Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons: A Starter Guide

---

Greater Rochester Area Lesson Barns

Western:

Davis Family Farm – Williamson, NY

Evergreen Stables – Scottsville, NY

Infinity Seven Lessons & Training – Avon, NY

Locust Grove Arabians – Palmyra, NY

Rattlin Bog Farm – Bergen, NY

Sandyridge(Wehling Ranch) – Medina, NY

Stride by Stride Horsemanship – East Penfield/Fairport, NY

Twisted Iron Ranch & Performance Horses – Geneseo, NY

 

English:

ACW Equine, LLC – Akron, NY

Big House Stables – Geneseo, NY

Burl Creek Farm – Newark, NY

City View Equestrian LLC – Bloomfield, NY

Davis Family Farm – Williamson, NY

Glory Hill Farm – Honeoye Falls, NY

Heart to Heart Morgans – Alexander, NY

Infinity Seven Lessons & Training – Avon, NY

Locust Grove Arabians – Palmyra, NY

Marsh Creek Meadows – Kent, NY

Stride by Stride Horsemanship – East Penfield/Fairport, NY

 

Driving:

High Hopes Farm – Honeoye Falls, NY

---

Transcript

Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons: A Starter Guide

Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons: A Starter Guide

[00:00:00] Good morning, guys. If I got the sniffles, do apologize today. I don’t know. It’s psycho winds outside while I’m recording this and my nose has decided it wants to be snotty, so apologize if I’m a little nasally. But anyways, it’s January 2024. Your kids probably were begging Santa for a pony for Christmas and it’s not the best place to start.

I mean, riding lessons however, are a perfect introduction into the world of horses. Much kinder to your bank account. So is horseback riding really a good thing to get your kid into? Yes! Horseback riding is so much more than a sport or a hobby. It is a way to connect with nature, to build confidence, improve mental and physical health.

Riders often speak to the bond they have with their horse and the freedom they feel when in a stride. Parents, you guys you guys enjoy the discipline for the structure[00:01:00] for the riding lesson and the barn environment that it offers. My mom loved the fact that she never had to pester me about my posture because my riding instructor did that for her.

I’m 6’2 slouching as a teenager would have given me back problems at my, excuse me, age. Jokes aside. Many of us get our first horseback riding experience. On guided trail rides, and while we’re on vacation. But to ride a horse competitively, requires skill, and guidance, and patience, and practice.

Taking lessons ensures that you build muscle and communication techniques correctly. while prioritizing safety for both you and your mount. So today I’m going to give you a guide on everything you need to know about starting your journey the right way because you’re listening to Rochester Trail Riders.[00:02:00]

All right, picking the right program is much more than finding the closest stable to you. that offers lessons. It’s about finding the right interests and goals. So first ask yourself, what inspired you to take lessons? Ask your kid, why do you want to take lessons? What was their inspiration? Is it the allure of ranch work?

Shining glitter of showmanship? Maybe it’s the speed and the agility of a barrel horse at a rodeo? So if any of these things you know, wet your whistle, you’re looking for a Western riding program to best fit you. Maybe you’re watching the Olympians that gave you the desire to try the precision of dressage or the thrill of jumping.

If this is the case, you’re going to look for English. Maybe it’s an Amish buggy or watching those exhilarating four in hand FEI race horse courses. You know, they run around this whole [00:03:00] indoor obstacle course at like psycho speeds. That was your thing. You know, you can actually take beginner lessons in carriage driving and that might actually help a lot of us out that might not be physically able to ride, but still want that bond with a horse, excuse me.

Regardless of the riding style, horseback riding actually can be an inclusive sport. There are programs like the Aqua Center that offer therapeutic riding lessons for those with disabilities. So they also can experience the joy and the benefits of riding. Adaptive riding programs are designed to cater to all abilities, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to engage with horses in a way that works for them.

So now that you’ve picked out your discipline, it’s time to find a stable that can offer a lesson program. Naturally, you’re going to want to find one that’s close to home, so you’re not spending all your time in a car [00:04:00] seat versus a saddle. However, you should also look at certifications and safety records for the stable that you’re considering.

I mean, don’t be afraid to ask owners about their qualifications or their safety. What certifications do they hold? Are they part of any recognized programs? Understand their qualifications so they can give you a better picture of the experience that’s just not about the paper. They should be able to articulate what a structured lesson should look like.

It’s also customary to ask to observe a lesson, because auditing can tell you a lot about their teaching style, how they interact with writers, especially children. And speaking of the kids, make sure to check if their instructor participates in the U. S. E. M. Safe Sport Program. It’s a national program.

It’s focused on safeguarding partnersh safeguarding participants from the abuse in sports. [00:05:00] Ask them to meet the lesson horses. See where their saddle is and tack are kept. Trust your instincts. They’re your silent partners in this choice. I mean, if something feels off, don’t don’t just go with, Hey! This is the first place I looked.

Go look elsewhere. Your confidence in this table is paramount to your safety and how you’re going to actually learn and what you’re going to get out of this program. Writing lessons, they typically come in like a three part structure. You’re going to have a warm up. You’re going to have an actual like skills development and then a cool down.

This is where it’s good to ask instructors how their fee structure is set up. Some charge by the hour, others by the half hour. Hour long lessons typically include the 15 minute warm up, a middle section of your skills, which is about 30 minutes, and a 15 minute cool down. Your 30 minute fee structures.

They’re more catered to those that own [00:06:00] their horse, or maybe lease a horse. And that warm up and cool down period is on your own. They are just focusing on the skills aspect of your lesson. Budget conscious folks. This is how I got my start by the way. Look for farms that do group lessons. It’s gonna be a little lower in cost and believe it or not, these might be particularly beneficial to those for beginners.

Where you get to observe a fellow rider executing that same skill and receive feedback from the trainer. But you’re watching versus doing and that can really help you out if you’re that type of learner. Beginners, you should learn just as much during the warm up and cool down phases. During your tack up and un tacking sessions.

Understanding proper horse handling, health, safety during these periods are just as important. Good instructors are not going to make you just a good rider, but a good horseman. [00:07:00] Alright, so While the riding stable you choose is going to offer things like the horse, the saddle, the tack, the arena, the insurance, et cetera, et cetera.

In the cost of your lessons, there are some aspects of safety gear that you’re going to need to invest in. Helmets. These are non negotiable safety standards and are a must for anybody under the age of 18. Or just starting out. These are your trusty brain buckets and they can range wildly in price. Your best bet is to hit up your like local tax store or farm store and find one that fits your head and your budget.

It might be tempting to buy used, but don’t. Helmets should be replaced every five years or after a fall. Used helmet might already come broken or fatigued and it’s just, it’s just not worth the The risk. [00:08:00] And then there’s boots. Yep. These are the foundation of every riding attire. Purpose of the boot is to have at least a one inch heel.

Which will help prevent your foot from sliding through the stirrup. Soles should have a good grip. There should be a shank to prevent fatigue while you’re balancing yourself on the ball of your foot. Cowboy boots, paddock boots, tall boots. These are all good options. Western riders for legwear typically ride in jeans and cowboy boots.

Their saddles are a little more forgiving on the seam wear of jeans. An English saddle can rub. If you’re gonna ride English, it’s good to invest in tights or breaches. This will give you like a legging. A breach is a legging that has no inner seam against your leg, between your leg and the saddle.

You’re gonna pair these breaches or tights with a tall boot or a paddock boot with some half chaps. That will protect your lower leg from the skinny English leathers that can [00:09:00] rub and pinch. So safety vests are not typically an item you’re seeing in beginner lessons, but I mean, are something to consider.

Especially if you’re learning to jump. The old saying kind of goes, you are not a real rider until you’ve fallen off. It’s not a matter of when it’s going to happen, more like, uh, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when you’re going to fall. And you’re going to fall a lot, especially if you’re learning to jump.

So, helmet protects your head, safety vest is going to protect your back and your ribs from these falls. So, if that’s something that you’re concerned about, they’re not cheap, but they do work pretty darn good.

So, let’s see here. I, I get a kick out of folks that complain that riding is not a sport and shouldn’t even be in the Olympics. I mean, the horse does all the work. Gosh, how many [00:10:00] times have we heard that? But here’s, by that logic here’s what I usually tell them at back. I’m like, if the horse does all the work, then alpine skiing shouldn’t be considered a sport either because gravity does all the work.

Horseback riding is a full body workout. You are going to discover muscles that you didn’t even know you had and find yourself a little bit sore after. This is your body adapting to the new demands of riding. Horse strength. Balance, flexibility, all played huge roles in how you ride. And as you progressed, you’re going to see improvements in these areas.

Great for kids, low impact to your joints, but a very stressful workout at the same time. I mean, a day or two after your lesson, you’re going to feel a little tender in your legs, your core, your arms, totally normal. These are muscles that are not activated in your day to day routines. And you could probably find things like yoga or Pilates to help stretch [00:11:00] these newly sore areas.

As you continue to ride, your body’s going to adjust, soreness will decrease, and you’re going to build up a lot of strength and stamina that you didn’t know you had just from riding because the horse does all the work, right?

Okay, it’s no secret, horseback riding comes with risks. It is an athletic endeavor. That involves a powerful animal with a mind of its own. A lesson program will work to reduce these risks, but please be aware that no program can eliminate them.

However, working with horses is so rewarding beyond the physical demands. Bond between horse and rider is unique and can translate into life lessons about trust. Patience and empathy, good programs will also include the responsibility and discipline needed to care for their mounts and set the stage for good life habits about leadership skills.

[00:12:00] I didn’t come from a horsey family, so I am so thankful that my parents caved into my pleas for riding lessons. One lesson a week in a group setting is what we could afford. And that hour at the barn taught me life lessons , that no school could ever even achieve about leadership, empathy, determination, when faced with challenge and the grace in both victory and loss.

That actually wraps up our beginner lessons series program. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, And you want to stay up to date on all things in Equestrian, please hit that subscribe button. Give me some feedback. Helps keep me motivated for our listeners in the greater Rochester area. I’ve put together something special for you guys.

Check out the show notes for a list of local trainers and stables currently welcoming new beginner clients. At the very end of the show, I’ll just rattle them off for you guys [00:13:00] too, just by word. So maybe that’ll help. A couple of little things I want to introduce you guys to. I have set up a ton of different challenges for Rochester for you guys to get out and on the trail.

I have our typical trail series that we do. Um, I’m running this one in a quarterly, so there will be a winter, spring, summer, fall, and then a year end total. Winter is open now. You can work to get 25 activities. I don’t care if it’s riding, grooming, teaching your horse tricks, whatever you are doing.

25 times throughout the winter months, hang out with your horse, record what you did. Anybody who signs up for this challenge is going to get a big, huge ribbon that I’ve been working on designing. If you’re also a part of this challenge, We’ll see how many folks are in there. You finish it, I’ll put you all in a big pool and we’ll do door prizes for some bigger prizes to give out on that challenge as well.

As I said, it’s going to be a winter, spring, [00:14:00] summer, fall event, so this is the Winter Series. For some really cool riding challenges, I have set up the Greenway Trailmaster. So if you ride the entirety of the Genesee Valley Greenway, the entirety of the Lehigh Valley Trail, the entirety of the Ontario County Pathways, there’s a trail series challenge for that.

There is also a trail challenge for county parks. There are a bunch of different parks listed. That you can take part in this challenge. Pick five. Ride 5 miles at 5 of these different parks. Record your dates and times. And that is its own County Parks Trail Masters Series. I did the same thing with state parks.

There’s a bunch of state parks in this one. Pick 5 state parks. Ride a minimum of 5 miles at these parks. And then record those dates and you can take part in those. These guys are cheap to sign up for. They’re 15 bucks. [00:15:00] You get a patch if you win. You get put on the roster saying that you, you rocked it out.

The only thing that I am asking folks to do above and beyond this is to make sure you do the leave no trace. Certification course, totally free, online, takes about 10 15 minutes to do, but I will be asking for your Leave No Trace certification ID to make sure you did that, because I want to make sure that As we use the trails available to us as horse owners, that we work really hard to minimize our impact on the environment and to make sure that the trail is of high enough quality and that we promote being good trail stewards and environmentalists.

Alright guys, for Rochester friends, here’s the promise I made to you to just read off a list of the local barns that are currently accepting new clients. We’re going to start with the Western category. And we have Davis Family Farm in Williamson, New York. Evergreen [00:16:00] Stables in Scottsville, New York.

Infinity 7 Lessons and Training in Avon, New York. Locust Grove Arabians in Palmyra. Ratlin Bog Farm in Bergen. Sandy Ridge, also known as the Wheeling Ranch, out in Medina. Stride by Stride Horsemanship in East Penfield or Fairport area. Twisted Iron Ranch and Performance Horses in Geneseo. For our English folks, we got some of these that are duplicates because they offer both.

We have ACW Equine LLC in Akron. Big House Stables in Geneseo. Burl Creek Farm in Newark. City View Equestrian LLC in Bloomfield. Davis Family Farm in Williamson. Glory Hill Farm in Honeoye Falls. Heart to Heart Morgans in Alexander. Infinity 7 Lessons and Training in Avon. Locust Grove Arabians in Palmyra.

Marsh Creek Meadows in [00:17:00] Kent. Stride by Stride Horsemanship in Penfield Fairport. And locally for driving we have High Hopes Farm in Honeoye Falls. I hope this list helps. If you’d like to see your name added or farm added to this, by all means hit us up on the website, send us an email, and we’ll happily get you added to the list.

Well, that about wraps it up. Remember, to respect the trail, you’re a Dome Defender. Leave no trace at your trailer site. Happy Trails.