Finding the Right Instructor
by Faith Meredith
Director, Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre

Finding the right instructor is essential if a rider wants positive, satisfying, and safe equestrian experiences. The “best” riding instructor may be a very different person for different riders. It is an adult student’s responsibility to choose an instructor that suits her current level of ability and her goals.

Choosing a riding instructor is as personal a decision as choosing your doctor. The first step is clearly defining your objective:

Are you just beginning to ride and want to learn solid, basic skills you can use for any riding discipline?
Are you returning to riding after a period of years and want an assessment of your current riding skills?
Are you riding already but want to change riding disciplines?
Are you riding already but want to improve your skills or work on specific problems?
Being clear about your riding goals right from the start will not only help you evaluate the suitability of different riding instructors but will also help any instructor understand your expectations. If your goal is to excel in a particular equestrian sport, you will want an instructor with a successful background in that sport, one who knows how to develop and challenge her students so that they can be competitive in the show ring. If your goal is to ride confidently and safely while enjoying nature from the back of a horse as you head out on trails, you would probably seek out a very different type of instructor.

The second step is making a short list of the instructors available to you. For most people, geography and economics are important considerations in choosing an instructor. They want an instructor who is reasonably close by and also within their budget. Beyond these basic, however, you need ways to judge an instructor’s competence or suitability. Unfortunately, there are no foolproof benchmarks. For example, someone who is a successful competitor may not necessarily have good teaching and communication skills. Similarly, a university degree or recognition by an accrediting organization may offer assurance that the instructor has solid teacher training but does not necessarily tell potential clients anything about their actual riding ability. Ideally, you want to find someone who has both sets of skills.

So the third step involves visiting each of the facilities on your short list and watching a lesson so you can make an informed choice. Take a notebook along so you can jot down information about the program’s nuts and bolts such as available lesson packages, lesson times, the number of students in a class, cancellation policies, whether riders are expected to tack up their own horses, etc. Observe the barn routine and riding classes thoughtfully and right down your observations for later review. As you watch, ask these questions:

Is the barn safety conscious? All equipment should be clean and in good repair. Hard hats should be required, even in Western barns. Ask if anyone at the barn is trained in first aid and if the barn has an established plan for handling medical emergencies.
Are there lesson horses suitable for all levels of ridersbeginners through advanced? Riding a variety of horses helps students develop their skills. As students’ skills increase, horses with more advanced training should be available to help them progress.
Are there classes available for all levels and ages of riders? If you are an adult beginner will you ride with other adults? If available adult classes include riders of varying abilities, will you be satisfied if others in the class are more or less advanced than you are?