The benefits of horse riding lessons

Are horse riding lessons worth it? If you’re currently considering signing up for horse riding lessons or are interested in signing a child up for horse riding lessons, simply continue reading to discover some of the key reasons why horse riding lessons are worth paying for.

The key benefits of signing up for horse riding lessons:

• You’ll become more comfortable with the basics of horse riding:

• After a few lessons you’ll become comfortable transitioning from walking to trotting to cantering. Whereas if you opt out of lessons and find yourself on a horse that starts to canter you may be intimidated by the speed which your horse starts to move.

• You’ll decrease your chances of falling off a horse or being injured:

• If you invest in horse riding lessons you’ll learn valuable skills which will decrease your chances of falling off a horse or being involved in a horse riding related incident.

• Your instructor will be able to correct your form:

• Individuals who forgo horse riding lessons often continue to ride with bad form. Whereas if you sign up for horse riding lessons your experienced instructor will be able to correct your form before you get into any bad habits which may be difficult to retrain.

As an example, many beginner riders try to ride with their feet flat in their stirrups whereas to safely ride a horse you should always ensure that your heels are down. Especially as if you ride down steep hills, having your heels down will ensure that you keep your body weight positioned in a such a way that you won’t fall off your horse.

• You’ll get to learn a wide variety of disciplines:

• Once you learn the basics of horse riding you’ll get to experiment with learning the basics of dressage, show jumping and cross country riding. If you start attending horse riding lessons you may discover that you have a natural talent for show jumping or that you’re passionate about dressage. If you find a discipline that you love you may want to train in order to take part in amateur events.

• You won’t get stuck in a plateau:

• If you get to a level where you start to plateau, your instructor will be able to give you challenging exercises and valuable tips which will help you become a more adept rider.

• You’ll eventually be able to ride intermediate and expert level horses:

• While you don’t need to complete horse riding lessons in order to hire a slow, beginner-friendly horse in order to go for a short trail ride, if you attend regular lessons you’ll eventually be able to ride intermediate and expert level horses.

• Riding horses can be therapeutic in an increasingly hectic world:

• If you lead a hectic, fast-paced life riding a horse and spending more time exploring nature should help decrease your stress levels. If you know that you spend far too much time glued to your phone, treating yourself to horse riding lessons may give yourself well-needed respite from your smartphone or laptop.

• Horse riding is a handy skill to have if you’re a frequent traveller:

• If you learn how to ride a horse properly and become comfortable around horses you’ll be able to rent a horse on your travels which will help you explore more of the destinations which you visit. As examples, imagine getting to ride a horse in the Australian outback or riding a horse along a trail in the Grand Canyon.

• Horse riding is a skill which you’ll never forget:

• Due to muscle memory, if you spend frequent time riding a horse, you’ll pick a skill which you’ll never forget. As riding a horse is just like riding a bike. Even if you go several years without embarking on a horse trek, the next time that you climb onto a saddle everything that you have learned will quickly come back to you.

• Horse riding is a great exercise:

You’ll be surprised at how tired you are after your first one-hour horse riding lesson. As horse riding is a full-body workout that requires cardio, stamina, and strength. Especially when you trot for considerable periods of time and continuously sit down and then stand up in your stirrups.

So if you’ve been seriously considering signing up for horse riding lessons, it’s definitely well worth investing your time, energy, and money into horse riding lessons.