Who’s The Riding Instructor For?

by Barbara Ellin Fox

The Riding Instructor is for anyone who wants to learn more about horses.  It includes areas that will be of interest to actual riding instructors or people hoping to become instructors but it also includes resources for people who would go to a riding instructor for help and education.

While I enjoy and admire riders who are achieving the upper levels of our sport, the riding instructor is geared more toward beginner and intermediate students.  This is because the beginners and intermediates make up the largest group of students in the horse world.  The beginner and intermediate rider is oft forgotten in lieu of the fabulous and glorious A circuit competitor, the big name (BN) trainers, and the exquisite and extremely expensive horse.

Don’t misunderstand, please… I love the A show riders, the BNs, the fancy horses.  They’re an inspiration.  They’re bar raisers. And they’re exciting, but… At one time or another, every single one of them was a beginner and then an intermediate and so in my mind the riders who are just starting and who are enthusiastically working through basic problems and issues, well, they’re everyone. That’s why The Riding Instructor is an important blog.

Although competition is terrific, riding is so much more than competition.  And although many great horses cost a lot of money, many great horses did not.  And great is a relative term.  If one horse fills the needs of a rider and fill their riding life with quality, that horse is no less important than the show ring champion.  Are the school horses that safely taught you how to steer a stop and helped you develop your balance and seat any less important than the horse you graduate to to learn flying changes, half pass or how to gallop water?

And what about the people whose main goal in riding is to get ought and enjoy the country with their favorite horse? Is this not what a huge part of riding is about? What about those who always wanted a horse as a child and now, finally as an adult, can finally think about having one? There are so many benefits to riding, owning and loving horses; so many individual goals and successes.  It surely is a sport for a life time.

I can’t emphasize that enough.  It’s a sport for a lifetime. It fills a lifetime with good things that we too easily would otherwise miss. Now doubt the physical aspect of riding a horse is beneficial, particularly as we get older.  And don’t forget about the benefits of non riding physical activity, such as grooming, picking stalls and moving hay. The emotional benefits of riding are just as important.  Where else can you combine the capacity for solitude and deepness with friendship and group activities.  And the association with horses develops character and perseverance in all of us. And it gets us outdoors.

The Riding Instructor is for adults but it’s also for kids.  I’ll show kids to some fun areas on the internet and maybe they’ll show me!  And if you have a question that you think I can help with- fire away and I’ll see what I can do.  Do you have a favorite horse? I’d love to hear about him, or her.

Parents and spouses are welcomed here, too.  In my near 45 years of teaching, I’ve met lots of parents and spouses and I have this to tell you.  I know how confusing this new activity can be for you and your family. The RIding Instructor will help you with answers, and a shoulder to lean on when necessary.

I have a few requests of readers.  The first is, be patient.  There is so much to talk about    that I’d love nothing better than to cover many topics at once but obviously things will go more slowly than I want them to.  The second request is, please let me hear from you.  Let me know what’s on your mind, what you’d like to say or ask about.  There’s nothing better than a two way street relationship.  And third, the blog has a pretty easy sign up form now if you’d like to have updates come to your email inbox instead of having to search for what’s new.

So whether you are an instructor, a future instructor, a student, a pleasure rider, or a parent or spouse, The Riding Instructor is meant for you.  I hope you’ll join me regularly.

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