On the Fence: A Parent's Handbook of Horseback Riding (Howell Equestrian Library (Paperback))

unless You're Familiar With The Sport, You're Probably Intimidated! This Practical Book Helps You Get Your Child Off To A Positive Start. It Answers Your Questions, Helps You Avoid Common Pitfalls, Shows You How To Get Your Child Into The Saddle Without Saddling Yourself With Debt, And Helps You Ensure That Your Child Has A Rewarding, Enjoyable Experience. It Takes You Step By Step From The Initial Get Acquainted Period Through Decisions And Purchases You Need To Make As Your Child Progresses, Covering: sampling The Sport, Including Package Deals That Give Your Child Exposure Without Necessitating A Commitment choosing A Stable, Riding Style, Instructor, And Course Of Lessons comparison Shopping To Save On Equipment And Apparel proceeding Through More Advanced Training participating In Horse Shows Or Other Competitions buying A Horse (or Not) on The Fence Gives You The Inside Scoop On How To Help Your Child Get Started And Progress As A Rider. It Shows You How Your Child Can Enjoy Horseback Riding In A Way That Suits Her, Your Family's Lifestyle, And Your Budget. On the Fence: A Parent's Handbook of Horseback Riding 5 Contents 7 Acknowledgments 10 Chapter One: So, Your Child Wants to Ride a Horse 11 One Sport, Many Choices 13 Introducing the Horse 14 First of All, Riding Is Fun 16 Benefits of Riding 17 Any Drawbacks? 18 When to Begin? 19 Getting Acquainted with Riding 21 What’s Next? 22 Chapter Two: First Steps Toward Riding 23 Finding a Stable 24 Good Stables and Not So Good Ones 26 Stables for Every Taste 27 Calling Stables 28 Types of Lessons 29 Checking Out the Stable 31 Meeting the Instructor 33 Special Considerations for Your Child 38 Scheduling the First Lesson 39 Chapter Three: The First Lesson 40 What to Wear 40 Should You Watch? 42 What to Expect at the First Lesson 43 Spotting a Poor Lesson or Instructor 45 How Much Can You Judge from One Lesson? 46 Chapter Four: Continuing with Riding 48 The First Few Lessons 50 The Right Horse—or Pony—for Your Child 52 A Small Investment in Equipment 54 No Coaching from the Sidelines, Please 58 Learning to Communicate with Horses 59 Chapter Five: How to Survive in an Expensive Sport 61 Keeping Lesson Costs in Check 62 Finding Equipment to Fit Your Budget 66 Making Shows Affordable 67 To Buy or Not to Buy a Horse? 72 Keeping the Reins in Your Hands 73 Chapter Six: Walk, Trot, . . . and Now Canter 74 What You’re Both Learning Now 75 Getting a Little Nervous? 76 Equipment Considerations at This Point 79 Keeping It Fun 81 Being an Interested, Knowledgeable Parent 81 Horse and Riding Magazines 82 Chapter Seven: Starting to Jump 84 Is Your Child Ready to Jump? 86 Is It Too Soon to Jump? 86 Starting Slowly 88 Safe Jumping 89 Beginner Jumps 90 Understanding Jumping 93 When to Slow the Pace 107 Chapter Eight: Your Dedicated Rider 109 Living with a Rider in the Family 110 Increasing Benefits of Riding 111 Keeping Watch over Schoolwork 112 Equipment Considerations at This Point 113 Chapter Nine: Getting Involved in Horse Shows 117 Is Showing for Your Child? 118 More Than Ribbons: Benefits of Shows 121 Types of Shows 122 Can You Afford Showing? 124 When Is Your Child Ready for Showing? 131 Chapter Ten: Your Child’s First Show 133 What to Expect at the Show 135 What to Expect from Your Child’s Instructor 141 How You Can Help . . . and Hinder 143 Equipment Considerations at This Point: Show Clothes 146 Chapter Eleven: Looking to New Ventures 150 Will Your Child Continue Riding? 151 Adding More Learning Opportunities 152 Getting a Solid Foundation 153 Horses on Radio and TV 154 Expanding Options: Deciding Where to Go Next 155 The “Horse of My Own” Bug 158 Chapter Twelve: Buying a Horse for Your Child 162 What about Co-Owning? 163 It’s Not the Purchase Price, It’s the Upkeep 164 To Insure or Not to Insure 167 Involving Your Trainer 169 What Makes a Good First Horse? 170 Vetting before You Buy 171 Life with a Horse in the Family 174 Chapter Thirteen: Riding—A Family Affair 177 Appendix: Therapeutic Riding Programs 179 What Can Be Achieved? 180 Is Therapeutic Riding for Your Child? 182 Choosing a Facility 183 Beginning a Program 186 Parents as a Part of the Therapeutic Riding Team 187 Glossary of Horse and Riding Terms 190 Index 222 Unless you're familiar with the sport, you're probably intimidated! This practical book helps you get your child off to a positive start. It answers your questions, helps you avoid common pitfalls, shows you how to get your child into the saddle without saddling yourself with debt, and helps you ensure that your child has a rewarding, enjoyable experience. It takes you step by step from the initial "get acquainted" period through decisions and purchases you need to make as your child progresses, covering:

• Sampling the sport, including package deals that give your child exposure without necessitating a commitment
• Choosing a stable, riding style, instructor, and course of lessons
• Comparison shopping to save on equipment and apparel
• Proceeding through more advanced training
• Participating in horse shows or other competitions
• Buying a horse (or not)

On the Fence gives you the inside scoop on how to help your child get started and progress as a rider. It shows you how your child can enjoy horseback riding in a way that suits her, your family's lifestyle, and your budget. Unless you're familiar with the sport, you're probably intimidated! This practical book helps you get your child off to a positive start. It answers your questions, helps you avoid common pitfalls, shows you how to get your child into the saddle without saddling yourself with debt, and helps you ensure that your child has a rewarding, enjoyable experience. It takes you step by step from the initial "get acquainted" period through decisions and purchases you need to make as your child progresses, covering: Sampling the sport, including package deals that give your child exposure without necessitating a commitment Choosing a stable, riding style, instructor, and course of lessons Comparison shopping to save on equipment and apparel Proceeding through more advanced training Participating in horse shows or other competitions Buying a horse (or not) On the Fence gives you the inside scoop on how to help your child get started and progress as a rider. It shows you how your child can enjoy horseback riding in a way that suits her, your family's lifestyle, and your budget. A unique guide that helps parents get their kids off to a good start in the saddleThis practical handbook shows how to pursue horseback riding in a way that suits the child as well as the family's lifestyle and budget. From finding a stable and riding instructor and choosing a riding style to balancing horses and schoolwork and deciding whether to buy that first horse, it provides all the information parents need to make informed decisions about their children's horsemanship