One of the most difficult aspects of parenting is watching a child's world expand to activities that don't include us. It becomes increasingly hard when parental advice and direction is not required.

• Please stay outside of the arena unless you have planned with the instructor to be inside the arena. There is seating provided outside of the arena, and during cold weather, you may go into the covered sitting area or the restaurant where it is heated and observe the lesson through the windowed doors.
  
  
• Please do not “instruct” your child during the lesson. Don't issue reminders to keep heels down or check diagonals. That is why you pay the instructor.
  
  
• Please DO NOT panic if an accident occurs. This only will frighten the horse AND your child even more than they already are. Cool, calm, rational heads are needed to sooth frazzled nerves. FALLS WILL HAPPEN. There is no way to teach riding without a fall occurring at some point during the rider’s career. We will do our best to prevent mishaps, but as with any sport, accidents will happen, and with another “mind” involved, the horse’s, anything can happen at any time with even the best of horses. If you can not accept the fact that your child will, at some point, fall from a horse, then you must find another sport for your child besides riding.
  
  
• It is important after falling from a horse to remount immediately, if there is no injury. The instructor will evaluate the situation and request your presence in the ring if it's necessary. Otherwise, he or she will encourage the child to remount the horse, even if it's just to walk around a bit to begin rebuilding confidence.
  
  
• Dress your children properly for riding. They must have long pants, long enough so that they don’t creep up the child’s legs while riding. And long socks over the pants to help keep the pants in place. Proper shoes and riding helmets are a must. Dress your child properly for the weather. Layered clothing that can be removed one layer at a time during the ride is helpful. In cold weather, dress the child as if he/she were going to be outside in the cold.
  
  
• Learn the routines yourself and be a part of the horsey process.
  
  
• Ask questions. If you don’t understand what the instructor is trying to do, ask for an explanation. There are absolutely no foolish questions and all questions will be answered to the best of the ability of the instructors and helpers.
  
  
• Please supervise your other children. Please do not allow them free roaming of the barn. You must always stay with and keep your children with you. Keep your children’s hands and legs out of the arena. Do not let them climb on the fence. Do not let them feed the horses without permission or without the proper assistance. Do not let them run up and down along the arena. Their play may be mistaken as a “predator” by a horse, causing the horse to become frightened.
  
  

• Finally, learning to ride, like learning any sport, requires time, patience and practice. Your child won't be ready to jump the second time in the saddle. Everyone learns on a different curve. Some children require more practice and time than others. One of the most wonderful things about riding is that it is a partnership between human and horse, and what matters is that synergy, not whether your child canters before someone else's. The best way you to encourage a successful partnership is to provide a supportive and safe learning environment. Trust your child's instructor to do the rest.