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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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Original poster

Total novice here - 6 yr old DD starts group lesson this saturday

30 replies

thebananawitchproject · 01/11/2011 22:43

Hello!

I'm looking for some general advice about my DD's lessons which start in earnest this Saturday. She's had 2 private lessons, 30 mins on a small horse/pony, and loves it so far. Likes feeding the horse/pony polo mints . The lesson is an hour so she'll have a good amount of time on the horse/pony, but not sure how this all works. In children's lessons, does each horse have a 'handler' guiding them? Also, the lessons are a bit pricey and I was going to ask if she could go every 2nd week just to spread the cost a little. Is this the done thing? Or is it a no-no to have a 2 week gap between lessons? I've been looking at the clothing i.e. jodhpurs, helmets, boots etc. and not sure where to start with all that. DD gets the use of helmet from the stables, but not sure when I should be looking at getting her own helmet.

So, any advice for this novice?

OP posts:

Olderyetwilder · 02/11/2011 09:53

Hello, welcome to the tack room. Your dd should be on the lead rein with a helper to herself (probably a horse mad teenager who spends all her free time at the yard helping out). Depending on the yard there might be kids in the class who are 'just off' (just started riding without a leader) but there shouldn't be a mix of children at widely different levels.

An hour's lesson is quite long for beginners; your dd would probably get more out of a weekly half hour than a fortnightly hour, but lots of children have a lesson every two weeks as it is expensive.

Re kit, hat and boots are essentials and I'd be inclined to get her own as soon as you're sure she's going to continue in the longer term. Jodphurs make riding more comfortable, but comfortable trousers will do fine for starters, and layers (sp?) are good as she'll start off cold and get quite warm.

We in the tack room are probably a bit biased, but your dd is starting out on something that may well give her a lifetime of pleasure. Good luck, hope she has a fantastic time.

One bit of general advice though, start saving up for when she just has to have her own pony!

seeker · 02/11/2011 10:00

I would watch the group lesson very carefully. Sometimes riding schools (IMHO) have too many children in a group- and there.'s a lot of plodding round. Is it the school's recommendation that you move to a group or ar the privat lessons absolutely megabucks?

Check eBay for jodhpurs by the way- we practically never buy new ones! Ditto jodhpurs boots. But do buy her own crash cap as soon as you're sure she's going to stick to it for a while.

dontknowhowtodealwiththis · 02/11/2011 12:14

Thanks for the replies. The individual lessons are 30 mins @ £15 with the group lesson £20 for an hour. The woman who trains the class suggested the group lesson after the 2 individual ones. I've not seen the class she'll be with yet as it's at a different time from when her private lesson has been. How many is too many for a group? I'll ask if the half hour weekly as opposed to the 2 hr fortnightly lesson would be do-able. I suspect DD will want her own pony at some point. Sadly for her we don't have the room in our flat... Will check out ebay and the like. I wasn't sure of there was a big 2nd hand market for the boots or jodhpurs, so that's good to know.

bananaistheanswer · 02/11/2011 12:21

Sorry, messed up my name change. Now back to my usual, non-halloween name

Carrotsandcelery · 02/11/2011 13:53

The riding school may well have regular sales of second hand riding equipment - I would ask if they do as then you can try on before you buy.

I would say there should be a max of 8 in the class. More than that and the instructor is going to struggle to give them all the necessary attention during the lesson.

Welly boots with a slight heel should suffice until you know if she is going to stick at it. Leggings will also do instead of jodphurs. If you are borrowing a helmet make sure it can't slip off her head if her head is held upside down and make sure the chin strap is fairly tight and cannot be pulled over her chin. I would also recommend gloves with some sort of grips on them. My dcs have wool ones with rubber spots, designed for riding in and only about 99p so not heartbreaking to lose.

She should have someone leading her around until she is more confident.

£20 for an hour is actually a very reasonable price.

The riding instructor is more likely to agree to the once a fortnight idea if there is someone else who wants the same thing. Otherwise it costs them money to keep a space open for you when you are not there once a fortnight. Usually they have a waiting list and could fill the space every week with another pupil.

frenchfancy · 02/11/2011 16:14

Slightly off topic - I am interested to learn that it is normal in the UK for children to stay on a lead rein.

DD2 started at 5yrs old 5 years ago, and DD3 has just started. neither has ever had a lead rein. 8 to a class is average. Is this just a difference between france and England?

emlu67 · 02/11/2011 18:01

Yes it is normal here for children to stay on a lead rein for a few weeks and usually ride in an enclosed menage. When I learnt in the '70s I was only on the lead rein a couple of times and then expected to hack out with 15-20 others! Not very health and safety but I think children learnt much quicker in those days.

stealthsquiggle · 02/11/2011 18:09

DD (5) has been riding for a year (since she turned 4 and the stables were insured for her to ride - I couldn't hold her off any longer) and only stopped having someone leading her (or at least walking round with her) a couple of months ago.

v. small stables, we pay £14 for 30mins - theoretically shared (max 4 in class), but often just DD - which means DS (8) can go to when he doesn't have other committments, even though he is at a very different level (DD trotting and steering, DS cantering and getting transitions etc right + small jumps) and they can share a lesson - which clearly wouldn't work if there were more DC.

Definitely secondhand boots - DD has new jodphurs but won't get any more as she will be inheriting DS's. New hat because DS's old one was too big (and DS is now wearing mine )

bananaistheanswer · 02/11/2011 20:22

Thanks again for the replies, very helpful and informative. The price is very reasonable, but still a bit more than I'm used to paying for DD's past times! I've budgeted for every week so will go with it for now and ask if they get someone else interested in the same thing, to let me know. DD has some wellies that are OK for now, and leggings/thermals too for the cold. Will check out the gloves too - that's a good tip so thanks for that. The lessons take place in a huge open barn type set up - not sure of the correct terminology but it's massive and good for all weather so only extreme weather stops them I think (last year's snow for example).

I feel a bit more clued up now, so thanks again. If I think of any more q's, I'll be back

Booboostoo · 02/11/2011 21:57

Although it is an expense it is well worth buying her a hat if only to ensure it fits 100%. Different makes have different shapes so it's not just a matter of size. The shop should have a qualified hat fitter, but you can also check that the hat does not move if she vigorously nods her head even with the strap undone, but ask your DD to keep the hat on for the time you are in the shop to make sure it doesn't feel too tight and painful after a while.

Also, if you use wellies make certain the stirrups are large enough. You should be able to fit a thumb on either side of the stirrups to have enough clearance in case of a fall when you want the foot to slide easily and quickly out of the stirrup rather than get stuck which can lead to horrible accidents.

Mirage · 03/11/2011 11:36

frenchfancy,we're in the UK and neither of mine ever learnt on a lead rein either.They had helpers walking alongside,who kept hands off unless there was a problem or the child needed help.Both of them started riding at 4 and dd1 in particular is a very confident rider,so I think it did them good.

stealthsquiggle · 03/11/2011 11:54

Mirage - that's what we had too - someone there with them, but not on a leading rein per se - degree of interference gradually decreased over time until DC is in charge without really realising it.

Mirage · 03/11/2011 18:35

That's interesting stealthsquiggle,I've never come across anyone else who learnt like this.It has done both my girls the power of good,and even now,if dd2 has a wobble and says she can't do something,I tell her that she didn't go on the lead rein when she first learnt,so she doesn't need to now.It works every time.I told her the same today when she didn't want to try a tiny jump and that did it,she jumped it half a dozen times before we finished.

tink123 · 04/11/2011 13:27

DD (8) has just started lessons and the school she goes to will not allow children in group lessons until she can trot and canter.

At first I thought this was a con but she has learnt so much in private lessons, far more than I ever did at her age in group lessons. A half an hour private lesson is £22, the same as a 1hr private.

Lookattheears · 04/11/2011 20:19

I have just cleared out DS's jods collection and I have a little pair of navy size 22 " waist jods that you can have for free if you PM me your address!! They fit an average 5 or 6 year old perfectly!

bananaistheanswer · 04/11/2011 20:56

Lookattheears that would be fantastic! PM to follow!

Lookattheears · 04/11/2011 21:10

All packaged up!
They have been well loved and well used by two of my little riders but plenty of life left! Please excuse any pony hair - they have been washed!

bananaistheanswer · 05/11/2011 20:02

Well, it went well! DD loved her lesson in a group. The stables owner said she was a wee chatter box as expected) and the teacher who took the group said she did really well. They took them all out on a wee trek, so I thought that was the lesson, and headed off to come back when they'd done. Turns out, that was half of the lesson, and the rest was in the huge barn-type thing DD called the school. She said she did a 'round the world' move? Not sure what that was, but I missed it anyway! There were 7 in the group, and all had a lead reign. She had the same horse she had last week as well so was quite chuffed. She said Dee Dee went a bit fast as well.

I had a wee nosey at some of the horses in the stables as I went by, after DD's group went out on their trek. They really are magnificent creatures. I have a healthy fear respect for the big ones! Stunningly beautiful animals.

Pixel · 05/11/2011 20:41

Sounds like she had fun .

Round the world is an exercise they do on the pony while it is standing still to help balance and confidence. You put your leg over the front of the saddle and swivel round so you are sitting sideways, then fling your leg over the back of the saddle so you are riding backwards and then carry on round until you are facing the front again.

Mirage · 05/11/2011 21:03

I'm glad it went well.Round the world can be practised on the arm of a sofa..Both mine got superfast at it and still like to do it now they are proficient riders.Ask your dd to give you a demo.

Butkin · 07/11/2011 13:41

DD was on the lead rein until she was 5 (7 for jumping). I guess it is a British thing and the continentals usually start on larger ponies than we do as well.

Now she is 8 and has been riding off the lead in shows for 2 seasons and has just started jumping competitions.

Because she is a very competent show jockey she has been put back on the lead by a professional producer this season to ride youngsters for some clients who wanted to qualify them. You can be on the lead in Show Pony classes up to when you are 9 on Jan 1st and up to 10 on Jan 1st on Mountain and Moorland ponies.

At the highest level of showing it is often the older children who can ride well off the lead that do well whilst on the lead.

Butkin · 07/11/2011 13:43

Round the World is great whilst they are learning to ride. It teaches balance and confidence. Sometimes DD's teacher (when she was a tiny tot) used to get them singing out colours or breeds of ponies as they swung their legs over. It is absolutely vital that each pony is being held individually whilst they do Round the World of course.

frenchfancy · 07/11/2011 17:48

Ok so not only do we not have lead reigns, we don"t have helpers either - just the instructor.

And DD2 does voltige (no idea what it is called in English) where the horse is on a lunge, and DD does round the world at a gallop.

I am finding these differences interesting to learn about. I have no idea whether they make any difference to how good the rider is at the end of it all.

Lookattheears · 07/11/2011 18:05

At the gallop? On a lunge whilst doing round the world? Is she in an equine circus?

frenchfancy · 08/11/2011 08:12

See new thread

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