Top Things to Know About Quarter Horse Back Riding Lessons

Horseback riding can improve social skills and provide a satisfying human-equine relationship that can create personal discipline.  The American Quarter horse is a breed of horse that excels as sprinting short distances.  It is an ideal horse for horseback riding. 

Safety is the first concern when choosing horseback riding clothing.  The items you will need are:

• Riding boots: Fully enclosed and full-length. No tennis shoes and sandals.


• Safety Vest:  Protects the rider's midsection.


• Riding shirt: Long-sleeved shirts with a collar are best.


• Riding pants: Long pants or jeans darker in color preferred.


• Riding gloves: Optional, but can protect from chaffing.

Breed, size and temperament of horses: As a beginner rider, you need to start with a slow, calm, horse. The size of the horse is not necessarily an indicator of how quiet the horse is. 

Frequency of lessons:  You will get the most out of your lessons if you attend classes on a weekly basis.

Which school to pick:  Horse riding schools vary in size, number and type of facilities, type of lessons and purpose.  The school you choose should have a current public liability insurance policy at all times.

Types of lessons:  There are many types of horse riding lessons to choose from.  They are western pleasure, dressage, show riding and trail riding.

Size of classes:  A beginner should look for a school that offers smaller class sizes.

Choosing an instructor:  A great way to select an instructor is to talk to previous or current students and observe how the student’s ride.  All instructors should also have a current first aid certificate.

How long to take lessons: It is very important not to overestimate your horse-riding ability. As a general rule, a strong rider is someone who can get a slow horse to move freely and slow a fast horse down. Until you reach that point you are still learning.

Prices: Prices range from $40 to $90 per hour.

Kids Camps: Riding schools frequently hold school holiday camps for children who want to learn more about horse riding and horse care. The kids camps vary from two days to two weeks.