i don't know ANYTHING about horses, can you help? :-D

[thisisyesterday]

DS2 absolutely adores horses. He has just spent his ideal morning/afternoon petting some Ardennes heavy horses in between them harrowing a local wildflower meadow (how idyllic does that sound?? lol)

anyway, I was thinking he might like riding lessons. He will be 4 in October.

Is that old enough for lessons? are lessons really expensive? Do you think it would be possible to find someone local with a horse who would just let him mess around at a stable with them rather than having actual lessons right now?
I am totally not a horsey person, don't come from a horsey family so know really nothing about it at all!
I think he really loves just being with horses and would enjoy petting/grooming them rather than just turning up somewhere, riding for half an hour and then going home- do they learn horse care and stuff when they take lessons?

thank you for reading, any thoughts/advice etc would be really gratefully received

If a four year old is too young to be around horses and ride. Why can they do proper (ie bhs affiliated not riding school) pony club from 3. My ds has grown up around horses and was in the stables helping since he was 1. Before then he would be in a buggy. He is now 5 and is mucking out turning out and bringing in his pony all with help and close supervision but it is really good for him. Yes they can get kicked etc but there is as much risk as them being hurt crossing a road etc.(In fact my ds was hurt more in a car crash than he has ever been when been near horses)