the | | | | the instructor teaching pertinent information? And most |
| professors simply pass out books and tell you to | | | | importantly, does your child seem to be improving from |
| read? That isn't an education, and neither is a riding | | | | lesson-to-lesson? |
| lesson where children or adults are just handed horses | | | | If not, it's time to find another instructor who can make |
| and told to mount up. | | | | sure that your child gets the most out of his or her |
| Bad Habits | | | | experience with horses. |
| When riding students are left to their own devices, | | | | |