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- Halter Horse Show
How (and Where) to Find the Best Horseback Riding Lessons in Your Area
03/30/2009
How do you find the best place to get horseback riding lessons in your area? Where do you begin the search, and what do you look for?
Horseback riding lessons are a great way for children and adults to get exercise, some fresh air, and to improve their mood. The therapeutic effects of horseback riding have been well-documented, and the improved strength, balance, and flexibility will help every area of the participants’ lives. But how do you find the best place to get horseback riding lessons in your area? Where do you begin the search, and what do you look for?
In this day and age, the first thing you’re going to need to do when looking for a school offering horseback riding lessons is turn to the internet. Equine web portals like GoEquine.com exist so that individuals can go and search through thousands of options by different criterion. You can check out horseback riding schools by location, then go to their website and see what kind of horseback riding lessons the school offers, and how much.
The internet can also be a good tool when looking up horseback riding lessons in the phone book. Say you’ve been searching through the yellow pages, and have a list of 3 schools that look promising. Look up the schools on the internet, and see what their reputation is. Don’t just go to their website—that will only teach you about the type of horseback riding lessons they offer. Instead, see if you can find the school mentioned on chat rooms, or on an opinion site like yelp.com (where people rate their experiences with businesses). Did other people who signed up for horseback riding lessons with your school have a good experience? Did they feel taken care of, or did they feel ripped off? If the general consensus is good, considering visiting the school and observing a few horse back riding lessons yourself to see how things are run.
Word of mouth, whether on the internet or in real live, is an admirable asset. If you aren’t hearing any buzz about a school’s horseback riding lessons online, consider another approach. Go to tack shops, feed shops, even veterinary offices. Ask around—where would these people go if they needed horseback riding lessons? They know some of the worst places in town; they know who isn’t paying their bills and who has frequently injured horses. You don’t want to get horseback riding lessons from a place with a shoddy business reputation. Also ask other people currently taking horse back lessons where they go, and what they like. If the general consensus is mixed, then go with price; but if the word of mouth is very negative about on particular place, don’t go there, no matter how cheap the horseback riding lessons may be.
Another place that may be able to help you when it comes to getting advice on horseback riding lessons is a local college or veterinary school. Many local colleges teach horseback riding lessons, especially if they have an equine business or equestrian health program. Some universities may also have a polo team, in which case they may rent the horses out for horse back lessons in the off season.
But no matter where the word or mouth takes you, trust your instincts when choosing a place to get horseback riding lessons. If you don’t see accreditations on the wall, or if the horses look dirty and dispirited, chances are the school is cutting some serious corners. If you feel comfortable in a school, you will be comfortable getting your horseback riding lessons. Trust your own judgement.
