How to Structure a Group Horseback Riding Lesson

Group riding lessons are often the most practical and cost-efficient for students and instructors alike. They also provide valuable experience in observing arena etiquette and anticipating the behavior of other riders and horses nearby. And of course, hopefully students will learn from the mistakes or successes of their peers.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Strong vocal cords
• Persistance

All Together Now

1. The right combination of individual riders in a group lesson is an important factor in promoting success and satisfaction among your students. You need to have first worked with each rider individually in lessons to assess his or her skill level before combining them into a group. You must also take into consideration each rider's mount (if they own their horse) and his behavior in the presence of other horses. Ideally, everyone should be able to work in the arena simultaneously without accidents or horse fights breaking out. Only students who can control their horse on their own should be considered as candidates for group lessons.

2. The downside of group lessons is that the instructor's time and attention are obviously divided among students, so instruction will be less intense than in a private setting. There are, however, benefits to this model, as students must think and act more independently and gain a good amount of practical know-how while riding on their own. More advanced or high-speed activities will need to be attempted one student at a time, giving horses (who are working harder than in beginning lessons) a chance to catch their breath during other riders' rounds.

3. An ideal number of students for a group is four, but group lessons can range from two riders to more than eight. The most important consideration is the safety of students and their horses, so be realistic about the amount of space you have to work with and decide how many riders your arena will safely accommodate.

4. Begin the lesson by having students warm up their horses at a walk and then trot in unison, using the arena space to its fullest so that each rider has plenty of room. Part of the lesson is requiring that students notice the riders around them and learn to gauge their own speed and position relative to others. The rider will have to make these kinds of judgments every time he or she rides, so being alert and able to anticipate the movements of others in the space are essential skills. Students should also practice communication with one another while riding to maintain safety guidelines, alerting riders when they intend to pass, switch direction or cut across the arena. You can have riders perform groundwork exercises simultaneously and at the same pace, allowing everyone to work (circling, changing directions, lateral exercises, collection and extension to name a few).

5. For pole work, jumping, barrels and other obstacle courses, you will need to deploy one rider at a time and focus your attention and verbal cues solely on that horse and rider team. Riders must be able to hear your instruction from anywhere in the ring, so be ready to use your lungs to their fullest or have an amplifying set up for you. Have all other horses stand as a group in an area your rider will not be passing through, while riders remain quietly watching the round, both for learning purposes and in case they need to move out of the way at a moment's notice.

Tips & Warnings

• Horseback riding is an inherently dangerous activity and the nature of the animals makes them unpredictable, even for the most seasoned professional. This activity is undertaken at the rider's own risk and should only be attempted while wearing adequate safety gear and under the supervision of an experienced instructor.

[ditto]

on 2/6/2008 As an instructor, I agree--for the most part--with everything thusly stated. However, also as an instructor, I've gotta give my two cents: It is the instructor's sole responsibility to decide at which point in the rider's development it is appropriate to place the rider in a group situation--no matter the age. You must remember, as said in Step 2, that in a group, the instructor must divide his or her attention (hopefully equally) among his/her students. The individual students must be at a point in their development as independent riders to be able to manage themselves (meaning their horses) for several minutes at a time (without assistance) and be able to concentrate on points the instructor has given them to work on. Too many free-willed horses matched with too few skilled riders in one area can become a very dangerous situation very quickly.

[grouch]

on 1/4/2008 I loved your warnings but this sounds like a wonderful way for a child to be into something and take their friends along for the ride. Sometimes things are easier to learn when we are allowed to have others around us.