# is 30 min once a week enough for a new rider?



## OCcat (Jul 23, 2012)

I am a very new rider (physically active, 37) and my budget allows for 30 minute lessons once a week. I quickly realized that at first you cannot make a horse go like a car despite what it looks like when you see riders in the movies, so now I know I have to learn to speak horse before the horse will move as I am asking it. Fair enough, I have a lot to learn and a long way to go. 

That said, I can spend all week long reading about horses and watching videos and asking questions in between lessons, but with only 30 minutes of practice once a week I am not sure if that is enough time to become a decent rider. My goals for the beginning is to get to the point where I can get the horse to stay on track, make circles that are actually circles, and also trot and post confidently.

I am mostly looking for reassurance that 30 minutes a week is going to be enough time. I am not looking for anything fancy or advanced right away, just control of the horse so I can safely do trail rides with my bf's sister's horses. 

Yesterday I asked a question about posting but after thinking about it overnight, I realize I need to have better control of the horse before I worry about posting so I am going to come back to that skill later. 

Thanks!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Unfortunately, 30 minutes a week isn't going to do much for you, especially since you're a complete noob.

Reading books and watching DVDs is good, but you need actual, hands on experience.

You need at the_ very_ least an hour lesson, twice a week, or you're not going to see any real progression.

Yes, horses aren't cars with legs; you actually have to know what you're doing in order to make it look like you're just along for the ride. :wink:


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I don't want to sound very discouraging, but 30 min / week is very little. To become a good rider you need more than that IMHO. 

If you have time and will you can look into volunteering in rescue or the barn to help in exchange of some riding time or lessons.


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## skyhorse1999 (Dec 29, 2011)

I would say that you are about 30 min short. if you can find a barn that has cheaper lessons, you should start taking hour long lessons once a week. once you are confident in your abilities to walk trot canter and post you can take it down again, or you can lease (if you hve the money)


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## chrislynnet (Jul 8, 2012)

I don't know about that. I never took lessons in my life until I turned 58, and I'm perfectly comfortable on a reasonably well-behaved trail horse. Note "reasonably well-behaved": I couldn't train a horse by myself but I don't need a bomb proof horse either. (My proof: riding and staying on a horse named "Diablo" who lived up to his name.) Lessons are great and I'm benefiting from mine, but if your bf's sister has some calm horses you can learn on the job.

Note: I learned how to ride from Colorado wranglers, so it isn't magic but I didn't take formal lessons either. Just rode at least once a week on the trail and soaked up every bit of knowledge from them that I could.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

chrislynnet said:


> Note: I learned how to ride from Colorado wranglers, so it isn't magic but I didn't take formal lessons either. Just rode at least once a week on the trail and soaked up every bit of knowledge from them that I could.


Those were still training lessons, regardless of the way you received them.

How long were those once a week trail rides? I bet they weren't just 30 minutes long.


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## OCcat (Jul 23, 2012)

I had a feeling 30 min a week was not going to be enough. 

My other option is to do my 30 minutes a week and practice once a week on a former lesson horse who is now someone's pet and doesn't get ridden very often. This horse is an hour away from my house and I might not get to go every week but he is free and I can spend as much time on him as I want. I think I would feel a lot better if I was able to practice the skills I have learned in my lesson, and just the act of getting on a horse and walking it around the pasture seems like it would be helpful. 

I have contacted the volunteer coordinator at my stable. I have to volunteer for a certain amount of time before my volunteer hours will add up to free lessons and since I have a full time job I'm not sure how soon I will get there. I am waiting on a call back and hopefully will have some barn time soon. 

I might be able to do something like an hour every other week, then 30 minutes on the off weeks- it is all about money right now. But I am definitely going to try to work out details with the practice horse so I can get some time in the saddle in between real lessons.


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## chrislynnet (Jul 8, 2012)

SpeedRacer, absolutely. My thought was that she could get training "on the job" by riding with the bf's sister. Of course, that depends on what the sister's horses are like and if the sister is comfortable with that. But if it looks good, you can learn by experience and not necessarily taking formal lessons.

OCcat, it sounds like you are going to be doing something like this on your free horse. Good for you.


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## bellagris (Dec 6, 2010)

Everyone has to start somewhere -while 30 minutes a week isn't ideal for learnining perhaps you could continue with the 30 minutes a week on an individual lesson until you have the basics? Once you have those down I would look into joining a group lesson twice a week for an hour. 
We have done that at our barn as it reduces the cost, increases saddle time on the horse and you learn a lot just from listening to the instructor correct the other pupils while you are in the lesson.


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## OCcat (Jul 23, 2012)

Ahhh, group lessons! I rechecked the stable's lesson chart and there are two-student semi-private one hour lessons with a jr instructor for the same price as my private 30 minute lessons, so I am going to switch to that and also check out group lessons when their new session starts. Thank you for the good idea!

Last night I was pretty discouraged over this because I am very active with a lot of hobbies and pretty much knew that doing something for 30 min a week with zero foundation is pretty much not going to be enough time. 

I think with the semi-private lesson, practice on the pet horse and group lessons coming up I will be able to get a solid foundation down without stress.


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## bnayc (Jan 3, 2012)

It took me 7 months of riding everyday or every other day to finally be a decent rider. How much are you paying per lesson? You could always look into half leasing a horse. Or post an ad at the local feedstore or online that your looking for cheap lessons. A lot of people I know will gladly exchange a lesson for some help around the barn.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I think switching to group lessons sounds to be a great idea!

Private lessons can be really good, especially as you get more experienced, but in the beginning I think group lessons are good. You don't just need instruction, you need time on a horse to get used to what you're doing. Group lessons offer a great mix. You also get used to working in a group of horses, navigating around them etc. Whenever they call out corrections to riders, you can check your own heels or hands or whatever.

I rode one lesson a week for a year, and then two lessons a week for another year, and by then I could walk, trot, canter and do small jumps all reasonably well, in both arenas and out in open areas with groups. I was far from perfect, but I could get by.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Even a half hour once a week will mean you learn something. I mean, it's more than zero, right? But, it really depends on how passionate you feel about it. If you just want to dip your toe in and have a little fun, then the short, weekly lessons will be enough. But, once you get bitten by the riding bug, you will never rest until you have more, and more and more! Within your limits, of course.

I think the semi private one hour will make a big difference and you'llstart learning a lot faster.

Good luck. it might not always be this hard for you to get riding time. You never know what opportunities are just around the corner, out of sight for the time being.


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## OwnedByAlli (Nov 8, 2011)

When I first started riding i rode for and hour every fortnight... I was a kid so that makes it easier to learn stuff, but at first half an hour every week isn't completely pointless! 

The semi private lessons deffinatly sound like a better option though as I progressed much faster with an hour every week  I was going to suggest it might be possible to have 2 half hour lessons a week, but its not always pratical, and now you have the option for the semis, my twice weekly idea is kind of invalid! Ah well  

Good luck, and I hope the riding bug bites you and your hooked! Its great


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## jinxremoving (Apr 6, 2009)

I think it really depends on your ultimate goal. If you're only interested in taking lessons for the sake of being able to do trail rides and you have no intention of showing (competing), then one 30 minute a lesson a week will probably be sufficient to help you get the basics down. Obviously if you can get more time in the saddle then you'll learn things a lot quicker... but I also know people who ride A LOT and are still awful riders. So it may not necessarily be how often you ride and more of a how much you understand and can execute properly.

Regardless, I started out with one lesson a week and after a couple months realized it wasn't enough, then I did two lessons a week and now I have a lesson pretty much every other day... and guess what, it's still not enough! When the riding bug REALLY bites you, you'll do everything you can to get more time in the saddle.


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## ThursdayNext (Oct 18, 2011)

The semi-private sounds great, and since you're just starting out, a jr instructor is probably fine for your needs. Going and getting some extra saddle time with your buddy's horse would also be good for you and for that horse, and if you can pick up some time riding trails with your bf sister that's even better.

It was easy for me to make resource decisions because when I got back into riding, my other hobbies weren't nearly so interesting any more. Freed up some money, which immediately got used up by the horses. :lol:


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## 2horses (Oct 11, 2009)

I just want to say that any amount of time you ride will be beneficial. I had a horse for a year when I was a child and then didn't ride again until I was an adult. I started with once-a-week 30 minute lessons, and I was able to accomplish all of the goals you set for yourself. So don't get discouraged if you are not able to devote the ideal amount of time for riding. It's harder to find time when you have all of the responsibilities of being an adult.


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