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Professional Horse Riding Lessons California Offers Begin With The Basics And Progress Over Time

By Mattie Knight


Children as young as four can take equestrian classes. They will be mounted on ponies that are suitable in size. Horses and ponies are measured in height at the withers in increments of four inches. The withers is the place where the neck meets the back. A hand is equal to four inches. For example, a pony can be thirteen hands high and a tall horse can be seventeen hands high. Most horse riding lessons California provides will teach this to all beginners.

Lessons are usually given for an hour at a time for children above the age of seven or adults. Younger than seven, the children will take shorter lessons. The first part of each lesson is spent tacking up the horse. Tacking up is brushing, saddling and putting on the bridle.

The riding instructions take up the major amount of time. When the lesson is over, the students untack their mount and sometimes take him to the barn or the pasture. A horse will enjoy having his back brushed after a lesson.

Everyone, children and adults, is required to own and wear a helmet for safety purposes. A cowboy hat may appeal to a child, but, when riding he wears a helmet. Jeans or long pants are mandatory as are shoes with a one-inch or higher heel. Students may not wear shorts, tank tops or tennis shoes. A shirt may have either short or long sleeves.

The first class is used to observe and evaluate riders and place them in a class that matches their skills. The instructor will demonstrate how to interact with the mount while standing with him. At first, you should hold your hand out to him, keeping the palm down. He will perceive this as a friendly gesture.

The correct way to approach the animal is on the left side. You will brush, saddle and bridle him from the left, except while brushing the right side. If you are walking into a slip stall, make a sound to alert him that someone is behind him. A slip stall is one that is wide enough to accommodate one horse.

Placing your left foot in the left stirrup of the saddle, you lift yourself up, swing your right leg over the saddle and put both feet in the stirrups. The reins are used to give signals to your mount. For example, to stop you pull back on the reins, but gently. Too much pressure may cause a horse to rear up on its hind legs.

To signal go, you loosen the reins and nudge gently with your heels or make a clicking sound. He should respond to the sound since it is a common practice to use it. If you are riding Western you will have single reins and hold them in your left hand. If riding English you will hold one rein in each hand.

Initially, lessons are conducted in an area that is enclosed. The instructor will teach new riders how to signal for a right turn and a left turn in addition to stopping and moving forward. The students will practice their reining skills until they do it naturally and are comfortable with controlling the horse. This is the first lesson for those learning to ride.




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