Posts Tagged ‘quality instruction’

Having a horse is fun, but a major responsibility, so be thorough on your research of barns to board it at. It pays to choose a place that is close to where you live, has facilities that are well maintained and most importantly, gives its horses proper care and nutrition. Each barn has its own atmosphere, is it one you can live with? If you want to participate in horse shows, it may be a good idea to choose a barn that frequents the kinds of shows you want to be in. If you live in a cold climate, make sure the barn has a large indoor arena for winter riding.

Do you ride English or Western? If English is your thing, then make sure your barn has jumps available, and/or a dressage ring. I ride English, and my barn had a top show trainer in it, so if I needed to prepare for a show, he was there to critique my riding during lessons. I liked boarding my horse at a place with a competent, experienced trainer, one that took the time to explain the exercises and gave me quality instruction. Since I spent most of my money at this sport, I wanted to make sure I was doing everything right.

If you ride Western, make sure there are trails to ride on nearby your barn. And again, find a barn that has a trainer suited to your style of riding in order to get the proper instruction. Once you find a barn you like, whatever style you ride, spend time taking lessons there before buying a horse, just to get a feel of the place. If you haven’t found a horse yet, trainers can assist you in looking. Ask around, and tell them how much you are looking to spend on your first horse. Another great way to find a horse is during the summer, many young horse owners are getting ready to go off to college and need to sell their animal fast. This is a good bargaining time, if the seller is motivated, you may talk the price down on his horse. Have them throw in the tack (saddle, bridle, etc) too, as part of the bargain. When I sold my horse to go to college, I gladly gave the buyers (a well maintained show barn) all my tack since I knew he was going to be in good hands. It pays to ask about the tack, to save on money, since having a horse is very expensive any way you look at it.

Make sure the horse is healthy before committing to buying it. This is incredibly important. Make sure to have a vet look it over, and tell you what condition he is in. Are his legs sound? Has he ever been lame? Has he had all his shots, and is he disease-free? Also, make sure there are no growths on his ears. A friend of mine bought an expensive show horse, only to find out he had skin cancer on one of his ears. One of his ears had to be partially removed, it was really sad. Make sure the animal is completely sound and has a personality you can live with.

One way to try out horse ownership is to lease a horse from its owner. Most barns have horses that are up for lease, you can even get a half or quarter lease sometimes. Then, you help with the bills of the horse, but are not fully responsible for it. You work out with the owner, and anyone who may be sharing the lease with you, what days you will ride. That is a great solution if you have limited time, because owning a horse, even when boarded at a show stable, is still very time consuming. You must groom, saddle, ride, unsaddle, wash then clean its feet every time you ride. And, I used to let my horse out into the paddocks and wait for him to have fun kicking up his heels every day, instead of paying extra to have the trainer do it for me. I spent at least four hours every afternoon at my stable since he was my full responsibility, I owned him so his well-being was totally up to me alone. The barn workers fed the horses, mucked stalls and kept the grounds up. I kept the horse clean, healthy and happy, as well as my tack spotlessly maintained.

Keep in mind, horses have other bills that must be paid, such as vet bills (worming, shots, etc) and farrier (horseshoes, hoof trimming, etc). These must be done on a regular schedule and not ignored. Taking good care of your horse’s feet is of major importance so never skimp on cleaning or trimming them. Also, buy shampoo and other grooming products online to save money. If you don’t have a locker in your barn, get a caddy to hold your grooming supplies, and keep it in the back of your car. Leaving it out in the open at the barn invites trouble, in the form of others “borrowing” things and forgetting to put them back, so it’s best to have a locking trunk or keep the caddy in the back of your car.

If you plan to show your horse, ask your barn how much they charge to use their horse trailer. Most barns will haul the horse for you, for the asking, as long as they have enough trailer space for all the horses going to the show. Showing is addictive. Start at a small, local show and see how you like it. Then, if you do well and enjoy yourself, work your way up to bigger shows. Going to a horse show is a enjoyable family event. Many people bring picnics to watch the show as their children ride. If you win a prize, it’s a bonus, but do it for the sheer pleasure of it all. If you show, make sure to wear the appropriate clothing and boots. Advance preparation of both the rider and horse is the key to a successful day of horse showing.

Once you and your horse are settled in and know each other, you will make a good team and build on your experiences together. Bring him treats, talk to him and give kind approval so he learns to trust you. My horse used to whinny whenever he saw me walking towards him. We were buddies and I used to make him carrot cake every New Year’s Day (he was a Thoroughbred and all registered Thoroughbreds share the birthday of January first, whether they were born on that day or not). He plowed through that cake in minutes flat and looked for more. We were a great team and I’ll never forget him. These little things make the relationship you have with your horse all the more special. Owning a horse is a special privelege so enjoy each and every day with him. Grow together, learn new things, and both your lives will be enriched and happy. I highly recommend it.

Author: Carolyn McFann
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV

It has always amazed me how many parents pay $40.00 per hour to watch their children ride around in circles during a riding lesson. Even more amazing are the scores of riding instructors who talk on their cell phones, chat with the parents and do just about anything other than actually pay attention to the lesson that they are supposed to be teaching.

Are you getting the most out of your riding lessons? Is your hard-earned money spent on quality instruction, or is it floating down the drain along with your child’s future as an avid horse-lover? Many parents don’t understand what should go on during a horseback riding lesson, and as a result waste money on what could easily be found for free at a petting zoo.

For this reason, I have coined a term that should be applied to all riding lessons: Pro-Active Riding Instruction.

When you or your child takes a horseback riding lesson, it should be filled not only with riding and merriment, but also solid, useful information. Your riding instructor should spend the full hour (or forty-five minutes, or whatever) actually teaching the class. This means full engagement with both students and horses.

Accidents Happen

Horseback riding is a dangerous sport, and accidents do happen, regardless of the qualifications of the riding instructor. If he or she is not paying adequate attention, seconds will be lost should a child fall off or a horse spook violently. If your riding instructor is not focused on his or her students, your child could be in significant danger.

In other words, paying attention during riding lessons is not only an issue of providing value for the money spent, but also of safety. If a riding instructor is distracted, accidents will happen right under his or her nose and your child could be the casualty in this situation.

You Pay; They Teach

You are not paying a riding instructor to supervise your children as they ride; rather, you are paying for instruction. Even after more than fifteen years of riding, there is much I can learn from a qualified riding instructor, which means that you and your children should enjoy action-packed lessons jammed full of information.

Would you pay to attend a college where the professors simply pass out books and tell you to read? That isn’t an education, and neither is a riding lesson where children or adults are just handed horses and told to mount up.

Bad Habits

When riding students are left to their own devices, they unconsciously develop bad habits that will be difficult to break several months or years down the road. Riding is largely an instinctive sport, in which position can be ingrained into the mind. When you ride with poor habits for any length of time, they become harder to break.

A riding instructor should constantly be looking for ways in which to improve his students’ positions, techniques and habits. If he isn’t paying attention, however, those little habits will go unnoticed and become big problems down the road.

Preparation

If your child is hoping to show, then adequate preparation takes place in riding lessons. Although showing is a rewarding and beneficial experience, it can be detrimental if the rider is not sufficiently prepared. Lessons should be spent educating students on the finer points of riding, as well as what to expect in the show arena.

Connection

Riding lessons should be a fulfilling experience for everyone involved, and if the student is unable to connect with the instructor, he or she is not getting the most out of that experience. The instructor should work to create a positive rapport with each of his or her students during lessons so that they trust one another and can continue to build a positive relationship.

In addition to the above, your instructor should also be teaching your child about the basics of horsemanship. There is more to horses than just riding them in an arena; your child should be taught to tack up, groom, cool down and turn out. Many instructors–myself included– reserve ten minutes at the end of each class to teach parts of the horse, parts of tack, common equine illnesses, and the different colors and breeds of horses.

Students who have a well-rounded view of horses and riding will enjoy the sport more and will be capable of furthering their education as they become mesmerized by the world of horses.

Next time you attend your child’s riding lessons, pay attention to the behavior of the instructor. Is he or she paying attention during the lesson? Do you hear the instructor calling out commands and affirmations? Is the instructor teaching pertinent information? And most importantly, does your child seem to be improving from lesson-to-lesson?

If not, it’s time to find another instructor who can make sure that your child gets the most out of his or her experience with horses.

Author: Laura Jane Thompson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV