04/04/2026
Remember your coach or instructor is your biggest fan but these points below are things I believe everyone should know:
1. This sport is tough.
There’s no shortcut around the hard parts, every skilled rider has gone through them. Progress comes in waves: you improve, plateau, and then improve again. Your instructor can guide you, but they can’t make it easy, it wouldn’t be fun if it was easy!
2. You won’t always have a great ride.
Every situation has something to teach you, if you’re open to it. The more willing you are to learn, the more each ride will benefit you. If you let it.
3. Being teachable is essential.
Success in riding (and anything, really) depends on the willingness to learn. That often means revisiting the basics over and over. If basics feel boring, try seeing them as opportunities to refine and grow.
4. This sport requires commitment.
Really, read that again. Riding isn’t occasional; it’s consistent effort. Your partner is a big animal that communicates differently than you do. Progress comes from making riding a priority and showing up to practice, through bad weather, early morni by an and late nights.
5. Every ride matters.
Even the easy ones. Even the frustrating ones. Every single ride is a chance to learn. Remember when you were just excited to sit on a horse? Hold onto that feeling. If you focus only on what you’re not doing, you lose the joy, for yourself, your horse, and your instructor.
6. It should still be enjoyable.
Riding is work, and work isn’t always fun but it shouldn’t feel like a constant chore. If you dread lessons or would rather be elsewhere, it might be time for a break. Horses can sense your mindset, and showing up disengaged sets everyone up for a tough ride.
7. Learning happens on the ground, too.
In fact, some of the most important lessons do. Grooming, handling, and understanding horses from the ground are essential skills. Skipping these means missing a huge part of your horse’s trust.
8. Ask questions and communicate.
If you don’t understand why you’re doing something, ask. A good instructor will explain and a good student will listen and apply what they hear.
9. Remember we’re human, too.
Instructors juggle many responsibilities, from managing horses to making important daily decisions. A little patience and respect go a long way. Most importantly too remember we have our own struggles too, life affects everyone.
Riding instructors and coaches dedicate so much of their time, energy, and money to improving their craft and investigating themselves in your progression.
They love what they do but they also know: becoming a good rider is a journey, and it’s not an easy one.
