If you ask a riding instructor/trainer "who taught you what you know about horses?", the correct answer should be "a horse". People can't teach you about horses as well as a horse can. If your riding instructor/trainer tells you something different, look for the next shingle. An instructor and his/her lesson horse can teach you balance and communication. After that it's semantics and dedication to a specific riding discipline. And don't forget practice, practice, pratice. Nothing is more important than practice! Riding Lessons A young lady and her mother are attentively listening to Betty as she instructs the rider about proper equitation. This youngster has never been on a horse before. Everybody is relaxed and ready to ride. Shyanne is giving Dana a lesson at the walk. Shyanne is 1/2 thoroughbred and the length of her stride is illustrated in this picture. She has a lively walk that can cause uneasiness in an green rider. Working in a round pen to acquaint yourself with a new horse is always a good idea. While your desire to "get out into the field" may be sincere, it is a good idea to get the feel of a horse that you've never ridden, so there are no surprises to the horse or to the rider. Experienced on-site lesson horses available, hand picked and trained by owner/trainer Betty Burlingame. Specializing in non-competitive riding, for beginner to intermediate riding capability and family-oriented retreats with horses. Daily or weekly rates available. Rates: Riding lessons, driving lessons, cart rides: Riding/driving lessons are $15.00 per hour for occasional riders. When you pay $100 in advance you get eight hours of riding lessons. (Economical for people who are willing to make a long-term learning commitment to horseback riding. Ground work, haltering, tacking-up and grooming are part of every riding lesson. If you are unable to control a horse from the ground, then you are not prepared to ride from the horse's back. Students are expected to be on time, and in a horse-ready-frame-of-mind. Your lesson will be much more productive if you can devote your full attention to the horse and to the task at hand. If you are going to be late for a lesson or need to cancel your appointment, call 575-0401 (cell phone) to let the instructor know when you will be arriving or if you need to reschedule your appointment. All students must sign a hold harmless agreement, per the Wyoming Statutes. We offer a special riding lesson rate of $50 per month with full service horse boarding - includes one riding lesson per week. A Riding Lesson Is... Mom, Dad, Can I Take Riding Lessons? Making the decision to provide riding lessons for yourself and/or your children is a major family decision. Riding lessons are time consuming, expensive and have a certain amount of inherent risk. Riding lessons require a huge commitment to educate yourself about horses. Parents would never put their children in a car and tell them to drive it, but will put children on horses and expect them to learn all about horses from blue sky. Good riding instructors promote safety, education and ground work as an integral part of "riding" lessons. If you can't control the horse from the ground, you'll have a lot more trouble trying to control them when you are on their back. RIDING IS: Actively participating in controlling the movements of a horse in a manner that shows consistency, along with compassion and concern for the horse. Horses are strong, powerful and very intelligent, with survival being their paramount concern. Riders need to be mature enough to understand the basic principles of horsemanship, balance, rhythm and proper human/horse communication, which includes a good "working knowledge" of bits along with other riding tack and ground work equipment. Riders should know the proper way to work with horses from the ground and from the horse's back. Also required of the rider is an extensive education in the spirit of the horse; how they communicate and how to bend the horse's will to your own , keeping him calm and committed to completing the task required. It is easy to blame the horse for all inadequacies in rider's abilities. It is up to the rider to keep things in check. Riding a horse is an art to those who recognize the beauty and symmetry of true classical riding, a level of riding ability which very few people achieve. An accomplished rider understands the importance of balance and the ability to feel the horse's movements through the parts of the human body which have close contact with the horse. They know what the horse is going to do by the signals the horse transmits through its muscles. That is why learning to ride bareback is so critical to the formative years of riding. They also know that a horse communicates with its whole body, and are tuned to the "horse frequency" at all times while riding. The best riders in the world, from the Spanish Riding Academy, don't ride a horse until it is about five years old, with ground work predominantly the main source of a horse's training until it is "ready" for work under saddle. Many riding communication skills can be learned from the ground. If you can't control the horse from the ground, you certainly can't control him from his back. Ground work is elementary, albeit integral training for both horse and rider! Riding is a smooth, adroit, cohesive, synergistic movement of human and horse, where the two are as one, with trust and open communication between the two. When you have bonded with a horse at this level it is like no other feeling this side of Heaven. Imagine a 1000 pound animal who is responding to what appears to be an almost imperceptible cue, with only a thin slice of leather (not really required, but mainly for "show") attached to a metal receiver (also known as a bit) as a communication tool. Because of the extreme sensitivity of the horse, they can respond to a change in the rider's breathing as a cue that a change is imminent. A good rider recognizes that the horse does what you ask because he wants to please you, not because you've forced him to comply. At this level of riding, you see the rewards for all the time and effort it takes to "get there". Bonding with a horse has no parallel on earth. It transcends any other relationship because horses are totally honest, empathetic, intelligent, naturally athletic and will always listen to you. They talk all the time to those who are willing to listen to them. (They think most people are deaf!). When improperly treated, horses can become balky, sullen and uncommunicative, just like people who have been abused and mistreated. A horse can kick the stuffing out of you, they bite and will literally run over you, step on you or run away with you. A educated rider is honest about his/her capabilities , knows and understands his/her horse, is continually striving to perpetuate the best life possible for the horse, is a life-long learner about the best way to care for horses, and is willing to speak out in defense of what they know is the highest good for horses in general. RIDING IS NOT Riding is not "staying alive on a horse" or plodding along on a dead-mouthed, dead-sided, nose-to-butt trail horse. A horse is not an extension of your ego. A horse would never compete for prizes and money, breaking down its body in the process. Every day thousands of horses are ruined for life and even die in the process of making money for people. Riding is not ramming and jamming and running at break-neck speed, then stopping in a slide on their back legs or racing to beat the clock. Riding is not pulling and yanking on the bit to stop or turn your horse, forcing an unnatural open-mouthed, neck stiffening stop or turn. Running is not what horses love to do. They run (literally) to save their lives. They are prey animals, and if they can't run, they are lunch! Competitive riding is not "good" for the horse! Good riders never artificially alter a horse's headset, tail or feet in order to "look smart" for competition. They never use appliances to force the horse to hold its head down or use severe bits to "make them stop". These are poor substitutes for good training. Riding is not ignoring the health needs of your horse by injecting steroids into their system to "extend their usefulness" to their owners. A horse that is properly cared for can be your companion for up to 30 years. The world is full of horses who have been spoiled by people who ride them for all the wrong reasons. There are good horse trainers, and very bad horse trainers. NEVER accept lessons from a trainer without the advice and counsel of a professional horse consultant. Contact Betty or Karen Burlingame, from Rockn Bee Equestrienne Center, who can and will help you make a good decision if you think you really want to take riding lessons. Remember, if an instructor cares more about promoting himself/herself than he or she does for the horse, or puts a young rider on any horse in an open arena without a lead line, proper supervision or educational preparation, look further down the road. Typical Progression in Riding (For students under 10 years old - ˝ hour lesson) First 2 lessons will be on a lead-line saddle with no stirrups or reins. (May be longer, depending on student's progress.) Horse will be on a lunge line at all times. Parents are encouraged to attend lessons to observe student's interaction with instructor and horse. This is important for week-long feedback that goes on after all lessons. Riding requires mental preparation by the rider. Safety of horse and rider are always paramount at the Rockn Bee. Lesson 1 Approaching a horse (etiquette) Proper way to introduce yourself to the horse Haltering the horse Mounting the horse Feeling the motion of the horse Dismounting the horse Lesson 2 Review lesson 1 Importance of ground work prior to lessons (prepares the horse for "work mode") Proper riding position (seat, hands, legs, head, shoulders, etc.) for good balance Riding with "no hands" Lesson 3 Review of lessons 1&2 Introduction to stirrups (properly adjusted) Riding with stirrups Lesson 4 Review of first 3 lessons Introduction to reins (not attached to horse's mouth) Learning to use balance, legs and hands to ride a horse Lesson 5 Review lessons 1-4 Classical riding Hard to Find Courage Riding a horse requires the application of many motor skills that need to be applied simultaneously with coordination, consistent repetition and frequent practice by the rider. To become an "accomplished rider", one whose skill, prowess and refinement are coveted by most riders, requires an extraordinary commitment of time and energy to riding. Most of us are considered "recreational riders" and don't dedicate enough of our natural resources to improving our riding skills. What we see as effortless and easy to bring about by the accomplished rider is the result of many hours of practice and commitment to excellence. There are no short cuts to perfection of execution. People are prone to self doubt and usually try to compare their abilities with more adept riders. It's hard to reach for new levels of success if you are overwhelmed as you try to exceed your riding ability or "comfort zone". Pushing your inherent limits causes frustration and unnecessary stress, leading to resentment, anger and fear, which directly affects a horse. The apex of the rider's nervous system sits directly on the horse's nervous system. The horse's back is sensitive to the tension and nervousness of the rider, just as a horse's back is receptive and supple under a confident and empathetic rider. It takes time, understanding, diligence, sensitivity, commitment and repetition to become an accomplished rider. Most riders will never achieve that level of success. The most important aspect of riding is to find a level where you and the horse are comfortable and enjoying each other's company and loving every minute you are together. An occasional venture of stretching your limits is allowed, but you should rarely push yourself or your horse beyond your collective comfort zone, unless you are prepared for the consequences of that action. You need to become cognizant of your horse's body language so you will know how to recognize when you've exceeded your collective limits. Believe me, your horse will communicate the "stress message" to you. Every part of the horse is a transmitter, and a great rider knows how to read a horse's language. Most horse and rider wrecks could be avoided if people would spend more time understanding the spirit of the horse. It is a common miscalculation for people to blame the horse for all inadequacies in the horse-and-rider's performance level. A well-trained horse can make a clumsy rider look passable, but the responsibility to become a well-trained rider lies solely with the human quotient of the riding formula. A horse will never think like a human, not today, tomorrow or next month. Riders should be commended for what they do right, with the horse being the best teacher and guide for the rider. The instructor is the coach, who sees what's done properly and appropriately rewards the rider and the horse as a team. When encouraged to be the best they can be, in a non-competitive environment, a horse-and-rider team is an incomparable kinship and probably the most gratifying experience a person can attain. Remember: Love the wind in your hair and the sun in your face. Ride as if no one is watching, laugh and sing as if no one is listening and live in the moment, just as your horse does. There is no greater enjoyment than this, on this side of Heaven. A Good Instructor Is... HOW WILL I KNOW A GOOD RIDING INSTRUCTOR? Making the decision to provide riding lessons for yourself and/or your children is a major family decision. Riding lessons are time consuming, expensive and have a certain amount of inherent risk. Riding lessons require a huge commitment to educate yourself about horses. Parents would never put their children in a car and tell them to drive it, but will put children on horses and expect them to learn all about horses from blue sky. Good riding instructors promote safety, education and ground work as an integral part of "riding" lessons. A GOOD RIDING INSTRUCTOR IS: A riding instructor's role is quite a bit like that of a parent, and is a partner in creating a team effort among three entities - horse, rider and instructor. Other synonyms that apply to this important role are: director, mentor and mediator of horse/human relationships. A competent instructor should have the following attributes: responsible, personable, safety-oriented, accountable, extremely intuitive, humble, kind, loving, loyal, genuine, honest, educated and experienced, trustworthy, compassionate, dedicated, honorable, confident, good listener, patient and values life (all forms). A good instructor is motivated by focusing on the goals of the rider, and tries to find a niche for the rider, so he/she is comfortable and not afraid, but not foolishly overconfident of his/her riding ability. The above average riding instructor works to find a good match between a horse's and rider's compatibility combined with general capacity and aptitude for riding. A riding instructor should encourage the rider to stretch and reach for new goals, but should never criticize, belittle or punish the rider for what they don't have the capacity to accomplish, or push them to try to force the horse to do something beyond their ken. It is the instructor's responsibility to analyze a rider's innate ability. Instructors need to acquire above average transpersonal communication skills and should possess an innately intuitive nature. I call this "tuned to the horse frequency". They should be educated in horse and human anatomy, physiology and psychology. Well-balanced instructors know their own central values and understand how to live their whole life by that credo. The good instructor knows when it is time to "let go" of a student, just like the parents of a young bird allow their young to try their wings and fly. An exceptional instructor is a life-long learner of equine science. They promote proprietorship of what they say and do and reserve the right to influence others while respecting others' rights to believe what they consider true. They work very diligently to unravel the mélange and divergence of the horse industry and guide inexperienced people through the mine fields of the sometimes inhumane methods commonly used in the industry. A good riding instructor is unbounded by a specific riding discipline. They are more interested in the well being the horse and rider than they are for promoting their ability to "produce winners". The main principle of riding instruction is to achieve balance for the rider and collection for the horse, which all by itself is a winning combination. After that, it is a matter of semantics. Riding instructors need to have a unique sense of humor. They love to make other people laugh because they know it feels good to laugh. They think everyone deserves to be happy. They love to tell stories that are funny, not to belittle someone, but to somewhat alleviate the stress and tension of what could be an unbearable burden of grief for someone else. They can talk for more than five minutes without saying the word "I". They care about what they say and do and the effect it has on everyone around them. An accomplished riding instructor is honest about his/her capabilities, knows and understands horses and people, is continually striving to perpetuate the best life possible for the horse, is a life-long learner about the best way to care for horses, and is willing to speak out in defense of what they know is the highest good for horses in general. This person talks to children and old people, and listens with enthusiasm, because they know everyone brings something into this world and recognizes the value of every human being. He/she knows the world has a pattern that can not always be seen when you are so immersed in a problem that all you can see is the problem, and will help you to focus on the bigger picture of the universe, not the universe of your own making. This person is unequivocally trustworthy, reliable and totally honorable. A good riding instructor consistently strives to promote what is for the highest good for themselves and the universal good. Horses and riders combined with a properly skilled instructor equals exponential magic! The world is full of horses who have been spoiled by people who ride them for all the wrong reasons. There are good riding instructors, and very bad riding instructors. NEVER accept lessons from a trainer without the advice and counsel of a professional horse consultant. Contact Betty or Karen Burlingame, from Rockn Bee Equestrienne Center, who can and will help you make a good decision if you think you really want to take riding lessons. Remember, if an instructor cares more about promoting himself/herself than he or she does for the horse, or puts a young or inexperienced rider on any horse in an open arena without a lead line, proper supervision or educational preparation, look further down the road. Safety for horse, rider and trainer is a paramount concern at the Rockn Bee. Our products and services promote the vital link for optimum growth and development between people and horses.