How to Start Riding?
Welcome to the world of equestrian sport!
Before choosing a discipline, riding school, club and instructor understand that a horse is not an instrument, but a living creature. As such it requires your commitment, daily attention and love! If you are prepared to invest your time and money in what promises to be a wonderful journey of mutual trust between horse and human, here’s how you go about it ......
First things first ...
- Choose a riding school from the clubs available near you.
- Contact the coach/es or the club secretary for details on times, pricing, membership fees and disciplines offered e.g., dressage/ show jumping/ eventing/ endurance.
- Ask for a “try-out” lesson.
- Make sure the coach is in possession of a valid First Aid Certificate.
- Invest in the essentials – a hard hat, a pair of jodhpurs, a pair of boots (short with chaps or long) with a heel.
- Take lessons to teach you the basic skills and ask your coach when to take the Little Horseshoe 1, 2 and 3 exams which will prepare you for the competitive fray.
- Should you want to look into the possibility of leasing or part-leasing or even owning a horse once you have mastered the basics, make sure you discuss this with your coach and get information regarding the costs involved and time required to not only buy, but also keep a horse (i.e., stabling, feed, shoeing, veterinary costs such as vaccinations).
- When choosing a horse consider what type of horse you may need in terms of your character, the discipline you venture into, the level you are at and where you want to go, where the horse will be kept and what you are able to spend.
- Register yourself and the horse with the Namibian Equestrian Federation once you have acquired your Horse Shoe Level 3 and are ready to take part in graded competitions.
List of Equestrian Coaches Equestrian Clubs in Namibia
The Little Horse Shoe
The Little Horseshoe aims at equipping beginner riders with the basic skills and knowledge about horses and horse riding and to gauge the progress the rider makes. Further it aims to help riders wishing to enter the competitive fray gain the necessary experience and knowledge to do so. Thus, the Little Horse Shoe 3 opens the door to graded events in the disciplines administered under the auspices of the Namibian Equestrian Federation NAMEF.
Little Horseshoe Documents
Notes
Little Horseshoe (Level 1)
Little Horseshoe (Level 2)
Little Horseshoe (Level 3)