Riding Lessons at Affordable Price

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Tacking up horses, lessons, washing for shows, teaching kids how to prepare for a show. Judging fairs.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Check out more than one instructor and find one that fits your needs and time schedule. Also make sure they are licensed and insured and have safe horses.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Take an experienced, trusted horse person with you when you go shopping for a horse. Try a few instructors and audit a few lessons before you sign up. Instructors should not have a problem letting you watch a lesson. Also, not all trainers make good instructors and visa versa.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. In the situation where you are looking for an instructor for riding, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

1. What are my riding goals for myself or my child?
2. How much time do I have for lessons?
3. What can I realistically afford?

Then you need to ask the potential instructor the following:

1. How much and how often are lessons?
2. Do you have a resume or website I can look at?
3. Can I watch lessons before I sign up?
4. Can I meet your lesson horses?
5. What are your cancellation and make up policies?
6. Do you have refrences?

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Make sure you are ready for a time commitment of one hour weekly for lessons on one of my lesson horses and that if you are taking lessons on your own horse that you are ready to commit an extra two hours a week practicing what you learned at your lesson.
If you are unable to do this, your lessons will not be as effective and it will take longer for you to acquire your riding skills as quickly. Each lesson and ride ties into the next.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. My work stands out because I truly love teaching kids all about horses and how they can have a relationship with their horse and make them a willing partner without fancy training aids and overpriced trainers. I have training as a judge and know what the judge's are looking for and how to teach the kids to achieve the proper seat, and aides to get the most out of their horses performance.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Going to the barn everyday and watching a kids eyes light up when they learn a new concept or maneuver with their horse.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. How long until my child learns how to ride and compete?
The answer depends on the riding skills of the child and the experience of the horse they are riding. Most beginners who take lessons on a bi-weekly basis can go from a walk/trot to a novice show in about a year. Novice to regular takes another year depending on how often they practice during the week. Many of my third year riders are in their medals classes.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. My favorite story right now is from last Fair. One of the horses I was told would never make a good 4-H horse has achieved his medals in 3 disciplines with his current rider. I am very proud of both of them!

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. It is not a cut and dry job. Kids and horses have good days and bad days. Some days it seems nothing is working right and others every maneuver seems effortless.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. A passion for horses and sharing the wonderful freedom they provide with others. A need to teach proper horsemanship skills and desire to make sure the horses are treated properly as well. I earned my degree in Horse Science and Nutrition as well as Journalism.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. All my students at the Evergreen State Fair earned their blues and placed in the upper half of their classes. My daughter and another student were Grand Champion and Reserve grand Champion in Green Horse Horsemanship. One of my students earned her silver medal in showmanship and another earned her third gold in dressage.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I go to a 4H judges training every four years as well as ring steward for local judges. I subscribe to many horse related magazines as well as brush up with lessons from local trainers.

Q. Describe your most recent project, what it involved, how much it cost, and how long it took.

A. My most recent and ongoing project is my role as a 4-H leader. I have been the primary leader for EquiStars 4-H club for 10 years as of 2011. It has involved countless hours of volunteer work, meetings, fairs and local county shows. There can be no value put on the hours I have put in along with my fellow volunteers, but what I get out of it is the greatest payback of all. Watching 4-H members work their own projects and grow up learning responsibility, compromise, teamwork, companionship, and horsemanship has been an experience to treasure.
I have been an apprentice judge, President, Vice President, reining chair, steward, clinician, paddock manager, ring steward, and office helper and served on various committees.

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Work under many instructors and get a degree in Horse Science and Nutrition as well as business management.