There are no one-size-fits-all solutions in the horse business. You have to make decisions based on what works for you and for your clients.
This is definitely the case when it comes to the debate between group riding lessons and private riding lessons. One is not necessarily better than the other, but riding instructors shouldn’t make an arbitrary decision between the two.
Benefits of Group Riding Lessons
I’ve always enjoyed group riding lessons the most, whether I’m the student or the riding instructor. A group lesson is simply more dynamic, with opportunities for camaraderie among the participants.
In a group riding lesson, students learn not only from their own mistakes, but also from the mistakes of others. They get to see what their peers are doing, which provides a more well-rounded education.
Some students learn visually, while others learn auditorially or through kinesthetic experience. Group riding lessons are more likely than private lessons to target all three learning styles.
I also think students have more fun in group riding lessons; they form relationships with one another and the class takes on its own culture. How a riding instructor acts in one lesson might be completely different from how he acts in another because it is the instructor who must adapt.
Riding instructors will discover they have more variety in group riding lessons. They can play games, hold competitions and otherwise engage their students to interact with one another. This is beneficial on a social level as well as a physical one.
Benefits of Private Riding Lessons
My first riding lesson with a student is always a private one. I get a chance to evaluate him or her without distraction, either to introduce the student to equestrian sports or to figure out where he or she is in terms of progress.
Private riding lessons are excellent for high-level riders with competitive aspirations. This is a more focused form of teaching that provides concentrated instruction; the lessons are frequently shorter, but the student will learn more because the focus is one his or her needs alone.
It is also beneficial to schedule private riding lessons for struggling students. If a child is having difficulty learning to post the trot, for example, half an hour of private instruction can conquer the problem and allow both student and teacher to move on.
Instructor’s Choice
It is essential to consider your needs as well as those of your students when choosing between group and private riding lessons. How best do you work? In what lesson format are you most effective? And which makes the best use of your time?
Group riding lessons are often the preference of riding instructors, for example, because they maximize income. You might charge more for private riding lessons, but in the end groups will always come out on top.
For example, let’s say you charge $40 for group riding lessons and $60 for private riding lessons. Approached from that perspective, privates are a better use for your time.
If you have four students in a group, however, you’ll earn $160 for that hour. Even if your private riding lessons are only half an hour (versus an hour for a group), you’re still earning only $120 per hour for privates.
One riding instructor might really shine in the private lesson format, while another hits her stride in groups. There is no right answer to this question; you’ll need to evaluate your needs and those of your students and decide what is best for your horse business.
You might also like:
- You Tell Me:
Group or Private Riding Lessons? - Why Group Riding Lessons Fail
- How to Challenge Students in
Riding Lessons - You Tell Me:
How Long Should Riding Lessons Last? - The Number One Way to Make
Students Happy in Riding Lessons
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.
