In many ways, riding horses is no different than any other sport.
It is important to find qualified coaches, safe environments and good equipment – which, in the case of equestrian riding, includes healthy horses.
“As you would if you were choosing a school or any kind of an activity for your child, you are going to act on your own intuition and common sense,” said Pam Coburn.
She is program administrator of horse facilities for the Ontario Equestrian Federation (OEF), an umbrella organization committed to equine welfare and providing leadership and support to the individuals, associations and industries in Ontario’s horse community.
“It’s a great sport for kids,” said Coburn. “Think about riding for sport or recreation. It is a sport you can do for your whole life.”
To assist potential riders, the OEF produced an online resource: A Guide for New Riders. It includes tips on choosing a riding facility, finding a qualified coach, details about different riding disciplines and programs, certification levels and other important information for new riders.
“The guide talks about what do you need to ride, where can you find a place to ride, and when you go, what you should look for,” Coburn said.
“The first thing, whatever research you do, is physically go to the barn while it’s up and running,” she suggests. “It might not be the time when they can talk to you because they are busy, and that’s the time to see how the operation is working.”
Coburn points to the importance of observing how the animals are treated and how safety is taught and enforced.
“Somebody has to be there to enforce the safety and the decorum in the barn all the time,” she said. “In terms of rules, you have to decide what you’re comfortable with. Due diligence is the key, whatever that means to you.”
Coburn suggests phoning the stable and talking to the owner and looking at the barn’s website, if one exists.
“Do your homework, in terms of where is the facility, does it look safe, is their a washroom, is there a warm-up place, a safe place for tack equipment, do the horses look happy and healthy?”
Coburn added prospective riders or parents of young students need to consider the cleanliness of the barn, whether lessons are being taught in a completely enclosed arena or area, and is there a spectator viewing location that is safely out of the way.
“What you want to see is what they do. How do they look after things, how do they look after the barn and how do they interact with the animals?” Coburn said.
Issues such as the health of the horses are key to determining the quality of the barn. According to the OEF guide, “You don’t have to be a veterinarian to recognize a healthy horse. To a layperson the horse should appear well fed, relatively clean and with no untreated cuts or wounds. They should walk freely and willingly (not lame).”
Coburn also suggests people look for a clear indication of emergency preparedness materials, first aid stations, radios to communicate if required, and someone trained to use these tools. The equine first aid kit should be locked in a safe area. All riders should be wearing a helmet and proper-heeled boots.
Seeing that the owners and coaches deal with issues consistently and fairly is important and Coburn says it is best to know the rules ahead of time.
“When all that is done, you want to meet the person coaching, watch them teach a lesson, maybe one or two and watch how they interact with students and the horses, how they deal with issues, if a student is anxious, etcetera,” said Coburn.
The OEF offers equestrian coaches what Coburn defines as a “very rigorous program for certification,” established by Equine Canada. Through the program, coaches are able to progress riders through the eight levels of the OEF Learn to Ride program, which takes students from rider level testing stages one through eight and includes the horsemanship side of riding.
While Coburn acknowledges coaches do not have to be in this program to teach riding lessons she notes, “By having a certified coach or an OEF accredited facility, you take a lot of the guesswork out of the decision. The facility meets a certain standard.”
When it comes to cost, the rates for riding lessons vary, relative to the costs of the business of operating a stable, and the ongoing costs of maintaining horses. There are no guidelines in place to create a uniform pricing structure, so again Coburn recommends people do their homework thoroughly.
“The cost isn’t always an indication of the quality of the lessons,” Coburn said. “If it’s really cheap, I would wonder.”
For more information on the OEF and A Guide for New Riders, visit http://horse.on.ca or http://horse.on.ca/programs/a-new-riders-guide/.
