First, please take my advice, DO NOT GO BUY A HORSE. Why? Because there are some factors to consider before you take on the huge responsibility of your first horse (which we will cover another day.) Your first move should be riding lessons. This is the safest, smartest, and ultimatly the cheapest option. But first, determin if you and your child are even ready for lessons.
1 Is your child seriously in love with horses deep in her heart, or is she just wrapped up in the beauty, fun, and emotion of all things horses? There is a huge difference. If she is truly in love with horses she will be committed to them - 100%. This means she will go out and clean stalls in bad weather, pick horses hooves, ride when it is hot and when it is cold, and most importantly fall off and get back on. This last one is very important. I have seen kids that were all in love with horses and were going the distance until they had their first fall. You may have to take lessons or a horse camp to determine her level of commitment.
2. Is your child the right age to start riding? I don't recommend riding lessons until age 4. Some riding instructors would disagree with me and say not to take riding lessons until age 7 or 8. If you have a teenager that is about to go to college, it may not be the best time to start riding, but I would recommend riding for teens ages 16 and younger .
3. Are you a parent willing to do what you can to help your child do what she loves? Everyone who has ever had a child that rides knows that it takes a commitment from you, the parent, of time and money. This does NOT mean that you have to be rich to afford to give your child lessons, but then it will probably require more time. For example, some barns will allow your child to work off part of her lesson price, but then you will have to bring her and either stay at the barn, or drop her off and pick her back up hours later. If your child wants to show, that is far more commitment.
If you have a true blue horse crazy kid, that is the right age, and you are willing to do what you can for you child, then it is time to find a good trainer. You can find a trainer in a few ways:
* I would recommend that you find a good horse club to join. United States Pony Club, 4-H, and local horse clubs (I started my own club for girls, that I have run for 10 years) can be great resources for parents to find riding instructors, friends, and support. On the other hand, there are some club chapters that aren't that great. Find your local chapter and just visit it and see if it is right for you.
* Look for certified riding instructors on the web links below:
American Riding Instructors Assocaition
Certified Horsemanship Association
North American Riding for the Handicapped Association
All of these associations are very good places to find a trainer for your child because the people that are certified by them can be more professional, concerned with safety, and knowledgeable than your non-certified instructor. Of course, my first instructor was not certified and is still the best teacher I know. I am certified with the ARIA. It is just a good place to start.
* Recomendations. This is of course the best way to find people period, and if you have a friend whose child is riding and loving her instructor, go visit her farm. Just remember that what works for your friend may or may not work for you and your child.
When you find an instructor that sounds like he/she might work for you, doing the following things will help you determine if it is a good match:
1. Go visit the trainer's farm. If the farm is clean, safe, and the horses look well cared for this is a good sign. It should be kid friendly. It would be nice for the barn to have a bathroom. The barn does not need to be expensive looking or have super nice stuff. Most barns will have stuff that needs fixing, cleaning, etc. but the barn needs to have an overall feel that someone cares for it, and is continually working to fix it up and make it a better place. Also, I would highly recommend not going to any barn that has barb-wire fencing over the entire place, has extreme amounts of mud, or has an arena that is not properly fenced and cared for. To me these are obvious safety risks to your child.
2. Watch the trainer teach a lesson to another child. Don't pay for a lesson until you see the trainer teach. Look for these things:
* Is the student wearing a properly fitting equestrian helmet and boots?
*Is the lesson horse in good health and properly groomed?
*Did it seem as though the instructor enjoyed teaching the lesson?
*Did the instructor always speak and act professionally around the student?
*Did the student accomplish what the trainer was trying to teach him or her?
3. Take a test lesson. After meeting the instructor, seeing her farm, and watching her teach a lesson, have your child take one lesson before you sign up for a set of lessons. The main thing to look for is that your child responds to the trainer positively. I canot stress how important it is for a child's personality and the trainer's teaching style to match. It doesn't matter if the trainer is the best in the world, your child will learn nothing if she doesn't respect/like her trainer.
I hope this article has been a helpful in starting your child out in horses. Remember, Winston Churchill said, "No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle." I would have to agree - even the kids that decide not to stick with riding have taken valuable lessons home from the stable.
-Jami
