A Window on ... Horse Riding

	Welcome to Horse Riding
	Horse Riding is an activity that you can start at any age. Those people who are fortunate to own a horse say that it adds excitement, interest and a sense of satisfaction to their lives. However buying a horse or pony can be very expensive and there are the added costs of looking after, feeding and stabling your horse. You must also give your horse a good deal of your time. Riding time is important but your horse also needs to be fed, groomed and have its stable and living area cleaned out daily. Although most young riders would love to own their own horse, it is not always possible because of the costs and time involved. However, you can still enjoy riding by learning to ride at a local riding school. Even if you own a horse you still need someone to teach you how to ride it. It is more fun and safer when you learn how to do it properly. For those of you who want to become more involved with the horses, many stables welcome extra help from their young riders to 'muck out', 'tack up' or help with feeding and grooming. This site harnesses together some basic information about this popular sport so that you can take your interest further.
	About Horses Horses and ponies come in various shapes and sizes. They have their own personalities, temperaments and basic needs. This section takes a brief look at the type of horse you need as a beginner to the sport and some basic guidelines about horse care. See About Horses.
	Getting Started This section looks at the basic riding gear you need to get started. It also gives you some guidelines about basic fitness to make your riding more enjoyable. See Getting Started.
	Learning to Ride The activities you take part in will depend on your level of ability and what your instructor feels you are capable of. This section outlines some of the basic exercises attempted by beginners, intermediate and advanced riders and takes a brief look at different types of riding events. See Learning to Ride.
	Sources of help and information As a young rider you are learning all the time. There are always things you need to know about the horse, the equipment and developing your skills. Help and advice are on hand from various sources. See Sources of Information.
	Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Use this section as a starting point for finding out what you want to know or as a checklist at the end to review what you have discovered. See FAQs.
About Horses Getting Started Learning to Ride Sources of Information FAQs
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Last modified on: Tuesday, July 1, 1997.