PGL riding holiday (beginners)

[drspouse]

DD is 11 and has asked to go on one of these. She's done a few rides being led at a stables that caters well for children with SEN (which is the reason we took her and DS to that specific stables). It isn't BHS approved.
She's going on a shorter PGL holiday this summer quite close to home.
What prep would be good for her for next summer? I mean obviously riding experience but does it HAVE to be proper lessons with certificates (no idea if that sort of thing exists - my background with child activities is music, skiing, swimming, and cycling). The same stables offers "half day pony experience" as a club - mucking out, pony care and a short ride, which she could do most weekends at home, weekends would be easier as she's starting secondary school and will be getting the bus home on weekdays.
I am loving this active and interested stage of my DCs but it involves a lot of driving them about!

Would always recommend you chose BHS approved as it ensues minimum level of welfare and instruction standards plus insurances etc.
Any yard not BHS/ABRS approved won't necessarily have qualified instructors etc.

Thanks for the comment - I'll see what we can find. There is one RDA stables near us and they have a year long waiting list for lessons in school time, and no other options for children with SEN - hence choosing this stables in the first instance. But DD would cope with other stables if it's just her and not DS as well.

RDA centres are good. Any decent riding school will have a wait list. Ours has a 2 year waitlist, its BHS + a pony club centre.

The issue wasn't just with the waiting list (although for a holiday next year we'll need her to have lessons sooner!) but that the only disability friendly lessons for children were during the school day.

I'd call a couple of other schools. We don't actually state that we are disability friendly but we do have quite a few students with SEN and physical disabilities so it really depends on what sort of accommodations she would need.

I'd want her to be solid at walk and trot, without a leader, as a minimum for one of those holidays. Preferably also able to sit an unexpected canter if necessary.

If the PGL holiday is one that specifically caters for beginners then she doesn't need any particular experience or certificates as presumably they expect to teach the kids from scratch and/or it is very basic riding or trekking - probably to maximise her enjoyment a general familiarity and confidence around horses plus a good general level of fitness and riding fitness specifically, so e.g. if on the holiday they'll be riding for up to an hour at a time it would be good if she's used to riding for that long in her regular lessons or she may find it tiring. If anything doing riding lessons beforehand though may mean she's actually quite ahead of the group at PGL if they're all total beginners - you'll know whether that will increase her confidence or frustrate her.

It would be good if she can ride a range of different ponies of different sizes and personalities in her lessons so she's ready whatever kind of pony they put her on - and I would expect it will help if she's confident in getting her pony out of the stable for herself, leading to the arena / mounting block and sorting her own girth and stirrups (although again on a beginner's holiday I'm sure there will be help with all that too). I highly doubt she'll need to know how to muck out or anything although the own a pony day schools run in holidays are always fun so not a bad idea regardless.

She's enjoyed the "muck out and beginners ride" half days and I agree about sitting in the saddle!
She wouldn't mind knowing more than the others, actually, but I am concerned about the stamina issue so I will try and organise something simple for her.

I would want her to have regular lessons between now and next summer to be honest. As a minimum she needs to be able to walk and trot confidently and perhaps be cantering. Even if they accommodate kids with little riding experience she will enjoy it more if she can be confidently riding by the time she goes.
This may be controversial but I would also expect her to have had a tumble by then too. Falling off for the first time is a big deal to lots of kids so better if she has got that bit over and done with when you are around to comfort her.
You need to be aware that she will fall off at some point. It is part and parcel of riding horses.

In terms of which riding school to pick. I would look and see what options the local riding schools have. Most will offer private 1-1 lessons which would be a good way for her to start. Then progress onto group lessons when she is ready. Talk to the riding school about her SEN. Most will be able to accommodate particularly if there are no major physical disabilities.

She manages well with mainstream activities - it's her brother that has more significant SEN so we should be good for most stables.