How to Teach Confident Riding With the Use of Your Lesson Horses

I have found if you let the students ride the same horse in the beginning, they will be more confident when the time comes for them to move on to a different horse.

I tend to let them use this horse for a bit also before I start to change it up each week. By doing it this way, you may find that over time your students will be confident enough to have a positive attitude about riding someone new.

Communicate With Students and Families

In the process of doing this, it will work best to make sure you are explaining not only to the students but to the parents as well the reasoning behind what you are doing. That way, they won't be surprised when the time comes for them to get on someone new when they come for their lesson.

The reason I find it so important for us as instructors to make sure the parents understand why we do what we do is so that they can support our decision when their child is apprehensive when it's time to try someone new.

The natural progression over time is for us to put our students on the calmest, most reliable lesson horses before putting them on anyone that will put them to the test and challenge their skills. We know that because we know how horses work and the challenges that come with learning to ride.

Parents who are new to the horse world are so excited to see their child having fun and gaining confidence that they, too, are going to become attached to that particular first horse your child has grown to love so much. If they don't know that you are planning to move them on to another horse at some point and that it means they are taking the next step, they might not support your decision if their child is apprehensive.