Q: I’m thinking of starting a career as a riding instructor but I’m confused about the income possibilities. How much does the average riding instructor earn? I know it can vary but a ballpark estimate would really help me out. Thanks!
I always love to hear from people who want to become riding instructors, if only because this world needs more qualified riding teachers who care about their students and about horses. The income possibilities are very nearly endless, so it’s difficult to say how much riding instructors earn.
The answer depends on:
- Where the riding instructor lives
- How much experience s/he has
- The number of students accommodated per week
- Number of lesson horses at the instructor’s disposal
- What other riding instructors in the area are charging
- Local demand
- Quality of the facilities
Obviously, riding instructors who teach high-level competitors will earn more than riding teachers who give one-hour lessons to little kids on ponies. Furthermore, an instructor who can teach eight hours a day (and fill all those class times with students) will earn more than a teacher who only does this part time.
The only way to determine how much money a riding instructor will earn is to do the math. Let’s say, for example, that the instructor has his or her own facility and charges $25 per lesson. He or she can teach five lessons per day, and fills each slot with three students.
If the instructor is teaching six days a week, five lessons per day, three students per lesson, at $25 a head, he or she will make approximately $2,250 per week, which is over $100,000 per year. Not too shabby.
Unfortunately, most riding instructors’ financial lives are not that simple. For instance, if a riding teacher is working at someone else’s facility, he or she might receive only $8 or $10 per student instead of the $25. That cuts down profits by more than 50 percent.
Even if you are able to purchase and run your own riding academy, you’ll have significant overhead costs to cover. Utilities, grain, hay, maintenance and other fees will rack up and eat into your profits.
I say this not to discourage anyone from becoming a riding instructor, but to ensure all equestrian professionals consider reality. This is not a method by which most horsemen and women become rich, but a labor of love that will earn you a decent living if you approach it with sound business sense.
In preparation for this article, I surveyed 30 riding instructors in Texas to find out how much they earn. I discovered that riding lesson wages could range from $12 per lesson to more than $80 per lesson.
About the Author: Laura Jane Thompson is the Editor in Chief of Riding Instructor University and the Feature writer for the horses section at Suite101. Follow her EquiTips on Twitter.
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How do I go about starting riding lessons on my farm hiring a riding instructor instead of myself. I am a good rider, just do not have the confiendnce to teach other people. I would like to go with basic riding, trail ride for fun. Im 57 yrs. young. Like to make alittle money to keep farm going.
Thanks for any help!!!