Jul 3, 20234 min read

5 Things High-Quality Riding Schools Teach

Today, more people are becoming interested in taking riding lessons. However, not all riding schools are built the same and for those who want a long riding career, starting at a high-quality institution can be the difference between having a leg up in your riding or struggling for years to unlearn bad habits. Many riders today struggle with chair seats, grabbing hands, and a lack of understanding for their equine partners. The help of a high-quality riding school can instill a deep appreciation for horses, give riders a strong, reliable seat, and foster enjoyment of the sport for years to come. When looking for a riding school to enroll yourself or your children, be sure they teaching these 5 lessons that are the hallmark of a high-quality riding school

1. A strong, balanced seat

Riding with a classical seat is a dying art form. Today, many top riders have abandoned the ideal position in favor of trendy riding styles. However, our job as riders is to be the best load to carry for our horses so they can shine with grace and athleticism. While more and more riding schools across the world are no longer teaching the classical seat, the position remains at the foundation of every high-class rider's career.

Little boy sitting sideways on a white pony — Instructors can use numerous exercises to improve their students' seats

The best riding schools in the world understand the importance of teaching the classical seat and while, across America, the art is becoming increasingly hard to find, a few schools still rely on the position. A strong, foundational seat will sit at the core of every high-quality school's curriculum. Students of all ages and levels will be guided endlessly to refine their seats. These are the schools that are creating riders of the future.

2. Riding theory

All too often these days students are simply taught to "kick to go, pull to whoa" and never refine further. Riding theory, the progressive study of horse movement and training, will have a part in every high-quality riding school's curriculum As a horse grows from a gangly youth into a seasoned schoolmaster, they will learn how to engage their core and hindquarters to build strength, balance, and elegance.

Dressage horse and rider — Riding theory teaches students how to transform their horses into willing athletes

Riding theory is the school of thought that teaches students to transform horses into athletes and willing partners. A student who learns riding theory early from a high-quality riding institution will be ahead for life and be able to develop horses to the highest levels of the sport and ride with invisible, effortless aids.

3. Comprehensive unmounted lessons

Horse-crazy children and adults often take riding lessons with the hope of learning everything they need to embark on their own horse journey one day, whether that be showing, horse ownership, or simply lifelong enjoyment of the sport. However, many riding schools only teach riding. Their lessons do not extend to theory, horse care, saddle fitting, course design, behavior theory, or groundwork. These students will always have large gaps in their equestrian knowledge that often has to be filled in with independent study.

Woman training a horse lift a leg in command — Working with horses on the ground is an important aspect of learning to ride that high-quality schools will not overlook

There is so much more that goes into being a rider than just the time spent on the horse. High-quality riding schools know that and will teach ground training in addition to riding so students can gain a deeper understanding and ability to work with their equine partners and shape their behavior through positive reinforcement. High-quality riding schools are committed to educating future horseback riders into well-rounded equestrians. This means that not all of their lessons may be spent on top of a horse, but a robust classroom curriculum means you are getting the most from your lessons and will one day be ready to take your horse journey into your own hands.

4. Multiple disciplines

Most riding schools and students specialize in a single discipline. You may see dressage stables, hunter/ jumper schools, or reining barns. However even if your dream is to specialize in a single discipline, there is still something that can be learned from others. High-quality riding schools know the importance of creating well-rounded students and offer and encourage their pupils to try new things.

Western horse next to English horse — Students can learn a lot from trying out new disciplines

A dressage rider can benefit from running barrels every once in a while. A Western pleasure extraordinaire can learn something from jumping. Mixing and matching lessons to keep students challenged and engaged in the mark of a world-class institution. Every school should occasionally take students trail riding or to the beach to develop confidence, handling skills outside of the arena, and maintain interest for both student and horse.

5. Empathetic troubleshooting

Harsh discipline, a reliance on negative reinforcement, whips, and spurs have no place in modern riding. Today, positive reinforcement and science-based horsemanship are allowing trainers to abandon harsh methods. A high-quality riding school will demonstrate empathy for their school horses at all times and operate with reward rather than punishment.

Woman standing in front of a horse on a pedestal — High-quality riding schools teach with positive reinforcement instead of punishment

When things go wrong they will teach students to see things from the horse's perspective and get to the root of the problem instead of resorting to punishment. This way, riders can learn how to develop a partnership with horses that is founded on empathy, respect, and communication.

Finding a high-quality riding school that checks off all your boxes can be a challenge. However, the time you put into researching your options and interviewing stables will pay off in the end with robust educational opportunities and lifelong enjoyment of the sport.