We get phone calls all the time from people stating that they and/or their child want to take some riding lessons. I always ask the reason for the interest. Some of the most common responses are:
The #1 question asked: "How long will it take for me to learn to ride?"
Our answer: Always consider yourself a work in progress. Even Olympic and world champion riders take lessons. One year of lessons is 52 hours of instruction, if you attended every lesson. You would receive more training hours if you were going to go rock climbing. And a rock does not think or move on its own. Think about it. It’s a small investment of time to help insure your fun, success and safety while enjoying the companionship of a noble horse.
It is reported that eighty percent of people who get into horses get out within the first year; and two-thirds of the remaining twenty percent get out in the next five years. They do so because of:
Most of these are caused by three lies that have been told to many of us when we first got on a horse.
It is a guarantee that if you just saddle a horse and get on without any prior and proper preparation, you won't get any extraordinary results, except possibly hurt badly.
These types of calls and the overwhelming turnover of horse enthusiasts has led us to develop a program based on KNOWLEDGE and AWARENESS of both the horse and rider. The KNOWLEDGE - the mechanical, psychological and the emotional makeup of both the horse and rider. AWARENESS - being the indescribable thing known as feel.
The majority of recreational riders would just like to enjoy themselves without having to pull, jerk, smack on their horse or just have an all out war every time they go out on a trail ride. However, any of these same people believe that instruction and arena work is boring and is just for people who want to compete - that it has nothing to offer a recreational rider and/or their horse. The most common statement I hear is "I don’t want to ride fancy or compete; I just want to go ride and have fun."
So, if you are an amateur rider, then let’s put some principle to purpose (work). The principles of classical horsemanship you’ll be taught, will actually serve you better outside of the arena – out actually doing something with your horse, enjoying your horse. That’s putting principle to purpose.
We believe the teaching of these principles to the recreational rider is the most important service we can provide. The recreational rider makes up the majority of horse owners/riders. They are also the ones that report the most horse related accidents and problem horses.
"How do they become problem horses?"
They are usually past around from one inexperienced person to another. Getting worse with every experience. Most problem horses are a product of their environment:
If for no other reason, lessons are essential because riding is unique. It is the only sport that two bodies, of two different species, try to work together in balance. The horse is trying to get in balance with the rider, and the rider trying to get into balance and rhythm with the horse. It is difficult due to the fact that the rider’s balance is on the vertical (Longitude), and horse’s balance is on the horizontal (Latitude). Balance in motion is the consistent loss of balance and regaining of balance.
WARNING
UNDER TEXAS LAW (CHAPTER 87, CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE), AN EQUINE PROFESSIONAL IS NOT LIABLE FOR AN INJURY TO OR THE DEATH OF A PARTICIPANT IN EQUINE ACTIVITIES RESULTING FROM THE INHERENT RISKS OF EQUINE ACTIVITIES.