Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an almost 13 year old daughter who would love to take riding lessons. She’s a theater kid and not into other sports but she’s loved riding a few times at summer camp. What is it like for kids who do it during the school year? Would she be out of her league starting at this age or no? And can you really do it without owning a horse yourself? I’d love any knowledge you have about this past time and what it involves. Thx

I'd teach my child to respect animals by not riding them!

+1

Anonymous wrote:I have an almost 13 year old daughter who would love to take riding lessons. She’s a theater kid and not into other sports but she’s loved riding a few times at summer camp. What is it like for kids who do it during the school year? Would she be out of her league starting at this age or no? And can you really do it without owning a horse yourself? I’d love any knowledge you have about this past time and what it involves. Thx

I'd teach my child to respect animals by not riding them!

Do any local DMV area high schools offer it as a sport?

I learned at 12 and was on the equestrian team in college.

She never needs to want to compete or own a horse to ride! Or even ride to be a horse person. I would advocate for looking for a lesson program that also teaches horsemanship skills in addition to riding — how to care for and groom horses, tack, proper ground manners, etc.

Anonymous wrote:^ and no need to own a horse, of course!

That’s what Mr ed said

Anonymous wrote:All so helpful, thank you. We actually live in New England with some stables 30-45 minutes away. I think she is interested in learning to ride as something to possibly enjoy for life but probably not compete at it. We could afford the lessons but not the horse at this point. It seemed too challenging an activity to pick up 5 years ago when we weren’t sure what would click, but it seems like a true interest now.

Of course, OP. Most people who learn to ride never own or lease a horse. It's very therapeutic for my one teen who loves horses. The other learned to ride when he was younger but now isn't interested any more.

All so helpful, thank you. We actually live in New England with some stables 30-45 minutes away. I think she is interested in learning to ride as something to possibly enjoy for life but probably not compete at it. We could afford the lessons but not the horse at this point. It seemed too challenging an activity to pick up 5 years ago when we weren’t sure what would click, but it seems like a true interest now.

^ and no need to own a horse, of course!

My teen daughter has been desultorily taking group lessons once a week for 4 years now (except summers). It's cheaper than her advanced violin lessons at a reputable studio, and cheaper than travel sports, and on an hourly basis, way cheaper than the fancy test prep tutors we got for my teen son!

Your daughter might be the beginner lumped in with younger kids, or she might be in an adult beginner class... but that's OK! She will learn quicker than the younger kids and advance sooner.

The big problem is commute. Following the pandemic, a lot of established stables in the DC area closed and what with families looking for outdoor activities, not indoors (because of Covid) and trying to reshuffle everyone... there aren't a lot of open spots close to DC.

My kid is at Woodland Horse Stables, Spencerville, MD. The people running the place are warm and welcoming, and they structure their 50 minute groups lessons in 13 week packages (around $950), with make-up possibilities. The barns don't look their best, and some of the teachers are young and there have been a few horse safety issues under their watch that parents weren't happy about. Just telling you honestly. We stayed because there was literally no other spot I was willing to drive to in the afternoon commute (we couldn't get a weekend spot)... plus, we really like the more experienced teachers and the administrator is lovely.

In the same general area, there's Wheaton Horse Stables. Waredaca and Reddemeade closed. I know there are small stables in Potomac and Poolesville, but the big one, Potomac Horse Center, went under after the pandemic. Close or in DC, there's Meadowbrook Stables and Rock Creek Park Horse Center. Meadowbrook has a waitlist and it can take years to get a spot. I don't know about Rock Creek Park.

I got DD a state of the art helmet with the MIPS safety feature. Please get a MIPS-certified helmet for your daughter as soon as she knows she wants to stick with lessons. There are a few brands that offer it, and she needs to try them on, because certain shapes of the head go with certain models. She can get outfitted at Dover Saddlery - they have a location in VA and MD. Some stables have little shops of their own, but less selection.

If you live in Northern VA, there might be more schooling stable options for you.

You can start at any age, and there are lesson barns which have appropriate horses for beginners. Location (and cost) is the biggest challenge — where are you located?

The time commitment varies — at our barn, lessons for absolute beginners are an hour — 30 min of riding and 30 min of horsemanship. But beyond beginner lessons, it’s a 2 hour commitment min — an hour lesson and an hour of horse care (split before and after the lesson).

Taking weekly lessons can move her from total novice to competent beginner and that could either be the end of it or she could pursue horses her whole life in one way or another, if she wants to.

My best advice as a former/current horse girl (and what I’ll be doing with my own kids if they want to get into riding) is to be super transparent about your budget for horses and other activities, and involve her in making choices and learning about the options and their costs. The worst thing is to be vague about what is possible. It’s totally fine to say you don’t know what it would cost to do XYZ and to find out together.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Depending on where you live (we're in Bethesda), the horse farms are far away, and it's worse in rush hour traffic. It's also expensive.

She's definitely not too old - If horses are relatively nearby, and money is no object, go for it! Our daughter loved it, but not enough to sit in traffic after school to get there.

I have an almost 13 year old daughter who would love to take riding lessons. She’s a theater kid and not into other sports but she’s loved riding a few times at summer camp. What is it like for kids who do it during the school year? Would she be out of her league starting at this age or no? And can you really do it without owning a horse yourself? I’d love any knowledge you have about this past time and what it involves. Thx