Age is just a number, but it’s a very important number in the horse business. From riding lessons to horse boarding, you can expect to deal with clients of all ages unless you decide to set limits.
For example, I never work with students under ten years of age. This might seem extreme for most riding instructors, but I prefer to work with older kids and I’m not as skilled at teaching baby beginners as I am with intermediate- to advanced-level riders.
Setting an age limit of ten in my horse business makes sense, whereas in your horse business five- to ten-year-old kids might be your bread and butter.
Why Age Limits Matter
Some people work better with clients of a particular age group, while others set age limits for safety reasons. Either way, you do yourself a disservice by not considering this subject and making a decision in one direction or another.
For one thing, young kids riding at your barn might present a safety risk. The younger the student, the less control he or she has over the animal, which can be dangerous. A five-year-old child lacks the upper body strength to make decisive and aggressive adjustments to his or her position in the saddle.
This means that if you work with younger children and set no age limits, you must make adjustments to your riding lesson program. This might mean buying calmer lesson horses, building a smaller arena or hiring side-walkers to help keep kids safe.
The same is true for boarding horses whose owners are small children. You’ll need to set rules about when children of certain ages are allowed to ride, and whether or not they can ride without direct adult supervision. You’d be surprised how many parents will let their little kids ride unsupervised, and this presents a liability issue for your horse business.
Age limits can also help keep riding instructors and other equestrian professionals safe. I once worked with a riding instructor who scheduled adult riding lessons during the day. She received a call from a forty-five-year-old man who wanted private lessons at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays, and she scheduled the lesson without thinking much of it.
After one lesson with this student, she realized she did not feel safe with him. She was alone at the barn during his time slot, and some of his behaviorisms made her uncomfortable. This is why many riding instructors teach only children, or schedule adults only in group lessons.
Setting Age Limits
Age limits are not the same thing as age discrimination. As a horse business owner, you have the right to set guidelines for the students or clients you want to work with, and as long as you apply your rules universally you stay within the letter of the law.
Decide what age limits you want to set in your horse business, then make sure these rules are available to anyone looking to work with you. Publish them on your web site and in your promotional materials.
Most importantly, make your reasons for setting age limits clear. For example, you might say that you only work with students ten years of age or older because you feel that you work best with kids of advanced physical and emotional maturity. You aren’t discriminating; you’re setting guidelines based on your skills and abilities as a professional riding instructor, horse trainer or whatever.
Defining Your Niche
Not only can setting age limits in the horse business increase your safety and make you more effective, but it can also help establish your niche. If you work only with riders of a certain age group, or if you cater specifically to an age group, you will become known for your expertise in that area.
Age limits can become a form of branding if they are set with great care and established for a reason. again, the most important thing to do is look objectively at your major skill set and define your ideal clients.
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About the Author: Laura Jane Thompson is the Chief Equestrian Officer of Riding Instructor University and the Feature writer for the horses section at Suite101. She believes that any horse business can succeed provided its owner practices smart strategy.
{ 2 comments }
Found your article in a search.
I have a 5 year old niece who is competing in western/english non lead riding. Her father is against it as she wears no protection. Her mother is a riding instructor and thinks it’s fine. The parents are divorced, hence the father is considering legal action to bar the unprotected riding. Is it common for 5 year olds to compete in this sport with no protection?
Thanks,
Gary Borg
Hi Gary,
What do you mean that she wears no protection? If she’s not wearing a helmet, then her father is right.
However, I’ve seen children as young as three or four riding in non-lead line classes, and they do just fine. It all depends on the competency of the riding instructor.
If the father is concerned about the child’s safety, it might be good for him to have an independent professional attend a riding lesson (e.g. another instructor who can advise him about his daughter’s safety). Without any further details about the stable, instructor or horse, I can’t give a definitive opinion.
Best of luck, and please feel free to reply if you have further questions.
Laura Jane Thompson