The Benefit Of Lesson Horses
Lesson horses are the best teachers.
Your trainers teach you certain techniques to make riding easier, and they provide an extra layer of safety if anything goes awry, but your horse will be the one to truly teach you how to ride.
I would not be the rider I am today if it wasn't for the many, many lesson horses I have ridden at my barn.
Because I haven't been too stingy lately with requesting to ride Chance, I have been able to develop more riding skills, as well as feel more confident handling horses of different temperaments.
Check-In
I just completed my first week as a vet assistant!
It's a lot of information being thrown at me all at once, but it's a lot of fun. I really like my training team, and I really like the overall environment at the clinic. The vets are always happy to answer any questions, and I really feel like I'll be able to make a difference once training is over. I'm very excited to see what my future holds.
As far as riding goes, I had my first jump lesson last Thursday. It was kind of sprung on me (I found out I was jumping when I got to the barn), but I felt safe because I was riding Chance.
There was some drama on my TikTok page, so let me just make things clear — this was my first jump lesson, so it was my first time jumping in my life. Chance is an older pony, and he has arthritis. He was also ridden in a lesson prior to mine which is at the end of the day.
Chance did not want to leap over the jumps, nor did he want to canter toward them. I opted out of using a crop because I didn't want to whack him with it to push him over.
Some horses will always take a jump, some horses will just step over them if they're low enough. Chance decided to trot over them. That was OK with me.
I am completely fine with trotting over small cross-rails so I am able to steer properly, get the right positioning as I go over the poles and feel out the timing, especially for my very first time jumping.
Just because my horse decided to trot over poles does not mean I am "not doing anything." You and your horse are separate entities. You can still do something to better your riding skills, even if your horse doesn't want to move.
Additionally, trotting over poles is considered jumping to many trainers. A good trainer will always use the trotting method for beginner jumpers and warm-up exercises. Your horse still has to pick up its feet more in order to clear the rail, whether they decide to leap or step over the jump. Therefore, it is classified as jumping.
Besides, I am a very big advocate for starting out slow. There is no need for racing toward a jump, taking it and hoping for the best during a first jump lesson. That's not only dangerous for you, but it's dangerous for the horse as well. I would much rather get the basics perfected, and then everything else such as height and speed will fall into line.
I digress.
I could rant all day about people telling other people to do things their way or gatekeeping a certain thing.
I'm excited to start my jumping journey, nonetheless. Jumping was my main goal and my dream since I started riding. I'm so happy I'm at the beginning stages of that!
How Lesson Horses Benefit Riders
A lot of people ask me if Chance is my pony. (I do sometimes act as if he's mine because I'm always giving him extra love at the barn.)
I usually answer, "No, I wish, but he's just my favorite lesson pony."
Being a lesson horse rider versus being an owner of a horse sometimes creates a bit of a gap in the riding community. It's more on the rare side, but every now and then, you'll get an extra snobby member of the riding community who looks down upon those who ride lesson horses.
But a more common feeling from lesson horse riders is embarrassed because lesson horse riders pay to ride a horse at their barn, and it's usually the cheapest option to be able to ride.
For me, I am very open about not being in a place financially to buy and keep a horse. I don't live on a farm, so I'd have to pay even more money to board. And on top of that, I'd want to ride my horse, so I'd have to buy tack, grooming supplies and other things in order to ride.
Horses are not dogs or cats. They're cuddly and they're amazing animals, but you cannot fit a horse in your house. You also can't ride a dog or a cat. Taking care of a horse is a lot of work, responsibility and money. And some people just don't have the time or funds to fully own a horse.
But that doesn't mean that lesson horses are useless, or that riders who generally ride lesson horses should feel embarrassed.
In fact, those who ride lesson horses should be proud.
Why?
Because lesson horse riders are, in my opinion, the most versatile riders.
Lesson horses are trained to be lesson horses, just like race horses are trained to gallop on the track. Lesson horses are often trained to teach riders certain skills, so that they become better riders.
I could list every one of the lesson horses I've ridden at my barn (there's a lot), and tell you specifically what I learned on those horses.
For example, Ranger was trained to go around the entire arena, so I really struggled with steering when I rode him for the first time in a half-arena lesson. He taught me the skill of looking where you want to go before you start to steer.
Houdini was the horse who gave me the confidence to ask for the canter. Being able to relax on him allowed me to relax on other horses, so I could comfortably ask for the canter no matter who I rode.
Tazzy taught me about the importance of spacing out in the arena. He didn't like other horses, and would kick if a horse got too close, so I learned about distancing yourself from the other horses to avoid conflict.
Even Chance taught me how to get after stubbornness in the right way, and how trust and bonding works between a horse and its rider.
Not only do lesson horses teach their riders skills, but you'll also develop tactics to handle horses with different personalities and temperaments.
Not every horse is going to be like Chance — a calm, cool and collected one who will let every person pet him.
You may encounter a horse like Houdini, who is very hyper and is hard to control or even stop when you get him going.
So riding multiple lesson horses might actually prepare you for when you eventually do decide to buy a horse, because you're able to expand your horizons since you've worked with different horses.
I personally think of it in tiers:
Lesson Horses: You may be a beginnger or not financially in a place to buy your own horse. That's OK. You can still develop so many skills such as working with different animal personalities and further your riding education.
Leasing: You may have bonded with a certain lesson horse, or you have the money and time to lease and ride on your own. You most likely are not a beginner rider, and you may be comfortable at three out of the four gaits. You may also be preparing for a show, and you want to ride a horse you're most comfortable with at your barn. Leasing is also the bridge to buying. My friend bought a horse that she leased at our barn. It gives you some insight into what it's like to take care of a horse without the pressure of the horse being solely yours.
Buying: You might be in a place financially where you can purchase and keep a horse. You might also be an experienced rider either wanting to ride your own horse in a lesson or preparing for a show. You may have leased a certain horse at a lesson barn and later purchased it.
Do not feel bad if you're a lesson horse rider. There's plenty of us out there.
Riding a lesson horse should only enhance your riding experience, and you should never feel limited to bonding with a lesson horse.
In my opinion, lesson horses can even become heart horses because I think of heart horses as any horse that has changed your life for the better, whatever way that may be.
For me, Chance is my heart horse. Not only have I been able to form an incredible bond with him, but he helped me through one of the toughest moments of my life, and I'm forever grateful for him. He changed my life, even if he is a lesson horse.
Of course, the drawbacks to bonding with a certain lesson horse is that someone else does own him. So the owner of that horse could take it out of the lesson program for whatever reason. And when that happens, it does hurt.
But if you have bonded with a specific lesson horse, don't take it for granted. Whether they stay at your barn for a long time or not, the memories will forever live on.
Lesson horses are powerful. They teach us so much about horseback riding and about horses in general.
Riders who ride lesson horses should never be looked down upon. In fact, they may become even better riders than those who start off on a horse they own.
Comments