Horse Riding Lessons for Children

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Horses are good for children, and there are many reasons why a child should learn to horseback ride. A parent should be glad of any request that gets their child away from the TV, cell phone, game console or computer! That first lesson can be a step towards a lifelong activity that benefits both body and soul.

How Old Should a Child Be to Take Lessons?

How old should a child be to take lessons? Most instructors will take children as young as seven, but some will take even younger children. How much any child will take away from a lesson will depend on their maturity level. Some very young children will be able to grasp the basic skills quickly, while others will really be enjoying the ‘pony ride’. Either situation is fine, as long as everyone is safe and happy.

Your Child’s First Lesson

During a lesson, very young children will need to be led, or have a side walker. To ride effectively, you must have a physical presence on a horse. Young children may not have the physical strength and dexterity to manage a horse completely on their own. Lessons should be private or semi-private so the coach or instructor is nearby at all times.

Older children will probably progress from lead line to longe line , to riding by themselves within a few lessons. Very keen children may feel they are being held back, but trust the coach’s instincts. You’ll want your child to feel successful, but the coach will know what is safe. Often a child will ask to ride another horse. Trust that the coach knows how to match riders to horses and will best be able to decide when your child is ready for a change.

If your child is learning or physically disabled, make sure that the instructor knows. I know of one instance where an instructor did not know about a child’s learning disability and was frustrated because they thought the child just wasn’t listening.

Young children will probably enjoy a half hour lesson, rather than a full hour. It’s better to keep them wanting more, than wearing them out with long lessons, and have them begging to dismount.

Even young children should be taught to move safely around a horse on the ground, and help groom and tack up as much as they can. Again, the coach or an assistant should stay very close as children are easily distracted and can forget the ‘rules’ quickly.

Get Ready To Ride Your Horse

Image from - horsejournals.com

 While horse back riding could be a fantastic pursuit and an excellent way to bond with each your horse and also the nature found on the path, even an easy afternoon ride requires preparation. Before saddling up for the ride, prepare yourself and your horse with a number of straightforward steps.

1

Give your saddle and bridle a fast review, yearning for broken items, worn components within the animal skin or imperfections which can cause your horse discomfort. If you check your gear as you brace oneself for every ride you'll minimize the danger of issues on the path and create repairs before they become severe.

2

Prepare your horse for the ride by grooming him with a rubber curry. Move the brush in circular motions, removing any loose hair. As you are grooming, inspect his coat and skin for any cuts, abrasions or other problems which may cause discomfort while you ride.

3

Use a stiff brush after the curry to remove all of the hair, dander and dirt brought to the surface. Removing debris from your horse's coat will help to keep her cool and comfortable as your ride.

4

Inspect your horse's hooves for any rocks, manure or mud that may be trapped in the shoes and cause discomfort. If debris is present, simply use a hoof pick to loosen and remove the material.

5

Place the saddle on the horse, tightening the girth and then prepare your horse with a warm-up lunge. After lunging, check the saddle girth again in case the horse has released gas. Place the bridle on your horse and you are ready to go.

Source - http://www.ehow.com

How to Take Care of Your Horse

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Horses need lots of care and a focus. This guide can assist you learn the way to care for a horse by giving straightforward steps to keeping a horse happy and healthy!

1.   Every day that you just leave to ride your horse .They need to be tidy. 1st check them over from head to toe to create certain they need no swellings or cuts, slightly scrape is ok as long because it isn't too deep or huge.

2.   When you are done checking him or her over start your grooming routine. They would need to be curried, have their mane and tail brushed, have their hooves picked, and they need to be brushed with a Hard brush and then a soft one.

3.   Next comes the saddle and bridle. First get your needed tack, then put the saddle pad on your horse. Next comes the saddle. Tighten the girth and check to make sure the saddle fits. Then put the reins over your horse's head and put the bit in their mouth. If they toss their head up either get an older taller person to help you or place your hand over their forehead then bridle them. Check all the straps and lead them to your riding area.

4.   Next check the girth again, some horses like to puff out their chest when you put the girth on. Roll down the stirrups, both of the stirrups (individually) should be as long as your arm. Mount your horse!

5.  Exercise is important! It is how horses stay in shape.You may ride your horse as long as you would like but gradually increase the time so it does not become sore, If you plan to ride more then 2 hours make sure you stop to give it a drink and breaks.A horse is okay to ride in an arena all the time, But if you ride/show all the time then stick them in a stall they will become ring-sour.

6.  Then take the tack off them and give them a drink. Never let them drink too much or they can become sickly. If they are still wet consider hosing them off if it is above 52 degrees Fahrenheit. If you do hose them off use a sweat scraper to get rid of the excess water. If your horse is afraid of the hose use a wet sponge to rinse them off. They will most likely roll, That's okay, it's normal!

7.  Make sure that once you take off the saddle and blanket, you brush under the chest were the girth is. It is very important that you brush there because horses can get a sore if not cared for properly. Push your body against the horse just like you would if you were picking their hoof. Lightly scrub the girth. (the should usually be a mark there) Don't scrub too hard, It could hurt your horse.

8.  Their stalls will also need to be tended to. Use shavings, straw, or what works best for you. Get a pitchfork and a bucket and empty all the manure into the bucket. Get the wet spots also. Make sure you get all of the wet spots as they can smell terrible! But your horse doesn't need a stall to survive, they live just fine in the pasture!

9.  Check that your horse has fresh water and their water bucket is clean. Feed them as necessary. Talk to the previous owner(s) about how much you feed them, what you feed them, and how often. Try to keep their diet as simple as possible (remember, all wild horses have is grass!), stuff like grass hay and clean oats is good for them and can reduce the chance of colic. Make sure it has a good sized field for them to go eat grass.
Source - http://www.wikihow.com

Why Horse Riding Is Good For You

    Any rider will tell you the wonderful and varied benefits of riding horseback. Be it English, western, bareback, for competition, for exercise or just plain old fun, there are dozens of reasons to get out of doors, and get "a leg up". Most riders, if asked to describe their equine experiences, will talk for hours about their escapades, daredevil adventures, their horse and his personality, what he eats, how much his shoes cost and how their spouse complains about the hay bill. If you listen closely, ( And I know that if you are not an equine enthusiast you might not listen actively for more than 10 minutes - but try. ) you will probably hear more about the positive emotional benefits of riding than about the physical component. 

       That's what I find so exhilarating about being on horseback - it can be calming, exciting, challenging and uplifting and at the same time I am getting very good physical exercise but I don't focus on that part. If I did, I probably wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much. "Exercise" as I think of it, is difficult, unpleasant, time consuming, sweaty and just not fun because the word exercise brings to mind a gym, jogging, time away from the barn ( yikes )! I grew up on the backs of horses and it has been such a wonderful experience. There have been, however, the dreaded hiatus from riding ( childbirth, childrearing, Master's deree, etc. ) and those were the times when I realized just how important riding was to me not only emotionally but physically as well. My legs got larger and less toned, my derrierre did not look as good in jeans, my arms were weaker and less than sexy, my abdomen not something to be proud of. A rider uses virtually every muscle while seated in the saddle, it definitely improves posture, circulation, reaction time, coordination, is aerobic and can be anaerobic as well. If you are simply trailriding at the walk, you aren't getting the same workout as, say, jumping a 7 mile cross-country course. As with any exercise, the more you put into it the more you get out. I can remember finishing a course such as the one I mentioned years ago and having a spectator ask me at the end why I was out of breath. Hah! Let him try to stay on a horse's back at full gallop, in a half seat position most of the time, counting strides, mentally focusing on what your horse is doing and what he might be thinking as well. Every muscle in your legs, back, arms and torso are working together to keep you in the proper position, synchronized with the movement of your mount, and don't forget the adrenaline rush you need to keep it up for 7 miles! Riding dressage, which is a classical form of riding dating back many centuries is equally challenging. To watch a very good rider execute a dressage test gives the impression that the horse is dancing around the arena, performing these beautiful moves while the rider simply looks "pretty" in their shadbelly coat, top hat, bright white breeches and gloves, highly polished black leather boots and sitting in a saddle that costs more than most refridgerators. Getting into the arena takes years of practice, lots of concentration and discipline on the part of both horse and rider. 

          You won't generally see overweight individuals riding dressage ( or rounding up cattle for that matter ) which is a hint to the onlooker that these people are putting incredible amounts of energy and many, many hours into what they are doing and are making it look efforless which is key to their success in the ring ( or on the range in the case of the cowboy). People usually associate runner's high with, well, running. This is due to the release of endorphines ( your body's own painkillers ) and it happens to anyone who puts in a vigorous workout. Most riders spend an inordinate amount of time caring for their beloved animal in between rides ( and most enjoy it as much as the rides ) which includes a lot of daily physical activity. From cleaning stalls to carrying bags of shavings and 50 pound bags of grain, to running up to the hayloft for a few large bales of hay, to lugging fresh water in 5 gallon buckets from spigot to stall and paddock and grooming your best friend from ear to tail and wither to hoof, up on tiptoe and down on knee so that he looks better cared for than most people. Exercise? Call it what you will. I call it love.

Horse Riding Schools in Hampshire

Inadown Farm Livery Stables Riding School in Alton

Inadown Farm Livery Stables is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Alton, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Inadown Farm Livery Stables equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on  PHONE: 01420 588439

S L Oppenheimer Riding School in Alton

S L Oppenheimer is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Alton, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact S L Oppenheimer equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01420 588211

Amport Riding School Riding School in Andover

Amport Riding School is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Andover, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Amport Riding School equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01264 772972

Quarley Riding Riding School in Andover

Quarley Riding is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Andover, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Quarley Riding equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01264 860814

Redenham Park Stud Riding School in Andover

Redenham Park Stud is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Andover, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Redenham Park Stud equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01264 772990

J K Wason Riding School in Emsworth

J K Wason is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Emsworth, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact J K Wason equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01243 372080

Valley Farm Livery Stables Riding School in Emsworth

Valley Farm Livery Stables is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Emsworth, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Valley Farm Livery Stables equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01243 372315

Pook Lane Riding Stables Riding School in Havant

Pook Lane Riding Stables is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Havant, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

The Olderney Stud Riding School in Liss

The Olderney Stud is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Liss, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact The Olderney Stud equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01730 827564

Burley Villa Equestrian Centre Riding School in New Milton

Burley Villa Equestrian Centre is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in New Milton, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Burley Villa Equestrian Centre equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01425 610278

Sims Cottage Stables Riding School in New Milton

Sims Cottage Stables is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in New Milton, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Sims Cottage Stables equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on: PHONE: 01425 612961

Valesmoor Farm Riding School in New Milton

Valesmoor Farm is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in New Milton, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Valesmoor Farm equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

 PHONE: 01425 614487

Burley Manor Riding Stables Riding School in Ringwood

Burley Manor Riding Stables is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Ringwood, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Burley Manor Riding Stables equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01425 403489

East Moors Farm Riding School in Ringwood

East Moors Farm is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Ringwood, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact East Moors Farm equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01202 872302

Forest Pines Riding School in Ringwood

Forest Pines is a Horse Riding School/equestrian centre in Ringwood, Hampshire offering horse-riding lessons and/or other equine facilities, stables, dressage, saddlery or livery.

To contact Forest Pines equestrian riding school, please call their phone number on:

PHONE: 01202 871828