equestrian help please :)

[Sheherezade]

I know we have some horse people in here. My daughter is turning 7. She's majorly in to the horse thing. She did a summer riding camp last year, but hasn't taken any lessons since. I will be starting her in lessons soon. She is also desperate to have horses or ponies at her birthday next month. We are fortunate to leave in a horse rich part of the country, but she's unlucky to have me. I don't know NOTHIN 'bout no horses.

If you have any horse experience, could you give me a little advice? I feel like a complete idiot walking in to barns - and worse on the phone. How do you pick a good place for lessons? What kind of lessons would be good for a beginner at 7? Is camp a good idea, or would a weekly lesson all summer be better? And....for this party (with about 7 girls)....what else could we do besides stand around and wait for pony rides? We can't do it at my house (no space) so I was hoping we could do it at a local park with a bridle trail. Is that crazy? I don't know if pony ride horses will also trail ride. Arrg. I hate being clueless when I'm making Mom decisions. Any ideas?

[Meenah]

Talk her into another kind of party!!!! Sorry, I am no help but will share in your lack of horse knowledge. My next door neighbor has a horse and her daughter, age 9, takes lessons more than once a week

[Phoebe]

Angie- A good friend of mine grew up in your town and shows (jumps) horses in the area. I could contact her or forward her email address to ask her about lessons if you would like.

Jennifer

[Sheherezade]

Thanks Jennifer. It would be great to get some inside info on the local barns - if she knows that now. (I suppose it would depend on how long she's been "away" from the town.) I'll PM you with an email.

Luanne. You've clearly never had a daughter in the grips of horse illness this severe. She'd probably opt out of her birthday altogether - or just let me get hobby horses for everyone to mount. She's truly obsessed. It's a little ..... scary!

[Cumberland]

I am a horsey person I would pick a place for lessons that is very kid friendly and not super competitive, unless you want your daughter to go to horse shows. You might call a tack shop and ask them if they know a place or ask around at her school.

I grew up riding, and there was a huge focus on competing in shows, which led to who had the nicest horse and nicest supplies which led to cliques and bratty behavior between those with the $15,000 show ponies and custom leather chaps and those who had to babysit just to get to their horse's hooves clipped. Guess which one I was ?

I would say start with camp, and if she enjoys camp, then you can sign her up for lessons. That was my parent's tactic.

As for the party, there should be stables that offer a package type party where you supply the cake and ice cream, and they supply the horses and barn and the entertainment is a learning lesson of how to groom the horse followed by a short ride. It is pretty fun for them to giggle and talk and play while they are brushing the horse and playing with his mane, that sort of thing. I would advocate for a brief ride in an enclosed ring for a group of 7yr olds unless there is major supervision on a trail ride.

It has been a lifelong love for me, a place to destress, a great way to make friends, make money ( my college job was exercising other people's horses and teaching lessons for little's kids and of course, shoveling poop) and as my parents used to say, at least she is at the barn riding rather than at the mall getting in trouble ( which was not entirely true!!).

[Phoebe]

Tira is still in the Cleveland area and keeps her horse nearby CFalls. She should be able to give you lots of information as well as lesson suggestions.

Jennifer

Angie - I used to do ranch camp every summer through the girl scouts. It was in Macedonia, but I can't remember the name of the camp "Margaret ... something". I loved it.

I'm sure Sue Ann's advice is perfect. I did not grow up around real horse people (I grew up in Strongsville, which is suburbia w/a captial S). There should be LOTS of stuff available around you.

Good luck!

[SueC]

I think it's in some people's blood--my sister saved up her money in high school to buy her own horse (when most kids were saving for a car) and has never outgrown it, my second daughter seems to have the horse bug as well. We had horses when I was a teenager, but I doubt I can offer any better advice than the others have already given. But I was going to add that you could call around to stables and maybe take a tour and let them know you would like to have a little orientation about what you need to know when you are in a stable (like not walking directly behind a horse). They may take it for granted that people there know the basics. Also, you might be able to find a video or something that would be helpful. We have one geared towards kids (it's called "A Day with Horses") where they go through how to groom and tack up a horse, as well as basic information about being around horses.

[Sheherezade]

They may take it for granted that people there know the basics.

That has been my experience thus far. (Hence, feeling like an idiot!!) I think most of the people around here are well schooled in horses. We are going to take my daughter to the MetroParks "Horses 101" event in a few weeks. It's all about riding in the area and horse breeds, etc. We'll also try to hit the Hunter-Jumper Classic this year. (We've missed it the last two years!)

Do any of you have a preference for English vs. Western? My daughter's "best" friend rides Western, but most of the barns are English. She did her camp in English last year and (most importantly) the Saddle Club book girls do English. I'd probably go that route because it's the most simple for me. I wonder if that will be an issue though if she keeps up this friendship.

I also can't stop worrying about Christopher Reeve's style injuries.

[quote="goofy I also can't stop worrying about Christopher Reeve's style injuries. [/quote]

Agreed. I've never been a fan of jumping, anyway (one reason to gently suggest western??). I just don't see the sport in making the horse jump over all sorts of obstacles. I'm sure it requires all sorts of skill on the riders part ... just not my thing. I've always kind of viewed western as more of the "pleasure riding".

I'll have to double check with my mom, but I think she rides Western style. That is better suited for what she likes to do -- trail riding. My mom used to be afraid of horses and decided to take a few classes to try to at least have neutral feelings about them. The classes must have strarted out with the bare-bones basics. She has been riding now for about three years and even goes on bareback trail rides. I like having a saddle to hang on to!

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but any place I have been I have had to sign a waiver of liability. So I would think that each girl's parents would have to sign as well. Might be worth doing in advance in case people carpool, etc.

Did someone suggest visiting a place before starting lessons or classes? I think getting a feel for a place over the phone is a good start but would also want to observe them in action -- the horses and instructors. A little while ago, I was going to have Bryn take a riding lesson at a stable. Before her lesson, I happened to do a trail ride with my mom from the stable that was AWFUL. I am SO GLAD I went first because it could have been a really bad experience for Bryn. They sounded great over the phone, the guide was great, but the horse had "interpersonal" issues with the other horses, spooked easily, and was generally a turd. Easy Rider, my a$$. Bleh. Some of the other horses should have had more training before they let people ride them. Live and learn! Not to scare you from this -- I think I would have noticed these problems after watching for half an hour.

[SueC]

We rode Western, and now I think I'd have trouble getting used to not having the horn there. In rural America, that seemed to be the most popular, at least when I was a kid. But I've noticed in Kansas City (I know, it's still rural America...) English style seems to be more popular. I have to say, I like the clean look of the English saddle.

[Flynn]

Horses were my first love -- sports came later.

Since I was a suburb kid, I did the camps and the summer lessons for years. I never owned a horse. My biggest thrill were the jumps. A fantastic feeling...

I would definitely do an activity with a Western saddle for the girls. It's MUCH easier than English so the scare factor goes down and the fun factor goes up!

Great advice here so far. Make sure when you call you can ask about the "level" of experience the girls need to have. Good luck and fill us in on what happens!