If your kids have been bugging you for horseback riding lessons, chances are you might have a lot of questions and a few concerns. You’re likely wondering about the cost, if your child will actually enjoy it and how dangerous it is. And, if your kids are little, you’re probably wondering if and when they’ll be old enough to ride.
So, what age can children start horseback riding lessons? In general, if your child can walk, run and follow directions they’re probably old enough to ride horses. Many farms do not allow children under a certain age, typically around 5 to take lessons. This is usually based on restrictions of their insurance policies and the difficulty of teaching small children.
Let’s review the factors you should consider in order to help you decide if your child is ready to start taking riding lessons. After all, if a barn in your area is both reputable and accepts young children then age should not be the only deciding factor.
Find Out If Your Child Has An Interest In Horses
The first and most important question is, does your child have an interest in horses? Try taking your child to visit a local farm to see what their reaction to horses is. Both of my kids even from a very young age, around 6 months, got very excited when they saw the horses. Neither was afraid and both lit up immediately. Some children are easily excited by seeing animals in pictures but when they get up close and realize how large horses are, they shy away.
There are so many amazing reasons to ride horses, in fact I wrote a whole detailed article about the life skills your child will learn from being around horses. You can check that out here, Top 16 Reasons Your Kids Need Horses In Their Life. But, if your child isn’t interested you shouldn’t force them.
Being extremely fearful can only lead to a dangerous situation. If your child is terrified, they may freeze up and be unable to follow directions which could result in a fall or other accident.
How Small Is Your Child?
The size of your child may not be a factor if the child is older than 4 or 5 years old. However, if your toddler is 2 years old and on the small side, it may be difficult for them to sit on the horse. If you can find a program with small ponies used in beginner riding lessons then your child may have an easier time.
My daughter began riding at the age of 18 months and due to her small legs, needed an adult to walk next to her for support for a few months. Typically small and very young children will need an adult to assist the instructor. But we’ll discuss this in more detail later in the article.
Does Your Child Have The Appropriate Motor Skills To Ride Horses?
At a minimum your child should be able to sit, stand, walk and run on their own before trying to ride a horse. If you have a small toddler that has good motor skills and the farm has an experienced person to spot them during the lesson or pony ride they may be able to ride.
If your child cannot yet walk or run on their own they likely do not have the strength and coordination to ride a horse. The exception to this is if your child has any special needs or disabilities. In this case, you should contact your local therapeutic riding center. Farms that offer regular riding lessons may not be able to accommodate students with special needs or disabilities if they do not have the appropriate licensing and insurance. However, they can usually give you a recommendation of a local, reputable therapeutic riding center. Therapeutic riding centers also have more staff, specialized equipment and special training in order to work with a variety of students.
If you’re interested in finding a therapeutic riding center in your area, check out this PATH International Directory. PATH stands for Professional Association Of Therapeutic Horsemanship and they have lots of helpful resources on their site!
How Well Does Your Child Follow Instructions
Once you’ve determined your child does have an interest in horses after being exposed to them on more than one occasion it’s time to figure out when to start lessons. The next question you should ask yourself is, how well does my child follow instructions? And, do they listen to other adults? If your child is in pre-school, daycare or school, think about how well they listen to their teacher.
Following directions is crucial to keeping your child safe in the barn! In fact, I wrote an entire article all about how to keep your kids safe in the barn once they start riding. I highly recommend reading it if you plan to start your child in riding lessons.
What Age Can Children Start Horseback Riding Lessons At Your Local Barn?
What age can children start horseback riding lessons at your local barns? You will likely find that different barns have different rules depending on the horses and instructors they have available. Some farms also have age limits due to the liability have allowing small children to ride horses.
If you make some calls to local farms and find out your child is too young to start in their program, ask if they can recommend any other farms.
Even if the farm does not have a specific age limit, they will use the same factors mentioned above to determine if your child is able to ride a horse.
You will also want to inquire if the farm has appropriate sized tack for children as they will have difficulty riding in an adult sized saddle.
Keeping Small Children Safe During Lessons
There are a few ways farms keep beginner riders safe during their lessons. The first is to have appropriate school horses that are well trained, well behaved and not easily spooked also known as bombproof. Meaning, figuratively, if a bomb went off they wouldn’t run away.
Secondly, the farm will have qualified instructors whom are knowledgeable, accomplished riders with good teaching skills. Additionally, the instructors will have a strong focus on safety and appropriate practices in the barn. For example, requiring helmets and appropriate footwear for students and staff. The instructor will also understand a horses body language in depth so they can anticipate a problem before it arises and provide the appropriate direction. Instructors also need the ability to stay calm and think clearly under pressure, because undoubtedly, at some point things may go wrong.
For children that are very small or nervous the farm should have an experienced horse person that can assist the instructor with the lesson. Whether that means the assistant walks next to the horse at the riders leg to provide physical support, or leads the horse on a lead line while the instructor teaches the lesson. Small children require a reliable person to control the horse and another to spot them. Older beginners require an experienced person or the instructor to help control the horse while they learn to balance.
Small children and beginners should never be left unsupervised for any period of time whether in the barn, handling the horse on the ground, grooming and tacking up, riding or untacking after the lesson.
Benefit Of Children Starting Horseback Riding Lessons At A Young Age
The younger your child is exposed to horses the less likely they are to become fearful around horses and animals in general. Horses teach children and adults alike invaluable life lessons that you just can’t get anywhere except in the barn.
Kids learn about compassion, comradery and responsibility from a very young age and to put others before themselves. They also learn leadership, respect and communication skills that will carry them far in life. These reasons are all detailed thoroughly in this article about why kids should ride horses.
If your child is struggling to make friends, follow directions, be respectful at home or is just shy, horseback riding can help them overcome these obstacles.
I hope you found this article to be a helpful aid in determining if your child is ready for riding lessons. If you did, please give it a share!
Share in the comments how you decided to have your children start horseback riding and what age they started or when you started yourself!
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