The Safe Lesson Horse

When considering on becoming a riding instructor, there are a few things to consider. The most important thing to consider is your lesson horse(s). Safe school horses are generally created over time and while many instructors have an idea of their perfect and ideal lesson horse, sometimes financial considerations are not made when choosing that perfect horse. So what qualities must a horse have in order to be deemed school horse worthy?

Age is the first thing to consider. Most instructors tend to look at horses between the ages of 8 and 15; however, some 20 year olds make excellent lesson horses. Gender is another consideration. Mares can be used as lesson horses; however, most instructors shy away from the idea. Mares can sometimes have difficult heat cycles, making them sometimes difficult to handle and very temperamental. The gelding is the gender most used in lessons. Stallions are NEVER suitable for beginners, novice, or young riders as their high sex drives can make them very unpredictable.

Soundness is the next thing to consider, which breaks down in two categories; health and soundness. First thing is health. There is no point in riding a horse that is unhealthy, goes lame too often, or have behavioral issues. I have a 17 year old Polish Arabian gelding that has just been half leased by a friend of mine who wants to take lessons on him. On the day of her first lesson, he went lame with an abscess. If you buy a horse for lessons, have a veterinarian check him over and clear him first. Check your horse’s health and monitor it daily because a healthy horse is a safe and happy horse. The second branch is mental soundness. You want your horse to be able to handle beginners without issue. He must be very tolerant. Exclude any horse that can’t be tied, is difficult to catch, is too picky about their companions, or horses that get weird or nervous in everyday situations. The list below shows what behaviors that should disqualify a horse as a lesson horse.

· Kicking

· Biting

· Striking

· Rearing

· Bucking

· Sitting/Pulling Back

· Mares with difficult heat periods

· Shying

· The runaway

· Barn Sour

· Hurries to catch up

· Head rubbing

Remember; always choose your lesson horses carefully to avoid injuries, death, and lawsuits.

Happy Trails!