Help! DD1 wants to start horse riding and I have no clue!

[NoRoomForALittleOne]

DD1 (8 yo) has been going on about riding (well, owning and riding) a horse for years. Obviously we don't have a horse. I have only ridden a horse a couple of times in my life so have no idea how to sort out regular riding lessons. Does she need her own horse (please say no)? How expensive is this going to be? We are both very bothered about the welfare of any horse she rides so how do I find a good stables and riding school?

Someone please fill me in on the basics to get me started.

Find which BHS approved centres are near you

www.bhs.org.uk/enjoy-riding/find-a-place-to-ride

Phone and enquire :)

No of course you don't have to own one. Just ask around at school, try to get a good recommendation.

Prices vary by area, we pay £25 for a half hour group lesson or £35 for a three hour session where they learn to tack up, groom, muck out etc.

She'll need jodhpurs and boots and maybe a hat, but not straight away, wellies and leggings are fine to start with and schools usually have hats to borrow.

Look for a school with good reviews, preferably from word of mouth. Go and visit. Look for a clean yard and healthy horses. Ask how often each horse is ridden (ideally they should have at least one day off and only do two lessons a day). Watch a lesson if you can.

Be prepared for her to become obsessed! And say goodbye to any spare cash...

Thanks all. She has one friend who rides (surprised not more given that we're in a rural area) and I've already told her to get details from that friend. Hopefully I'll see the mum in a minute to get accurate details!

I can remember when I went for my first lesson at about your DD's age- I was nearly sick with excitement! It was another few years before I got my own pony and now 46 years down the line I have never regretted a moment of it. As well as a reputable riding school, see if it is child focussed and whether it runs group lessons for children as these tend to be more fun. Many places run 'Own a pony day' during holidays and when your DD is ready then they may let her attend and help out generally.
It is an amazing hobby and fosters achievement and sportsmanship hand in hand- you never stop learning. Horses are also great levellers and teach how to overcome adversity from a very early age!
If your DD is keen, as Winnie Churchill once said- ''No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle'' Good luck.

Ask on your local FB site for recommendations on places to go.

(They will have hats/back protectors spare until your daughter knows she wants to carry on, then you can buy your own, so she just needs to turn up in trousers (not jeans, they're uncomfortable to ride in), and boots/sensible shoes.)
Hope she enjoys it!!

DD was horse mad. I insisted she had riding lessons for a year before we'd consider buying her a pony. As we were farming it wasn't as costly as if you'd need to pay out for livery etc.
I absolutely agree wIth BaldricksWife, it's an brilliant obsession hobby.

My son and I both ride. He had a private lesson first as I wasn't overly convinced he would even get on it - 1.5yrs later (and ALOT of money) we both go!

He wore tracky bottoms and welly boots. They had to have a heel so trainers were not allowed.

My ds aged 10 has just started op and he loves it. He cantered for the first time last weekend and squealed with excitement!

I got him boots from eBay £8 and have ordered jodhpurs £12 but won't get him a hat til Xmas

I'm giving up smoking to pay for it, and I want to join him
It's such a fabulous sport, our riding school dies pony club so the place is full of adoring children mucking out and growing the ponies!

My Dd started at 7, no idea where she got the notion from, as we don't ride. She loved it and has continued into adulthood.
We found that it really helped her with confidence and self esteem, as well as being good exercise.

DD started when she was 2 and still loves every minute (she's 12). An expensive and time consuming hobby but well worth it. She's got loads of friends all over the country and she loves having something that she's particularly good at.

Be prepared for a lifelong obsession. On the other hand, my mum is 70+ and she and I still go off eventing with my young mare (see pics). We were walking the course when we bumped into a woman in her 40s with a mum in her 80s and we exchanged knowing looks...

In answe to your question op, I asked around for best recommendations

We have a riding school very close to where we live, but that's not where we are going.

Dd has been riding for 4 years now (she's just turned 13). She first became obsessed when she was about 3 and I assumed she'd grow out of it so I said if she still wanted to ride when she was 8 she could have lessons. The obsession didn't fade but she didn't start until her 9th birthday in the end as the local stables had a waiting list for beginners' lessons which was about ten miles long...

I was half expecting the reality couldn't possibly live up to the fantasy but she loved it from the first minute. She now spends every Saturday and most of the school holidays at the stables, has a separate group of friends away from school, goes on riding holidays and competes locally. She particularly loves jumping so does extra jumping lessons a couple of times a month at a different stables where there's a specialist jumping school.

It costs a fortune - and that's without having her own horse - but it's worth it just to see her face shining with happiness as she sails round a course.

In terms of practical stuff, dd borrowed boots and hat from the stables and wore thick leggings for the first three months and then we got her her own kit. Gloves are a must though especially as it's started to get colder - she started with cheap ones with non-slip palms

I hope your dd has fun (and that your bank balance survives!)