This is a question I’m asked often.

This is what I do.  You can use it as a sample as to what to look for in an instructor.

First question I always ask the child is “What do you want to do with your riding?”  Then I can either give them basics, and when they are ready, send them to an instructor who is going to further their particular riding interest (such as barrel racing), or continue teaching them myself.

When I send them off to another part of the state or to another state I first try to locate an ARIA certified riding instructor in their area.  ARIA stands for the American Riding Instructors Association.  When I certified with them in 1998 I was astonished at how high their standards of testing really are.  Safety is their main concern, as it should be, but the amount of knowledge that you needed to pass the tests were totally amazing.  If someone is ARIA certified, they know their stuff.   There are people out there that are excellent instructors, who have never tested or certified, it just requires more discernment on your part.

Anyone can hang out a sign saying they give riding lessons, but how much do they really know.  Just because a person hangs out a sign that says “Doctor Is In” doesn’t mean they know a hill of beans about diagnosis and treatments, you really had to pass the exams and had hands on time to be a real doctor.  Why do people trust their children’s lives to someone who just wants to make money at something they think is fun.  Someone may have been riding their whole life, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been doing it right.  Do they know how to see what the problem is and know how to teach the correct method of accomplishing the goal?  Do they know their horses, and do they know how to keep your child safe.  Some people have the gift of explaining things, and some don’t.  We all had teachers in school who made learning easy and fun, and other teachers who knew their subject, but just didn’t know how to get it across to the students.  The same with riding instructors.  There is a saying, that I don’t agree with –  “Those who can ride, ride, those who can’t ride, teach.”  Riding is the easy part, teaching requires that you know how to ride, understand the horse, and know how to explain how to accomplish the task at hand.

Riding can be a dangerous sport, you need someone who can keep your child safe, and make it a fun learning experience.  If it’s no longer fun, stop doing it.  Don’t push a child into riding because you always wanted to do it as a child.

What I tell the parents is “If it doesn’t feel safe to you, it probably isn’t.”  Yes some parents are just prone to worry, but most parents know when something is extremely dangerous to their child.

• Don’t hesitate to ask about the instructors teaching experience, and if you would like, ask for references
• Watch the instructor give lessons to other people
• If they have a web site, go there, are there pictures of other children, are they smiling and having fun
• Look around, does it look like a safe environment.
• Is the equipment in good condition
• Are the horses well cared for
• Do the horses look fearful or calm and happy
• Is the instructor focused on what they are doing or are they distracted or on a cell phone
• Are they relaxed and confident in their job
• Do they have a lesson plan in place before they start
• Do they listen and are they really hearing you and your child
• Are they prompt and professional
• Do they get to know your child before they start teaching
• Do they keep you informed about what they plan to teach and what they seem to notice about your child’s fears and performance
• If you follow them to a show, are they screaming at the children or do they give them uplifting comments of encouragement.  Are the children having a good time or are they afraid of making a drastic mistake
• Is all that matters the blue ribbon, or are the children praised for the good job that they did that day

Take the time to find the right instructor.  You need to know that the person you have chosen, is safe, are kind to their horses, knows their job, and connects well with your child.  There are different techniques of teaching, find one that works for your child.

A little knowledge on your part,  goes a long way.