Horse Riding Lesssons?

[dismom24]

I'm not sure about your area, but in our area everything horse related is going up due to the drought and very high hay prices. If you could prepay the lessons, I would. Our hay has doubled in price this year and is almost impossible to find. We only have 2 horses, but our neighbors that have boarding facilities have had to put up security fences to protect their hay.

 

[momto2girls]

My daughter takes weekly, private lessons. I pay $40 for a half-hour lesson.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I'm gonna agree with most people here that basic lessons will run you between $20 and $40 per hour. The higher the level of instruction, though, the more you're going to pay. To start you'll just need a helmet and some boots, instructors often provide the horses and tack. That being said, horseback riding is not a cheap sport. Someone said it's not just for the rich (which I can agree with), but then I've also seen a lot of animals repossed by barn managers and the like because their owners couldn't make the monthly boarding payments. Keep in mind that there's always the possibility that what is now just a passing interest, will turn into a full obsession. Let's take my personal experience as an example:

I loved horses. My parents occasionally provided me with lessons and sent me to a "horsey" camp. Then, in my freshman year of high school, an equestrian team was started. I entered it having experience, and interest, only in Western Equitation classes. Fast forward 4 years to when I'm a senior. I own one horse and lease another. I compete in Western, Hunt, and Saddle Seats (both equitation and pleasure). I excel at pattern classes and have been begging my parents for dressage lessons. I'm still taking basic group lessons at $25 a pop. I own 5 saddles, 10 or so bridles, 2 fancy Arab halters for halter classes, 4 different showing outfits, all the horse related accoutrements you could imagine. I've somehow got my father interested in the whole deal such that he's started riding and competing at a minor level (he still owns 2 horses today, competes in timed events, and runs a special events carriage service in his free time). Oh, and all this was supplied by parents who swore they'd never be suckered in to spending that kind of money.

Other sports you pay for. Horses, you live for.

 

[twob4him]

I grew up in new england with horses and riding.

Let me tell you, it's a hobby for rich people.

It will eat you up financially if your kid gets really into it.

As much as I like horses, there's no way I'm going to let my kids ride anything other than the fat ponies over at Ft. Wilderness for 3 bux a pop. The more your kid gets into riding, the more they come in contact with the "horsey set", and believe me, when your kid sees the other kids with the

1800 Hermes saddle, they're gonna want one too . It's the equine version of the Prada bag.

Wow you found a Hermes for $1800?????? Sign me up...I thought they were closer to $4000-$5000!!! Seriously, no one needs that kind of saddle unless they are a professional. Likewise, I also teach my children that they don't need a Prada bag to "keep up with the Jones'"... a good life lesson!

Don't even get me started on the number of times I was kicked, stepped on, thrown and dragged by my stirrups. There's no way I would expose my kids to that sort of risk, either...

Horses can be hazardous if you don't know what you are doing or how horses react and WHY they do what they do. Horses aren't intentionally spooking and running off to hurt their riders. This is why good horsemanship begins with a good instructor which explains all this stuff to you. My DD9 has been riding for 3 years and has yet to be injured. I have been riding for on and off for 33 years and was injured once...of course it was my own dumb fault. I have worked with all kinds of horses and really they are gentle kind creatures. I am hopelessly in love with equines!!!! I have learned so much about responsibility and patience and perseverence and team-work and taking good care of my things I bought (or my parents generously bought for me). These are life lessons. Horses gave me something to do...whilst my peers may have been out partying, chasing after boys or aimlessly going through high school, I was a focused honor student and fit in school, church and horse activities.

Try soccer; much cheaper, much better for your cardiovascular fitness

Oh my....riding IS a workout!!! Trust me!

and a lot less chance of a one ton prey animal going bonkers over a sheet flapping in the wind and bolting and dragging your kid down a field while you run fruitlessly behind them yelling "stop" "stop".

Been there, (as the kid) done that, have the scars

Sorry you didnt have the best horse encounters. Certainly with a better experience you would have enjoyed it! It really makes a difference who you learn from. Its not about showing up and getting on the horse for the lesson, then getting off. You may have missed the horsemanship and the relationship....which in my opinion is the best part!!! OK I will shut up now...I could go on and on and on about horses and sing their praises!

 

[bavaria]

OK I will shut up now...I could go on and on and on about horses and sing their praises! [/COLOR][/SIZE]

twob4him, it sounds like Rozzie and I need to scoot over and make some room for you to come talk horses with us! I just mailed her a batch of my old Practical Horseman magazines so that she could swoon over them (new batch coming next month, Roz!)

 

[twob4him]

twob4him, it sounds like Rozzie and I need to scoot over and make some room for you to come talk horses with us! I just mailed her a batch of my old Practical Horseman magazines so that she could swoon over them (new batch coming next month, Roz!)

How ironic you should say this....only you would understand...but last night I started cutting out my favorite articles from my Dressage Today magazine collection and putting them in clear page protectors in a binder

Hey, here's a pic of me in a riding lesson this past summer.....Yes...I am riding a pony...a welsh/QH cross....teaching him to relax and stretch into the bit...he's a cutie for sure!!

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

I grew up in new england with horses and riding.

Let me tell you, it's a hobby for rich people.

It will eat you up financially if your kid gets really into it.

As much as I like horses, there's no way I'm going to let my kids ride anything other than the fat ponies over at Ft. Wilderness for 3 bux a pop. The more your kid gets into riding, the more they come in contact with the "horsey set", and believe me, when your kid sees the other kids with the
Wow you found a Hermes for $1800?????? Sign me up...I thought they were closer to $4000-$5000!!! Seriously, no one needs that kind of saddle unless they are a professional. Likewise, I also teach my children that they don't need a Prada bag to "keep up with the Jones'"... a good life lesson!



Horses can be hazardous if you don't know what you are doing or how horses react and WHY they do what they do. Horses aren't intentionally spooking and running off to hurt their riders. This is why good horsemanship begins with a good instructor which explains all this stuff to you. My DD9 has been riding for 3 years and has yet to be injured. I have been riding for on and off for 33 years and was injured once...of course it was my own dumb fault. I have worked with all kinds of horses and really they are gentle kind creatures. I am hopelessly in love with equines!!!! I have learned so much about responsibility and patience and perseverence and team-work and taking good care of my things I bought (or my parents generously bought for me). These are life lessons. Horses gave me something to do...whilst my peers may have been out partying, chasing after boys or aimlessly going through high school, I was a focused honor student and fit in school, church and horse activities.


Oh my....riding IS a workout!!! Trust me!



Sorry you didnt have the best horse encounters. Certainly with a better experience you would have enjoyed it! It really makes a difference who you learn from. Its not about showing up and getting on the horse for the lesson, then getting off. You may have missed the horsemanship and the relationship....which in my opinion is the best part!!! OK I will shut up now...I could go on and on and on about horses and sing their praises!

I know, I know, people love horses; I was certainly "horse crazy" for many years. For the first 16 years of my life I grew up riding and owning horses. My mother taught dressage, so I definitely had a very thorough exposure to horses. Looking back on it, the "love of horses" wasn't enough to offset what I felt was the lack of opportunities incurred because of their exhorbitant cost. For a kid, riding a fat pony through the woods is not the same exercise as playing sweeper in an hour long soccer game. I did both, and soccer was better exercise.

I'm just showing you the other face of horse crazy. Certainly I never felt like the horses were trying to hurt me, on the contrary, many times during a spill I believed they were really trying *not* to step on me.

But they're huge, powerful animals-I think that's what people don't realize, that they're putting their fragile 60 lb child on a 1 ton animal that is not 100% reliable, ever. I'm not saying it's wrong; I'm saying for me after having ridden horses *extensively* as a child, teenager, and young adult, that it's not something I would let my kids do.

And I"m not a daisy; I have a motorcycle license! But for me in terms of personal risk assessment for my kids, I'd let them ride on a motorcycle (with me or my husband) before I'd let them ride a horse unassisted...

 

[bavaria]

Kickapoo (may I call you Kickapoo? ), I think that I see what you are saying, and I'm sorry that a dream didn't turn out the way you expected. Growing up, one of my father's friends had a spinal cord injury from riding; my father never rode with me again after that. My riding buddy's horse spooked and sliced her (the horse's) chest open on a power line in a freak accident. I have seen injuries during my 'horse career' but was fortunate not to have suffered anything major myself.

There was an excellent article in Practical Horseman a few years ago about 'safe' stable management. I am guilty of bad habits myself - I had a 17 hand teddy bear who I would lead by the forelock, and I would let him suck on my fingers. Not overly smart!

I also remembering 'learning' to fall thanks to an Arab cross early in my career, who liked to buck at least once every few minutes, out of sheer joy. He certainly taught me to sit a buck but also how to fall without hurting myself.

Hopefully you do have a few good horse memories though!

 

[momto2girls]

I know, I know, people love horses; I was certainly "horse crazy" for many years. For the first 16 years of my life I grew up riding and owning horses. My mother taught dressage, so I definitely had a very thorough exposure to horses. Looking back on it, the "love of horses" wasn't enough to offset what I felt was the lack of opportunities incurred because of their exhorbitant cost. For a kid, riding a fat pony through the woods is not the same exercise as playing sweeper in an hour long soccer game. I did both, and soccer was better exercise.

I'm just showing you the other face of horse crazy. Certainly I never felt like the horses were trying to hurt me, on the contrary, many times during a spill I believed they were really trying *not* to step on me.

But they're huge, powerful animals-I think that's what people don't realize, that they're putting their fragile 60 lb child on a 1 ton animal that is not 100% reliable, ever. I'm not saying it's wrong; I'm saying for me after having ridden horses *extensively* as a child, teenager, and young adult, that it's not something I would let my kids do.

And I"m not a daisy; I have a motorcycle license! But for me in terms of personal risk assessment for my kids, I'd let them ride on a motorcycle (with me or my husband) before I'd let them ride a horse unassisted...

I can understand your points. I've certainly thought about the things that can go wrong when my little girl is riding. However, I also know that there are risks and things that can go terribly wrong in a lot of sports-- gymnastics, diving, football, etc. So, I just have to have faith that things will be okay for her. The joy she gets from riding horses just can't be replicated by anything else. I truly feel that riding horses is her passion and I just can't deny her that.

 

[twob4him]

I can understand your points. I've certainly thought about the things that can go wrong when my little girl is riding. However, I also know that there are risks and things that can go terribly wrong in a lot of sports-- gymnastics, diving, football, etc. So, I just have to have faith that things will be okay for her. The joy she gets from riding horses just can't be replicated by anything else. I truly feel that riding horses is her passion and I just can't deny her that.

True, true.....its probably more dangerous driving to the riding lesson than it is riding in it!

 

[dis4me]

HI Not to hijack the thread but I am in NJ and am looking for a place to take a beginner Horseback rider this weekend. ANy suggestions? My daughter wants to do horseback rididng lessons. I however would like to have her ride a horse once before I shell out the money for lessons.
Thanks