Hopping on a horse for the first time can be a daunting prospect, but a bit of preparation can ensure you enjoy a potentially life-changing experience. If you’ve booked your first riding lesson and are waiting in nervous anticipation, here’s what to expect and how to prepare.
Starting Out
Just like with any sport, you have to learn the fundamentals of horses and riding before moving forward. While horses and riding are a ton of fun, there are things you should know that are important for your safety, the horse’s safety, and the safety of others riding with you. To learn more, see Safety Tips for Handling a Horse and Safety Tips for Horseback Riding.
Arrival
Make sure to arrive for your lesson at least 15-20 minutes before the scheduled time. The first thing you will need to do upon your arrival is to sign the release form and provide your emergency contact information. You should also anticipate helping with getting your horse ready for the lesson. Your instructor will appreciate your enthusiasm and willingness to learn the horsemanship skills before you mount up.
What to wear
First, wear pants that are soft. Many first-time riders make the mistake of riding in jeans. Don’t do it! The seams rub the inside of your legs and they don’t offer good freedom of movement. Instead, opt for sweatpants or joggers. The less slippery the better, but anything that is comfortable and won’t chafe is a good start.
Your footwear is also important! Wear a pair of shoes with a heel of an inch or so, if possible. Lots of everyday ankle boots would meet this requirement nowadays. If you don’t own a pair of boots, then find a pair of sneakers that aren’t completely flat. This is to prevent your feet slipping through the stirrup irons.
Your safety comes first! For that reason, all riders, beginning or advanced, should always wear a safety helmet. Most facilities have helmets on site for riders, but you should check in advance to make sure a helmet is available for you to borrow for your first lesson. Check out the list of nearby tack shops once you are ready to purchase your own riding apparel and training aids.
Meeting your horse
Most facilities have the horse tacked up and ready to go for your first lesson. However, in many cases, you might be asked to assist with grooming and tacking up your horse. The process of getting your horse’s equipment (bridle, saddle, girth, etc.) on for riding is referred to as getting “tacked up.” These articles can help you prepare ahead of time: How to Tack Up a Horse Properly, Part I – Saddle Up and How to Tack Up a Horse Properly, Part II – Bridling.
Mounting
Don’t get on the horse until your instructor tells you to. Your instructor may give you a leg up or have you mount from a mounting block. Either way, you will be mounting the horse on his left side. You will take the reins in your left hand and grab a lock of main in the hand. Using your right hand to hold the left stirrup, place your left foot into the left stirrup. Then take hold of the cantle (the back of the saddle) with your right hand and swing your right leg over to the right side without hitting your horse’s hindquarters with your foot. Try not to come flopping down on his back and sit softly and quietly.
Learning control
You’ll probably be alone in your first lesson so that your instructor can focus solely on you making sure that you’re learning correctly and are comfortable. Depending on the riding school, you may start off your lessons being lunged on a circle. The instructor will have a long rope attached to the horse’s bridle so that you can focus on finding your balance before learning to control the horse fully yourself. A good instructor will also try to incorporate different games into the riding lessons to keep it fun and engaging.
The Lesson
In your first lesson, you will learn the basics, such as how to hold the reins, walk, turn and stop the horse gently and effectively. You’ll learn how to use your legs and hands to direct the horse softly at a slow pace. At the end, you’ll be taught to dismount by taking both feet out of your stirrups and swinging your right leg around his back and sliding down the left side.
That’s all you will likely do in your first lesson. It may not sound like a lot, but you will be spending a bit of time just getting used to balancing on a horse, maintaining and correcting your position, keeping with horse’s rhythm and basically getting a feel for where your hands, feet and legs are. It will be a lot to think about, and you’ll probably be tired afterward.
Above all, remember to relax during your lessons! Trust your horse and your instructor and don’t be scared to tell him or her if you feel you’re progressing too fast and are nervous, or even if you are getting bored and want to move up a step. They are good at assessing your level of skill and competence and will be happy to adjust their lessons as necessary.
After your lesson
Once you have completed your first riding lesson, you will lead your horse back into the barn to untack. Make sure to always “run-up” your stirrups prior to walking through any doorways or into the barn. Once you arrive back at your crossties, you will start by removing the bridle and putting the horse’s halter on. After your horse is in the crossties wearing its halter, you can remove the girth and saddle.
Once you have removed your horses’ tack, the grooming process starts again. You need to pick out their feet to ensure they haven’t picked up a rock or lost a shoe during the ride. Even though grooming takes place before and after a ride, grooming sessions following the lesson are often more effective at bringing out the shine in the horse’s coat. Once you are finished grooming, you are ready to lead the horse back into the stall or out into the pasture. Make sure to always be kind and thank your instructor and the horse for your lesson. This way, they will be more excited for you to come back!
