Working with Professionals (Part I)

Keep in mind that it is difficult to maintain a large number of horses in perfect condition at all times. Judge the barn over-all, not on each individual horse. A new horse that just arrived may not have had his feet done, or an older horse may be showing some rib and hipbones in spite of good care. As you "talk" with the horses you will undoubtedly find one or two that seem afraid, mean, or grumpy. The majority of the horses however should be friendly and obviously well cared for. Happy horses make for safe, fun riding.

So you like the barn, the instructor came highly recommended and you have fallen in love with several of the horses. Wait! Before you sign up for lessons take the time to observe some. Notice if riders are wearing protective helmets and proper footwear (boots or shoes with hard soles and at least ½ inch heels). Look at the condition of the tack equipment being used.

First time riders should be spending at least some, if not all of their lesson on a lounge line (going around a circle on a long lead) where they can learn balance and develop their seat without having to control the horse at the same time. Notice how many horses are in the lesson and how well controlled and organized they are. Picture yourself in the lesson. How would you feel? If you have not taken lessons before, be sure to visit more than one barn and observe more than one instructor.

An instructor will most likely tell you (or have printed on their business card) if they are certified. Don't rule out an instructor who is not certified, and don't consider it a guarantee of competence if they have one. There are many different organizations that offer certification, and some are better than others are. The most well know is the ARICP. It stands for the American Riding Instructors Certification Program.

If an instructor says they are certified, be sure to get the name of the organization they are certified through. Contact that organization to learn what their requirements for certification are, and to be sure the instructor's certification is current. Some certifications deal with specific types of riding - like the USDF (United States Dressage Federation) or the NARHA (North America Riding for the Handicapped Association) certifications. The AAHS (American Association for Horsemanship Safety) certification

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