gettin ready to start horseback riding lessons?

Question

we are looking into starting lessons, the horse is going to be a quarter horse, anything i should know or do to get ready? and what about clothes for the lessons?

im going to be riding western

Answer 1

confidence is key. just like most animals, horses can sense fear and insecurities. Fake it till you make it. if you arent confident, pretend you are, and you will be confident soon enough. heres a good outfit:

--some stretchie or loose jeans... you will need the butt loose or stretchie to get your leg over the saddle for mounting and dismounting.
--a loose Tshirt that you dont mind getting dirty
--medium height boots with a pretty smoth sole and a low heel. a perfectly smooth sole will be hard to keep your foot in the stirrups, and too bumpy will be hard to get out if'n you ever fall or get bucked off.
--tie your hair back low if its long.
-if it were winter it would be different of course.
i--f you have light, cool (temperature) gloves, bring them just in case, you never know how tore up your hands can get.
and of course, bring treats.

remember to ask questions, thats what the instructor is getting paid for! and dont let him move on until you fully understand the task and feel you could probably try it without him there. if you are in a group lesson its even better because you can ask veterans what their preferred method is.

one important rule if you dont know already is either walk past a horse rubbing it like soo close, or walk past and 8+ feet away. this is incase the horse kicks for some reason, if youre close, he dosent have the windup, so it wont hurt AT ALL, and if youre far, he cant reach! :-P

have fun, and relax. western is for pleasure, so you shouldnt feel stressed out. :) it will show in your riding habits.

Answer 2

Well, you should always ride with a helmet that is ASTM/ SEI approved. If you are riding English, then you may need some English riding boots, jodhpurs/ breeches, half chaps, and a well fitting shirt of your choice.

For western, I suggest you use jeans and cowboy boots without laces.

Don't be fooled that quarter horses are mainly western horses. I show my quarter horse in English and western classes at shows, and quarter horses are very good at dressage and jumping.

If your riding instructor doesn't suit you, don't be afraid to switch instructors. Some riding instructors will be very tough with you, but the tough instructors are usually the best.

I hope this helped. Have fun and good luck!

Answer 3

Depending on who you are getting the lessons from, you might need to provide your own safety helmet, but smooth soled shoes with a heel of no more than a centimetre are a definate requirement. These will help your feet to come out of the stirrups in the event that you fall off.

Clothes that are not too loose are also a good idea, but they should also be comfortable. You should probably ring the riding school and ask them what to bring. I wouldn't suggest wearing shorts as the stirrup leathers can pinch your legs

Answer 4

If I were you I would get as much information about horses as I could! I've only been riding for several years, and I ordered alot of Clinton Anderson, he's great with horses, and teaches you alot. Read, read, read!
You can also find alot of sites online to read and learn from. You will love riding, listen to the instructor and do what they say! I used to take lessons, and then go home and practice what they taught me all week, I loved it! Have fun most of all!

Answer 5

As far as behaving around the horse goes, I wouldn't worry too much. If it's a lesson horse then it *should* be bomb-proof. But just in case, I'd be quiet and calm around it. Try concentrating on its breathing or physical movements. When you do, the horse will sense it and it will respond to you better.

Quarter Horses are very laid-back horses, too. Not like my horse, which is an Arabian. He's already thrown a joint in my back and stomped on my foot. ^_^

Answer 6

just wear jeans if your riding western style
if you are riding english style
then the instructor will tell you what you need to buy for clothes.
quarter horses are mainly western riding horses
and they are very sweet.
DONT jerk on the reigns or they will hate you
DONT over ride him/her
DONT act nervous around him/her
horses can detect when a person is nervous or scared
just act normally
and dont freak out at anything.
yes the horse is bigger then you, but you have more then 3x the brain it has.