How many horses do you typically want at a riding barn?

Question

How many horses would you like to see at a barn where you would take lessons?

*If you would give the minimum you would work with, then the preferred number, that would be great!

Just curious.

Answer 1

minimum is about 10, preffered is around 25. you should see a variety of horses, like older welltrained ponies for younger beginner riders, and horses who are welltrained and older for beginning adults. there should also be a couple intermediate and advanced horses who will challenge you when youre are better. the horses should look happy, healthy, have plenty of hay if stabled(mucked stalls also), and clean patures if outside.

Answer 2

I think it depends.  We have about 15 lesson horses and they range in difficulty from the littlest rider to the most advanced.  I think they need enough that you can keep moving up as you need to.

I would think at a minimum there should be at least 6 horses for a lesson program, but that would make for a very small lesson program.

Now if you are talking all horses at a barn including the lesson horses, it depends on how many trainers, instructors etc. the barn has.

Answer 3

Depends on the number of students. My big thing with lesson horses is they have to fit the students.



My barn is rather small 2-4 students a day and for that size (which I like) I would like to see:

1-2 Dead Beginner horses. these guys know their job and will follow the instructors voice commands. completely bombproof. Walk trot lessons to x-rails.

2-3 Advanced Beginner to Intermediate horses. These guys go from x-rail to 2'6" max. They are completely safe and sound but can have their own quirks. Kids need to learn to work with horses that are not completly perfect.

1-4 Intermediate to Advanced horses. This number really depends on the barn.These are nicer show horses or mostly finished (but safe) horses/ponies. Theses horses are avaible to be leased by a lesson girl on their level. 2'3" to whatever they are sutible over.

My barn does not have anyone showing above short stirrup (except me) so if you had more advanced girls you would need more horses. So I guess 4 minimum and 8+ prefered.

Answer 4

Perhaps 6 good horses would be nice to see. That would be the minimum as well.

Answer 5

Well we hold a lesson program at our ranch and we have 6 great horses

but one of the students was talking to the other one and said "I wish they had more horses, i'm tired of riding Daisy"

I said haha well You can ride Molly witch is my horse

she said ok  so I let her ride Molly and molly is to experienced for her and after she got of i said so how was molly she said i think i'll stick with daisy i was like haha yupp told you so

Answer 6

I don't take lessons at a barn, but if I did the number there should be would depend on how many people rode. I'd want about half of the horses to be suitable for beginners, because it takes time to be more confident to move onto a more challenging horse, plus theoretically you would get new beginners every year or so. Then you'd want maybe a quarter to be those more challenging horses you actually need to be in charge with and work with, not just sit there and be lazy. Then you'd want the rest of the horses to be ones that riding would be more of a challenge, and if you did manage to make  one of those ones look very good then it would show how competent at riding you are and how good your riding ability is.

Answer 7

Depends on the amount of business you get, up in Colorado they keep around 50 at the stables , the location they have in Arizona has maybe 25 at most.

Answer 8

It depends on the barn itself.

Like the size of the area, the amount of acres, the level of experience they teach, and the popularity of the barn

Barn teaching beginners:

Normally - around 5 to 10 horses if its not too common of a barn, beginners dont stay beginners forever, so they come and go

Popular barn - around 10 to 15 horses if its a well known barn.

Barn teaching normal riders:

Normally- Around 20 to 25 horses

Popular- around 30 to 35

Barn teaching experienced riders:

Normally- 15 to 20

Popular- 25 to 30

This is b/c there are more riders around the experienced level than there are for beginners or experienced riders. This is b/c beginners progress up to normal, and experienced riders will either find a private trainer, buy a horse of their own, etc, or just stay at the riding barn

The barn I ride at teaches all levels of riding, and the most experienced people they teach jump around 2'6'' or 3' and own or lease a horse

Most of the horses are beginner horses though, b/c summer camp for girls ages 7-14 are held there, most of them being first time riders.

In total, the riding barn I ride at has around 50 horses.

Answer 9

The barn I take lessons at has about 4 lesson horses. Any less than that and you'd be overworking them. It depends on how many times a week you'd be wanting/willing to give lessons.

Answer 10

At my riding stables there are 20 horses and ponies, with one or two being broken in as we speak.

If I was a beginner rider wanting to progress up the levels, I'd like a few schoolmasters to start with, followed by some good all-rounders and some good jumping ponies. Also lots of trail riding horses are great.

I think about 15 horses and ponies is the minimum, with the preferred number about 25-over 40 is just too much!

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Answer 11

about 15 minimum and 22 preferred

Answer 12

Minimum-- 15.

Preferred--20. I think if a barn gets to crowded and it's too big, then it's not really a nice facility. I prefer small barns because you can help out, without having to like not help out at all. I used to ride at a big barn, but they didn't let you help out, so I switched to a smaller barn, and it's so much fun. Plus, with the less horses, it gives you more time to bond with one special horse. Just my opinion.

Answer 13

It depends on the type of barn you're looking for. For a beginner who just wants the basics and then will just pleasure ride from there, maybe 6-10. If you're looking for a small barn that will take you to local shows, maybe 10-15. A larger barn that follows the circuit could 20-50. It all depends on what kind of setting you're personally looking for.

Answer 14

Depends on how many riders they have and what the main purprose of the barn is.

My first barn had 4 or 5 horses, but they were only lessons and 1 local show circuit. They also only gave lessons 1 or 2 times a week, and only had 5-8 riders (horses were used more than once!)

My second barn had 12-16 horses (in the time I was there) and they were a lesson barn, with only shows every few months. 2-5 riders each lesson, lessons on each nigth and 8 on weekeends.

My third barn has 40+ horses, but its a sale and boarding barn. But they give lessons and go to shows, but dont have a certain group of lesson horses.