How to select a riding instructor

You've made the smart decision to learn how to ride. Now how and where do you find a riding instructor? Unfortunately there are many people that claim to teach "riding lessons" - but in actuality they just know how to ride a horse, not teach another human how.

Things You'll Need

• A list of riding instructors in your area
• A telephone
• A car or some sort of transportation
• A love or desire to learn more about horses!

Instructions

1. First, call the instructors on your list. Of course you will want a courteous and professional person on the other end of the phone. Ask if they teach beginners, what discipline they teach and how much experience they have. Find out if they provide you with a gentle, broke horse and any safety equipment that is necessary (like a helmet). Also - it is important that they teach more than just riding, but also how to work with a horse (handling, grooming and tack) on the ground. Ask for references from students your age. Lastly, ask when would be a good time to observe a lesson.

2. Check out the facility. Once you've narrowed down who seems to be the most knowledgeable and professional (with experience), check out how they are around their students. How do the students handle their horses? How do the students ride? How is the instructor helping the students? If you get the opportunity, talk to the students and see what their opinion is of the instructor. Is safety observed at every step along the way? Are the horses safe and easy to handle for beginners?

3. After the visits, book your first lesson. Go to your first lesson with your chosen instructor and see how it goes. If you are safe, comfortable and come away with learning something - book another lesson. If the first lesson is not what you had envisioned, either talk to your instructor about your wishes, or choose to book your next appointment with another instructor. You have to find one that is right for you. Their teaching must be meaningful to you, and everyone is different.

4. Realize that the first lesson or two may be awkward regardless of instructor. If you're truly new to horses, you may just have to allow yourself time to relax and get comfortable, - this is somewhat independent of the riding instructor. But a good instructor will help you with this process and you will continue to learn and grow with each lesson.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to dress appropriately when you are both visiting a riding stable/instructor and when you go for your riding lessons.

• If you are unsure of an instruction that the riding instructor is giving - ask for clarification. Do not do something that you are not comfortable with or do not understand.

• As your instructor proves him/herself, allow yourself to trust him/her to challenge you to learn new things. As a good "coach" your instructor should push you to learn and grow and improve your horsemanship abilities.

• Price is relative. More expensive is not always better, but too cheap could indicate a struggling stable/instructor. Be prepared to pay $30-40+ for a lesson, which should last about an hour.

• Walk away and don't go back if the instructor does anything that looks blatantly unsafe and is not able to explain their actions to your understanding. Do not be afraid to listen to your "gut" if you see unsafe actions.

• Do not give business to instructors that abuse or neglect their horses.

• Just because someone is a phenomenal rider or has won many competitions, that does not guarantee that the person can "teach" you how to ride. Teaching is a gift - and a skill that is necessary for your instructor to possess for you to learn and improve.