How to Find the Right Riding School

If you are interested in taking riding lessons, there are a few things you must check with the horse riding school. You have to do a little research about the school's conditions, quality, the program and much more. Just to be sure that you don't end up being disappointed in the school's terms and quality, try to apply the following suggestions.

The safety principles of the school

Before signing up for the riding classes, you must check the safety standards in the school. Be aware that each good school must meet the safety standards defined by the government and the main association of all horse schools in the country. For example, a good riding school must have guidelines for safety that include the rules for behavior around the horses and riding zones. Also, the trainers must have first aid qualifications in case of an accident.

The quality of the instructors

Once you have decided what type of classes you want to take, you can search for an instructor who is skilled in that riding style. It's really recommended to check the instructor's professional past, his references and certificates. If possible, try to see the instructor in action. Pay attention to the way he speaks to his students. Does he teach clearly and understandably? These things will give you the main picture of the trainer's ability to teach.

Check the activities and the lessons included in the school plan

Before you start with the riding lessons, you have to decide what kind you want to take. If you don't understand the different riding styles, ask for some help. Ask the instructor to show you the different styles before you decide about what you want to learn. Also, you have to get some information about the length of the classes, the activities performed in the classes, etc. A good school must teach about the horse's behavior, the basic activities for riding safety, etc. So do a little research about the school. Ask anything you want to know about the riding classes it offers.

But don't expect that the lessons will show you every little thing about horses. You have to educate yourself about the horses by reading horse books. If you are bored of reading books, you can play online horse games that will make a distinction of the horse's body parts.

The size of the classes

If you are beginner, you should look for schools that offer small classes. This means that the class size should not be more than six students. This is simply because the instructor should monitor the activity of each rider. That way he can make suggestions when a rider makes a mistake.

Get information about the price of the riding classes

The prices of the riding classes can vary depending on the type, the level and the length of a lesson. For example, a one-hour private lesson may cost $40 to $100. An hour of group lessons may cost $15 $80 per person. However, if you are beginner, you should take private lessons. They are more expensive than the group lessons, but you might learn much more in one private hour than in three hours of group lessons.

I hope that these suggestions will guide you through the process of finding the right riding school for you.