Learn more about riding lessons, which can help you learn to ride a horse, what is involved in lessons, and more with these articles from Horse Illustrated and Young Rider magazines. Finding the right horseback riding instructor is a critical part of becoming a good rider. You want an instructor that teaches well, that you click with, that communicates well, and that is professional and organized. In addition, there are red flags to look out for as well when looking for a riding instructor. There are a lot of things to consider: like the instructor's certification level and teaching experience, costs of lessons and what is included, insurance that they carry, their barn rules and level of professionalism, how safe they run their program and meet industry standards, etc.

Getting Started with Horses: Lesson Programs

September 1, 2009

It may be tempting to run out and buy a horse the minute you find one, but rein yourself in and put the checkbook away for now. It’s a good idea to start your riding career at a reputable lesson barn with an experienced instructor. If you can, keep your...

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Vaulting Lesson No. 2

August 11, 2009

For my second vaulting lesson, I left the stationary barrel behind and moved on to the real deal–an adorable, plump little Haflinger. After jogging up and down the barn aisle several times to warm up, I donned my old ballet slippers that I haven’t worn since 8th grade (and they...

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Vaulting Lessons

August 7, 2009

I’ve decided to embark on a new journey in my equestrian life: taking vaulting lessons. If you’re not quite sure what vaulting is, it’s basically performing gymnastic maneuvers on the back of a cantering horse (eek!). I’m hoping that the seven years of ballet I took when I was younger...

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Get the Most From Your Riding Lessons

December 15, 2006

Photo by Lesley Ward People have different learning styles, some learn best by performing a task over and over, some with visual input (looking at an example), while others do well with spoken instruction. 1.  Notice what approach gives YOU the best chance of retaining and understanding new information, then...

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