Riding lessons, equipment, and related expenses require substantial money and time from parents of aspiring horse riders. These same parents are keen to understand how long it will take for their child to learn to ride a horse.
The most honest answer to this question is that it depends on the rider’s age and how driven they are. Are they just taking lessons to make mom happy, or are they passionate about riding? There are many other factors such as their athleticism, maturity, ability to follow directions, and to retain information. Also, hours spent in the saddle, and the quality of instructions they receive are considerations.
A simple way to look at the answer to this question is to consider a mix of the following criteria:
Coaching
A rider’s ability to respond to coaching is one of the first key benchmarks in learning to ride. Because of countless instructions regarding correct position, technique, and control riders often feel overwhelmed at the onset. However, with patience your child will soon be subconsciously responding to initial directives without a thought.
Natural Talent
While initial lessons might be held on the lunge line, your child will quickly progress to private lessons and ultimately a group situation. Using these steps, you can safely say your child is learning to ride. Soon your child’s instructor will focus on new techniques as they progress to the next level of expertise. Ultimately, you should recognize that riders progress at their own rates. Proficiency in the saddle is gained from a combination of lessons, practice, and experience.
Confidence
Horses and ponies are excellent teachers and equally important as a trainer in your child’s progress toward becoming an equestrian. From the first lesson your child will hopefully be introduced to a steady, trustworthy mount to subsequent lessons on a horse that occasionally spooks, your child will learn from the unique traits, characteristics, and behaviors presented by each equine partner.
Growth
When I teach, I focus on allowing the rider time to develop basic riding skills before progressing to the next skill. Frequently a growing child will master certain skills at one age and suddenly hit a growth spurt. During a growth spurt, a child’s body can feel foreign to him or her. Suddenly arms, legs, or torso grow. Their balance and coordination that previously felt terrific now feels out of sync and precarious. At these times, children may lose confidence in themselves. This is when it is important to encourage young riders to “hang in there” and patiently wait to meet the beautiful version of themselves emerging on the other side.
Riding Proficiency
Every single lesson should advance the young rider along a path to riding competency. Riders will also learn from their peers. Instructors can help their students grow by using other riders and their mounts as examples. Witnessing correctly executed maneuvers and exercises often increases proficiency faster than instructions followed by a trial and error approach.
Learning to ride is typically hindered for new riders given their limited exposure to horses and ample practice time. Young riders looking to develop their skills beyond the limited time for lessons should ask their teachers for some fitness training exercises that will develop muscle memory. These workouts, done away from the riding school, will often increase proficiency in the saddle and help your child master riding faster than relying strictly on lessons.
The amount of time required to learn to ride is extremely difficult to quantify as mastery occurs at different levels for all riders. A better indicator for parents to use to assess progress is how much pleasure their child is getting out of riding. It is here you can see the value of lessons and your child’s individual progress and success.
