Questions About Horse Riding

[Thunderdud]

Hey, I'm an adult man from Scarborough. I nearly took up horse riding lessons at university but I changed my mind at the last minute. Sometimes I think back to what nearly happened and wonder if I made the right decision or not.

The reason why I almost did take up riding at university is that I have always been curious about people who ride horses. It always looks like they're having the best time, and it looks white bumpy too, but you imagine it must require a lot of trust between the person and animal given how tall and powerful horses are.

There are a few things that have me curious about it.

1. What does it feel like when you're in the saddle? Is it as bumpy as it looks?

2. How do you develop the trust between rider and horse? Because when you turn up to your first riding lesson, you must be really nervous to begin with given that they are big animals you are climbing onto.

3. What kind of things do they teach you at a first riding lesson? What does the progression look like through multiple lessons? What's the fastest they teach you to ride after you have had quite a few lessons?

4. When you go to a riding school, do they ever teach you how to ride bareback after a few lessons, or is that something people learn in their own time on their own horses or horses that they lease or borrow?

5. Is it better to do a guided tour or take riding lessons to begin with?


I don't know whether I will ever decide to take riding lessons, because I'm unsure whether I can see myself climbing into the saddle, and it would be a waste of money if I didn't manage to make it on top of the horse, but it is something I will probably always be curious about.

 

[Skib]

No one can answer all your questions because the best way to learn to ride varies from person to person.
There are two aspects to learning to ride. The first is physical, learning how to balance on a moving animal.
Many people will have had a treat of a pony ride or donkey ride as a child so it may not be completely new to them.

The other is more psychological, learning how to communicate with and to control the animal that you are riding.

Adult beginners can learn to balance either by going on a trail ride that caters for beginners or by taking a solo lesson at a recognised riding school.

To start with you will not be expected to control the horse. The RI will do that.

it would be a waste of money if I didn't manage to make it on top of the horse,

Learning to ride is expensive. And after one has learned to ride and to control a horse, it still remains expensive to ride or keep a horse.
One pays for many pleasures in life and riding is one of them.

Unless you are disabled, getting onto the horse should not be a problem. Riding schools have mounting blocks and will help you to get on the horse. Some schools have higher, disabled mounting blocks.

It isnt just sitting on the horse and riding it that matters. Learners need to be taught how to handle the horse safely on the ground. But if you are curious there is nothing anyone can tell you that is a substitute for actually going and doing it.

 

[Thunderdud]

Unless you are disabled, getting onto the horse should not be a problem. Riding schools have mounting blocks and will help you to get on the horse. Some schools have higher, disabled mounting blocks.

I was thinking more that nerves might stop me getting on, because it most be daunting at first climbing onto such a large animal. I don't know, whenever I try to imagine myself riding a horse, I just see myself chickening out when it comes to getting in the saddle.

I suppose it's probably one of those things where you don't know how you will react for sure until you do it in real life. What would be useful is if riding schools offered something for people who are curious but unsure, where you can just visit for a short period and be introduced to the horses before agreeing to pay for a lesson. Maybe even allow people to try climbing onto the horse and sitting on him/her without the horse moving, to see how it goes before committing to any lesson.

Maybe that's where a trail ride or guided tour would be more useful? I looked them up before online out of curiosity and it said you are supposed to turn up 20 minutes before, so presumably they must get you on the horses early, which would give less time to think about getting on the horse too much. I do feel like once I'd be in the saddle, I would be fine.

 

[Skib]

Riding schools do offer one on one lessons with no riding. Often in the UK these lessons are called stable management lessons. I had a couple. First to learn how to lift up the feet of the horse and pick them out and then another to learn how to groom.
You pay for these lessons.
If you want to mount obviously they need to know, as the horse needs to be quiet and able to bear your weight,
I did not have one on how to lead and put on and take off a rug, as I had done that before and after my normal beginner riding lessons.

I was 60 or so when I started riding and I took my riding education very seriously. I helped on the yards unpaid and worked hard and watched.

 

[Jessey]

It is scary the first time, but generally horses are gentle creatures as long as you don’t scare them, and the ones at riding schools are selected for their good nature and are used to looking after beginners.

Perhaps pop into your selected riding school for a chat about starting out, and see if while you are there they will let you walk around the stables and meet some of the horses over the door.

Initially you just have to trust the instructor to help you get on safely, then it’s a matter of building confidence and skills. Trust with the horse is built by doing, there isn’t any shortcut to that.

Riding isn’t something you’re ever finished learning, and everyone learns at different paces so how long it will take you to become confident at different things is completely individual. Bareback riding is normally quite a ways down the line, because it requires really good balance from your seat.

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

I've only had a horse since I was 50 (14 years ago) but all my life I've loved horses and hung around them as much as possible, bumming rides. In all that time I've only met one horse who had a bad nature and wanted to hurt people (and that was due to her having undiagnosed serious ulcers). They are gentle, kind beasts in general.

If you want to get to know them and you don't fancy paying a riding school nor have a friend who would let you hang around their horse(s), you could try seeing if a local horse sanctuary needs volunteers. They are often lovely places.

 

[Thunderdud]

Perhaps pop into your selected riding school for a chat about starting out, and see if while you are there they will let you walk around the stables and meet some of the horses over the door.

That seems a good idea. Then I would be more used to being around the horses and it may not seem so daunting when I get to climbing into the saddle.

Riding isn’t something you’re ever finished learning, and everyone learns at different paces so how long it will take you to become confident at different things is completely individual. Bareback riding is normally quite a ways down the line, because it requires really good balance from your seat.

That makes sense considering that you don't have a saddle to keep you in position. I do like the idea of riding bareback, because it looks quite fun, but I can understand that it may take a while to get there. I certainly wouldn't expect horse riding to be easy, because it looks like there's quite a bit involved in it.

In all that time I've only met one horse who had a bad nature and wanted to hurt people (and that was due to her having undiagnosed serious ulcers).

Oh dear. I hope the horse was okay and got the treatment she needed.

If you want to get to know them and you don't fancy paying a riding school nor have a friend who would let you hang around their horse(s), you could try seeing if a local horse sanctuary needs volunteers. They are often lovely places.

Yeah, it's good that those kind of places exist to help rescue horses. It's like the rescue centres for cats and dogs too. The amount of hard work they do to help troubled animals is remarkable.

I did have a neighbour who had a horse when I was a kid, but I was too nervous to ask if I could tag along with her to her stables. I kind of wish I'd had the confidence to ask her, but I think if I had asked her, I probably would have asked if I could ride her horse, which I'm not sure would be the safest thing to do as opposed to riding a school horse with a riding instructor (and I can't imagine many horse owners agreeing to let someone who has never ridden before ride their horse anyway, which is understandable. Although maybe more chance as a kid than now I am an adult).

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

You need to know the right person with the right horse. My horse Sid is very kind to beginners, and since I have had him (only 3 years) he has given a first ride to 4 grandchildren and 1 adult beginner. That's with me leading him, of course, but he is a Good Boy and even if I weren't leading him he wouldn't do anything worse than eat grass. I am happy to let beginners ride him because he doesn't seem to mind.

 

[Thunderdud]

You need to know the right person with the right horse. My horse Sid is very kind to beginners, and since I have had him (only 3 years) he has given a first ride to 4 grandchildren and 1 adult beginner. That's with me leading him, of course, but he is a Good Boy and even if I weren't leading him he wouldn't do anything worse than eat grass. I am happy to let beginners ride him because he doesn't seem to mind.

That sounds like a good situation you've got going there then. I wish I knew you and you lived near me. Although I probably wouldn't have had the confidence to ask if I could ride your horse anyway if you did because I'm not the best at talking with people.

 

[chunky monkey]

Do you have anyone near you that has a horse. Maybe they would let you have a sit on and lead you round. My first ride was on a very large horse. I sat on it after the person had been out for a ride themselves so had a very chilled out horse.
It is unlikely you would be allowed to trail ride until you have some horse riding experience under your belt.
Riding lessons are expensive due to all the insurance and upkeep costs. But if you are keen to experience riding then just book a lesson or two at a riding school. They should ask you your abilities when you ring up. So just tell them its your first ride. They should then put you on a calm horse. An accomadating riding school will possibly offer a ½ hour lesson, which goes in no time. If you are unsure and instructor can walk at your side and just clip a lead onto the bridle to prevent the horse trotting off till you feel comfortable.

 

[Thunderdud]

Do you have anyone near you that has a horse. Maybe they would let you have a sit on and lead you round.

My current neighbour does have a horse like my previous neighbour, but I don't really know her that well. I think I've only spoken to her twice, once when she came to my door and another time when the ball my dog was playing with went next door and I asked her if she could retrieve it back.

My first ride was on a very large horse. I sat on it after the person had been out for a ride themselves so had a very chilled out horse.

That sounds like you had a good situation there then.

An accomadating riding school will possibly offer a ½ hour lesson, which goes in no time.

Could be worth considering at least to begin with. On one hand, half an hour isn't very long, but then on the other, if I don't enjoy it or I find getting onto the horse too daunting, it's only half an hour.

 

[GaryB]

I'd definitely go and have a lesson as suggested - I think it will make things much clearer for you.

 

[Skib]

In USA, Iceland and sometimes here, a total beginner can join a trail ride.

 

[Gidwellsteph]

Hello, Do you think section D is suitable for a first horse for a novice rider please? We looked at one last night and fell in love with her. Any support is helpful. Thanks

 

[Skib]

This thread is about first riding lessons. May be start a new thread asking about the type of horse to buy?
Over the years on this forum beginners have bought many diferent breeds of horses. It is the character and size of the horse and its age and experience which will create a safe riding horse for a beginner.

 

[Jessey]

Hello, Do you think section D is suitable for a first horse for a novice rider please? We looked at one last night and fell in love with her. Any support is helpful. Thanks

Its probably best to start your own thread, you'll get more answers.
Welshies are a bit like marmite, you either love them or hate them (I love my part bred), they can be absolutely fabulous horses but the breed alone doesn't say a lot about if a horse is suitable for a novice, but if you twisted my arm, I'd probably say they're not the most suitable breed but there is an exception to every rule.