I will give fair warning, this is a blog post for the more horsey of people...perhaps I need to attempt to do two blogs so that one is dedicated to all horses...
I have taught at a couple of different types of barns, in fact I've even dabbled in freelance teaching, and after some thought about it here are my tips for getting the most out of your riding lessons.
First of all be up front and honest about your ability level and what type of riding interests you, this also goes for parents of children taking lessons...be honest about what they know! Telling your riding instructor that you know how to jump when in reality you are terrified of trotting will NOT help you! Everyone takes lessons for the same reason, to learn, so be honest about what you have been working on so that your new instructor can help build upon what you already know. That being said, we as instructors are not judging nor do we think badly of you if you tell us that you have only trotted on the lunge line or you just started learning the canter depart. We will, however, judge you if you tell us that you have been cantering but when you pick up the trot you have no idea what a diagonal is...you will make us wonder what you were learning.
Be realistic about your goals. I'm not saying don't reach for the stars but start with more short term goals. Rather than coming in and telling me that you want your kid to go to a show next month start with wanting your child to learn how to safely control their horse at the walk and trot and then consider doing a schooling show. While being realistic about your goals you must also work with your instructor towards your goals....so tell your instructor what you want to accomplish, we are not mind readers.
Give ample amounts of time to reach your goals. If you want to be showing think about how many times a week you should be riding. If you just started riding I can almost guarantee that you will not be ready to show in a month if you decide to only take one lesson a week. Riding takes practice and once you have one skill down there is another one to learn. Put in the time and effort and you will reach your goals.
Going along with the topic of time, be sure that you block out enough time in your day for your lesson. If you are worried about the next meeting you need to get to or the next sports activity you won't be truly focused on your riding lesson. Typically riding lessons last from 45 minutes to an hour, however, that does not include tacking up and untacking your horse. Taking care of the horse is part of your responsibility as a student...if you are not learning how to care for the horse then what are you really doing there? It is amazing what you might learn before and after your lesson just by being in the barn, observing another lesson or chatting with some of the other riders. Enjoy the barn and allow yourself to spend some time there!
Think about the type of barn that you want to ride in; do you want to go to big shows, are you content with taking lessons for pleasure, would you like to do trail rides? All of these things are important to consider so that you are truly happy with your lessons. If your instructor is taking clients to big horse shows every weekend but you want to trail ride instead then you might want to consider if your goals match the goals of the lesson program. And vice versa if your goal is to show but all of the other riders at the barn want to leisurely ride around the property then you may want to ask about the possibility of showing before you commit. There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to what you want to get out of your riding, there is a lot of frustration though, on both sides, if you put yourself in a program with opposite goals.
Ask questions!!!! Please ask questions, instructors love to share their knowledge and we love it when you want to learn! If you are curious about something just ask, trust me we would much rather give you a lengthy explanation of anything horse related than hear what you might come up with on your own. The same goes for during your lessons, if you don't understand something ask your instructor to explain it differently or perhaps show you what they mean. If you never ask you might never know how simple the solution is. Why struggle with something when you are paying someone to help you!
After you have asked the question be sure to listen! For instance, you decide you want to buy your first horse so you ask your instructor what you should be looking for. Your instructor tells you that you should look for horses that are advertised as suitable for an advanced beginner rider and that are in the age range of 7-15. Instead you fall in love with a 4 year old horse that has only been ridden in a program by a professional. Then when things don't work out perfectly you blame the instructor. This may sound like a crazy scenario...and trust me for the instructor it is!! Listen to your instructor, they are there to help you on the path to equine happiness and they want nothing more than to match you with the perfect horse for you, not the perfect horse for the next Olympian.
My girls ask questions all the time...as they should!!
And finally....welcome to the horse world you are now broke. The equine world is not cheap, its a lifestyle that will drag you in smiling the whole way. Horses do not have to be the most expensive thing you have ever experienced but I promise they won't be the cheapest (unless maybe your only other hobby is flying helicopters). Prepare yourself to spend some money for quality instruction, quality tack and apparel (remember you have one head!!! The cheapo helmet that your neighbor gave you might not be what you want to trust your brain with), and eventually a suitable horse. If you work really hard a lot of things can be made less expensive as far as money goes but instead you are giving your time. For instance, maybe your local barn will give a discount on lessons if you work a couple of feeding shifts a week (this is how I paid for many a lesson in my life!).
If you work really hard, dedicate yourself fully and love the horses then you will reach your goals and more. Remember that instructors are here to help you on that path, so let us help you by being honest, giving us your undivided attention and giving yourself time to learn.
Happy riding!!
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