Riding lessons

[wheresthehope]

So I have just started a small riding school giving lessons on couple of my lovely ponies and a hack. All super well behaved .
What I am hoping for is to get advice on is if you were looking for lessons for yourself or your child what would you be wanting /expecting to learn?
I have had a just turned 3 year old little girl who I found quite hard to know what to teach so it was more a pony ride with little bouncy trotting here n there! She did enjoy it tho!
The older kids and adults i have been working on teaching how to hold reins for obvious reasons and a lot of time working on leg position, heels , bum in saddle etc then teaching how to rise to the trot doing balance exercises ie hands out to the side etc!
Funny enough I have ridden and competed most of my life (I’m 40) but just started teaching
I would appreciate any pointers 😊

Are you insured and licensed? I would be looking for a BHS approved riding school - for children I’d want one which was also a Pony Club centre. I’d also be expecting qualified teachers who understood about progression, how to teach, lesson plans etc

Id look for someone with the appropriate BHS qualifications, safe facilities and full insurance.

This… have you done any teaching qualifications?

I am in NZ and have full public liability insurance.
I went through many years of pony club from very young age until late teens . Have pony club certificates but not done coaching before.
Not sure what BHS is but assuming it’s British something.
I did a lot of eventing and showjumping along side Tim and Jonelle Price before they moved and also many teams competitions

No but I am certainly keen to look into it.
As I said just starting out so looking for what people would be looking for

I’d look into getting qualified as you have no idea what you’re doing.

Thank you

Bhs is British horse society and they provide qualifications and training courses for instructors (as well as riders and grooms and their associated insurances).

In the UK, I would not be interested in being taught by anyone below a certain level of instructors training. Being a good horse rider does not mean a good teacher (the worst lesson i have ever had was by the highest competing rider i have worked with). Getting qualifications gives you the skills to teach, so I'd really recommend looking unto the NZ equivalent. For example, do you know how to spot when someone is using their outside leg incorrectly?

Kids confidence is so fragile, it's actually more important that you are a good teacher than you are a good rider tbh. You need to be able to read their body language to know when to push and when to back off and when they are ready to move onto something else.

Also in the UK, most places won't teach kids until 4, or even 6. They need to be old enough to have developed enough core strength to be able to be taught to sit properly. I doubt at 3 that is the case, so being led around at walk (with someone holding their leg) is about it at that age

I have a 5yo with her own pony who can ride reasonably well and a 3.5yo who doesn't and can't the two are possibly linked but youngest isn't overly interested.
When eldest was tiny, I used to take her to a local yard for a walk out on the leadrein (teenage volunteers leading) and they'd explain/practice the basics of starting, steering and stopping and let them have a little trot. Once they'd been going for a bit they were allowed in the arena for a proper lesson (but we skipped that bit, haha!)
My 3.5yo doesn't have great core strength and just hangs on giggling when the pony trots, without attempting to rise, whereas eldest at the same age was consistently up-downing so they're all different.
Another yard near us does a half hour groom/petting session before the half hour ride which can be great for new kids who need to build their confidence up.

Ps at pony club for eldest we do practicing getting the right diagonal, follow the leader, round the world, half scissors, trotting poles, mounted games.

The (UK) pony club and BHS publish their progressive exam/test syllabuses online so that would give you a good idea but echo what others have said, if you aren't qualified I would probably focus on doing guided hacks for capable riders and what my school calls 'tiny tots' rides for beginner children, basically a pony ride with instructor leading the pony and parent walking alongside and holding child's leg if needed, if the child is keen and able you can show them the basics of holding the reins, stopping/steering and rising trot (do you call it posting in NZ?). But for more than that I would want a qualified teacher for my child TBH, sorry! But if you have access to nice countryside or beach rides or similar I would have thought you'd have a good market just for trail rides/hacks, you could offer 'luxury' 3 hour or half day sessions with a picnic or champagne or similar and photo opportunities, could be very popular?

Great idea thank you,We are really close to the beach! Yesterday we had a pony party which was just pony rides for a little ones 4th birthday. Was a great success 😊

My daughter is now 12 and also has been doing Pony Club since she was small. I would be very keen on her learning from someone with your competition experience, as show jumping is her big dream (in reality it's eventing 😬but it's too scary for my taste).

For small kids however I would follow the Pony Club syllabus.