It’s not always easy to find the best horseback riding lessons close to home.
It’s not always easy to find the best horseback riding lessons close to home. Maybe you can’t find a teacher. Perhaps you’re unable to transport your own horse. Whatever the reason, today’s online world offers some excellent solutions.
First and foremost, before I refer you to some excellent online learning resources for both horseback riding lessons and general horsemanship, I have one major recommendation:
Learn how to work a horse on the ground, first.
I can’t stress enough how important this is. It will lay the foundation for everything you do with horses from now on.
Why is groundwork so important?
The truth is that pony club and trail horses are either exceedingly well trained or they can be “shut down” emotionally. Either way, they will do almost anything for anyone. That’s why they’re often called “bomb-proof”. If you just want to hack away on a hired trail ride or you want to send your child to pony club, then you may not be interested in groundwork.
But if you own a horse now or plan to buy one in the future, groundwork is essential to develop your relationship with your horse and ensure your safety.
I was never taught the basics of horsemanship until recently. I truly wish I had invested time in learning before I bought my mare Birdie two years ago.
Although I spent my entire teenage years riding at pony club and trail rides, I was not experienced enough to know that Birdie was relatively un-trained. Sure, she was quiet and sweet, but here’s what I didn’t know:
- Her confidence came from being around experienced people – disappearing when she realised I was not that (yes, they are that smart)
- Her body was out of balance – she was in pain and discomfort 99% of the time.
- She didn’t know how to use her body to carry a rider properly – and she would throw me off the very first time I tried to trot.
- I would not be safe riding her until we had developed a stronger relationship through regular groundwork.
Our relationship has gone from strength to strength over the last year. But that has only happened thanks to me learning some core groundwork principles and applying them with patience and love, every minute I am with her.
This is a success story, but it didn’t start out that way. Groundwork was my saviour. And that’s why I’m recommending you start with this, before you consider riding. Your safety depends on it.
The best online courses for groundwork, horsemanship AND horseback riding lessons…
In order to find the most suitable programs to recommend, I wanted to tick a few boxes:
- Lessons on demand, so that time zone poses no issues
- Services that don’t just focus on riding, but include all the other aspects of horsemanship – including that all-important groundwork.
- Services that offer free trials and money back guarantees
- Affordable options with either a low one time cost, or a low monthly subscription amount
Once you’ve done some basic horsemanship work, or if you’re already pretty experienced with working your horse on the ground, the Equestrian Coach Training Site is an invaluable resource for equestrians everywhere. With an astounding range of videos, DVDs and video archives, you’ll find a wealth of riding and general horsemanship learning here for both beginners and experienced equestrians alike.
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Disclaimer: If you click through and purchase either of these online courses, I will receive a small affiliate commission, which helps me keep this website up and running. Thank you in advance! 🙂
