Lesson horses come in all shapes and sizes so it's important to know what size girth your mount requires. // Photo by Emma Bohaboy If you’re anything like me, your lesson day is your favorite day of the week. You spend the day anxiously sitting through school or work and waiting for the time when you get to head out to the barn for your lesson. Here are some tips to help you make your lesson time productive, safe, and fun!
Leasing a horse offers you the opportunity to be more competitive in the show ring. // Photo by Allie Layos
Many people are familiar with the concept of leasing when it comes to cars, but did you know that you can also lease a horse?
Not all barns offer lease programs, but if yours does, and you like the consistency of working and building a partnership with just one horse rather than multiple school horses, it may be a great way for you to take the next step in your riding journey. Here are a few ways to tell if the time is right for you to lease.
Your caboodle should hold everything from the makeup to hair accessories you will need on show day. // Photo by Lauren Gall You’ve been taking lessons for a few months, or maybe a few years, and you’re finally ready to begin showing. For most exhibitors in the saddle seat world, that means an exciting entrance into the academy division.
Academy is a division created to provide a fun and safe way for children and adults alike to experience showing horses in an economical and supportive environment. The horses in academy showing are used in lesson programs, and academy judging focuses on the performance of the rider and not the quality or conformation of the horse. It is an excellent way to begin a show career without investing in a privately owned and professionally trained performance horse.
However, as first time exhibitors look forward to their first horse show, they often have more questions than answers, and feel like they are in a foreign world. Managing all of the pieces and parts that seem to be required as you step into this new experience can be overwhelming, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be.
Photo by Allie Layos "Do you jump?” “How was your race?” Those who ride saddle seat are all too familiar with these questions from well-meaning friends and family members, who don’t know much about horses, or the discipline of saddle seat.
Explaining saddle seat can be a struggle. It is true that saddle seat is a relatively rare type of riding, and you will not see saddle seat riders compete every four years at the Olympics. In fact, many people don’t even know it exists until someone introduces them to the sport. So what do you say when someone asks, “What is that?”
Lesson horses come in all shapes and sizes so it's important to know what size girth your mount requires. // Photo by Emma Bohaboy
