Which type of riding lessons for 6 year old

[Melmamma]

After a 2 hour trail ride at the weekend, my daughter is very keen to learn to ride.

I looked around a bit and there are two options for us close by.

Option 1: A three hour "Pony Club" every second Sunday at the local trail ride place. One hour of catching the horses, grooming them, putting on saddles etc (ie general horse care), then 2 hours of instruction in a fairly large group (6 - 10 it seems, depends on how many turn up). It's on a large property, so they get the opportunity to ride across fields, along forest trails etc.

Option 2: A 1-hour lesson at another riding school closer by. Smaller groups (only 3-4) but in a covered arena only. There are a few fields around it, so they can ride out a bit when they are more confident, but not anyway near as scenic as the other place.

Costs for Option 2 is two thirds of Option 1.

What would you prefer for your child? Larger group for longer and in a nicer environment or smaller group for shorter in a more structured environment?

Sorry about posting such a novice question - I am not a rider myself and have no idea what's preferable.

Above all it has to be fun, however I would be wary of forking out great sums of money on the basis that she enjoyed a 2 hour ride. 3 hours in one go is quite alot, but learning to handle a pony is really important, rather than just being plonked on one in a school. If it were me I'd do another couple of trail rides and perhaps ask if you can watch part of one of the 3 hour sessions before you commit. It takes time to learn and if she's serious then it's a big commitment both timewise and financially.

I would go for option 2. Nothing to stop you from taking her elsewhere for the odd hack when she is more confident and the weather is better.

I would go with option 2 and find out whether they have the option to arrive early to help prepare the pony etc.

I used to help out at the weekends at my local riding school. Tacking up, grooming, a bit of mucking out, that kind of thing. You can ask if they would allow her to help out for a couple of hours to learn the horsecare aspect of it.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll contact the riding school #2 and will ask about helping out / coming earlier to help get the horse ready - that would be a good way to the horsecare experience.

The #1 option seems relatively casual and "pay as you go", so I might be able to send her to a trial or (as suggested) to watch part of the session to see if she has the stamina.

I'll leave it a couple of weeks before I do anything, i think, just to make sure she's still keen then and it's not just a flavour of the month thing.
Thanks again.

See Id go for option 1. All that other stuff gives a much more balanced view of a horse than just turning up and being handed a horse, and more of an understanding about how they work, and communicating with them.
Lessons are great, but IMO its miles in the saddle, in diverse situations(on safe sensible ponies) that breed confidence and ability.

Agree with Saggy,

going round and round an arena is a bit boring after a while... its ok when you are older and working on specific technique but 1 is more fun, at 6 its all about fun.

I would start with a couple of 1-1 lessons so that she's got the basics.

Then I'd go for Option 2 - maybe they do courses of 6 or 8 lessons? She'd still make friends if going with 3 or 4 others but most importantly they would correct her riding style and get her going safely in a schooling environment.

She can always go to the Option 1 place once she is an established, competent rider and could cope with things she may encounter like cantering, spooking etc.

A scenic environment should really be irrelevant when first starting out.

PS I'd expect Option 2 place to show her how to groom/tack her horse as part of their lesson as well.

I'd do 2, and then 1. She needs to learn to control her own horse, which doesn't happen in a big group as they just follow round.

But it is good to go out, and learn to tack up etc, and with the best will in the world, its hard to provide that when you have a full schedule of lessons

I agree with CMOT. Learn to ride first (option 2), then do the less supervised bits (option 1). Also, once you can ride, horses/ponies are a good deal less intimidating - doing all of the stuff on the ground from the word go could be a bit much especially if there's not too much supervision.

How old is your daughter?

She's 6.5.
She has friends with ponies and has been on them (and around them occasionally) but has never had any formal lessons.

I quite like the "complete" package of #1 but am a bit worried that she is not going to get enough formal training in the basics is such a large group.
I do like the suggestions of a few one-on-one or small group lessons until she gets the basics right before starting "Pony Club; sounds like a good compromise.