horse back riding- who does it? (lessons)

[welsummerchicks]

Have I got a horse for you!

 

[newfoundland]

I absolutely agree with everything welsummerchicks says. May daughter is a riding instructor here in England and wholeheartedly agrees too. Riding is about connecting on many levels with the horse. It takes a lifetime to learn because the relationship with, and understanding of horses develops gradually over the years. Echoing welsummer's sentiments again I would say 'don't try to run before you can walk!' Distrust any establishment that hurries children through the all important stage of gaining balance empathy with the horse and confidence. It should be all about enjoyment at this stage. Many parents are only interested in seeing their children competing and get impatient with stables that don't push their children on relentlessly. Go to a few places, most are happy for prospective clients to spectate. Little ones should be on a lead rein in little group lessons. Do the children seem to be enjoying themselves? Are the ponies quiet and well behaved? Is the arena rubber chippings over sand etc? I'm sure you'll find the place that you feel instinctively comfortable with.

 

[babyblue]

I agree with everything wellsummerchicks has said. with a small addition. never assume because its a cute or tiny pony that its well behaved or well trained. sometimes pony's are little angels, sometimes little demons. size alone is never an indicator of an animals attitude or training. before your child rides any new animal watch it being ridden by both the trainer and then a student similar in size and close in skill to your child. that will give you a very close idea of how it actually behaves.

and its not always the small pony thats the best behaved in the group. my old show horse, a 20yo qh gelding is 16 hands, 1100 pounds or so and still the best lesson horse and children's horse I will ever have. yea hes big, but he is trustworthy, every tolerant and ever patient. if the child or adult gets off balance he stops, if they speak-cry-whimper or fuss he stops. if he is walking around the open fields with my 9yo niece on him and I say stop he stops. so my advice is not just look for the best size match, but the best mental match as well.

 

[welsummerchicks]

I agree for early lessons, but once a child starts trotting and cantering he's better off on a shorter strided, smaller mover. Some gals were oohing and aahing at how 'cute' a tiny child was on a gigantic warmblood. But personally I thiought the child looked overwhelmed, and would learn bad habits('defensive riding', struggling against the motion and bracing oneself, rather than relaxing), by being put on such a big mover that she clearly couldn't really control.

That said, quite a few large horses learn to 'baby trot' as well as do a very flat small slow canter for the children. Sometimes it works surprisingly well.

Horse size varies a lot in different horse show riding styles. What many a show rider might tell you is 'not too big' might be very, very different from what the better riding instructor thinks, who's trying to bring his little kids along learning control and better seat, leg and hand position. The instructor may put his kids on much smaller animals, to teach them proper control and position first.

THe important thing to remember about horse size, is not so much the height of the animal, as how well the child can control it and 'get their leg on'. On a very wide horse, kids don't learn to sit with their legs under them, their legs tend to remain stuck way out in front of them. There's a tendency for all riders to start out that way due to lack of strength, but the right horse helps the child learn the right posture.

While it can be more common with bigger horses, horses of any size, even ponies, can get in the habit of giving a steady pull against the reins. When they 'get strong in the hand' even a skilled adult can have trouble. It isn't brute strength and body weight that controls the tougher horse, but it does require more coordination, balance and leg and abdominal strength than most children have, plus from long experience, knowing how to use one's strength in a clever way, as in a battle of pure force the horse will always win.

It's important that the animals the smaller children ride do not at all 'get strong in hand'. Little ones don't have the strength or skill to deal with that.

Another factor is the size of the horse's body. While many a child has plopped along through his first lead-line lessons on a horse whose body is so big it makes the little one's legs stick practically straight out sideways in the air, he isn't going to learn to trot and canter properly, or really control his horse, unless he can 'get his leg on', as they say. This is because so many of the signals given to the horse are from the rider's legs. To learn this properly, often requires a smaller animal without that 'beer barrel' shape to his body. When little legs are so short they barely go lower than the bottom of the saddle flap, a child has little control, strength or balance, and probably should be on a lead line or longe (long) line.

It's a shame to be honest, how spoiled and bad acting many ponies are. as ponies are very hardy and can be some of the most determined little fellows when it comes to getting the job done. People always think it's 'so cute' when a pony misbehaves but it is no less dangerous than a full size horse doing it, and I don't really think a badly behaved pony really makes a good mount for a child.

I think much of it is that they're mostly ridden by children who aren't always the best horse trainers. When I was lighter it was my job to get on the ponies and break their bad habits. I'd rather ride a 3 yr old 19 hand draft -warmblood cross stallion that had been fed corn for three days in his stall and let loose on a cross country course with a burr under his saddle.

Another thing I'd mention - a child or adult, when learning to ride - don't ever let anyone fool you - they aren't going to follow every rule found in a book on 'proper equitation'. Learning to ride is an awkward business, and it's awfully important for a parent to stay very calm and patient - with the child, the pony, AND the instructor!

You can expect bouncing up and down in the saddle, awkward clumsy use of the reins, and a lot of ineffectual motion. For that reason, it's not always true that 'the instructor is wrong' if she tells the children to do things that don't exactly look like 'The Classical Art of Riding' . Books usually fail to clue people into how clumsy the process of learning to ride really is.

People often ask on bulletin boards, 'Is my instructor telling me to do the right thing?' and receive hysterical, strident replies that the method is 'Not at all CLASSICAL!'

But it is very, very important to not be too judgemental or to expect quick mastery.

We were often told this rhyme:

"TTT, remember these three, hear them chime - TTT - THINGS TAKE TIME'.

Most horses used for riding lessons are rather blase about the teaching process, and many require a sound thumping with the little leg or not just one firm tap with the whip just to pick up a very slow trot, and they might stop trotting any moment. Not all are so finely tuned to the reins, either, in order to turn your little one may need to use the reins vigorously.

It is extremely important for the horse to not get nervous with a student on his back, and often that means the horse is a very relaxed sort of individual, who must be urged strongly and often takes a 'you and what army' attitude when his little rider wants to do something.

You can ALSO expect even the calmest child to get upset as he tries to learn to ride. An overly sensitive child may get very upset when corrected by the teacher, and some children have a devil of a time telling their left from their right. They KNOW their left from right, but to remember when there's a lot to think about and you're bouncing up and down on a horse, that's harder.

I myself think riding is one of the ONLY situations today where children have to learn to do what they're told in an exacting way, immediately. Since they will most likely have to work at a job all their adult life, it is good experience. They have to learn to develop patience, as well as respect for the instructor and the animal. They have to learn a set of rules, not invent their own rules. If you ride the horse properly, he does what you want. You'd be amazed at how many children find that a big surprise.

The OTHER thing they learn, is to not be perfectionists. You'd be amazed at how hard on themselves some children are in sports. They take it very seriously, and they should, but they also often need to learn to be less hard on themselves. They are furious with themselves if they aren't perfect immediately, or can't stand seeing another student who's ridden longer, ride better. Often the riding teacher is the first adult they've really had an important relationship outside of their family. Learning to admire and work for a skilled adult mentor is a very good thing for a child.

I honestly believe it's very important who you pick to instruct a child because children usually admire an adult sports mentor. I think they should not be constantly screaming and having hysterics and getting frustrated or making fun of the kids. They should be loud, demanding, firm, very clear, but at the same time, positive and encouraging and free with praise. Belittling children is inexcusable, but pushing them and demanding they keep trying and put forth effort, is not.

Personally, I don't care for a coarse person who smokes, swears or acts unnecessarily rough with the animals. I don't want my kids to admire that sort of behavior.

I like to see a riding instructor looking professional, properly dressed in riding pants and boots and a neatly tucked in shirt and starting promptly (as much as that ever is possible when dealing with children), but perhaps the clothing bit is a little bit too old school these days, LOL. I would at least like to think they didn't just tumble out of bed to teach, LOL.

It's probably not to old school to expect him to wear a helmet when he rides, to set an example for the kids.

I also could care less if the child stays interested in riding or continues on for years to become skilled and deeply involved in competiing. Any amount of time spent on a horse being instructed by a good instructor is beneficial in a lot of other ways than just riding.