Horse Riding Courses: How to Choose

These days it is possible to take a number of horse riding courses in many different disciplines. From courses for total beginners to the most advanced riders, everyone can find a range of courses to suit them.

Courses are usually ran at an equestrian centre, and often you can hire a horse from them for the duration of the course. Sometimes the courses will be residential, and often on these types of horse riding courses you can bring your own horse.

So how do you know which one is right for you? There are many things to take into consideration such as; your goals, your abilities and your horse. If you are aspiring to be the next John Whittaker, an instensive course with Phillipe Karl may not be for you! Before you decide on your course make sure you know exactly what level of riding you need to be at for that particular one. If you have never been cross county before, it would be unwise to book a weeks advanced cross country course.

If you are taking your own horse along with you on your horse riding course there are several other things you should consider such as; how does your horse behave in new situations, is he up to date with all his vaccinations, can he physically cope with the workload. If you usually only ride your horse for a couple of hours at the weekend, he might really struggle if the course requires him to work for a couple of hours every day.

Lastly you should also check where the course is being offered. Do you want to stay local, do you want to go to a specific yard to have lessons with a particular instructor, do you want to make your horse riding course a part of your yearly holiday? It can be a refreshing change to go to a new yard and have a different perspective on your riding from another instructor.

More information on whether a horse riding course is for you can be found here