Level 1 · Just starting out
Want to learn to ride?
You've never sat on a horse, or you've only had a few lessons. Here you'll find what to know before your first lesson, how to recognize a good riding school, and what all those terms mean.
55 guides in English
Guides at this level55 in English
What to read here.
Training26
Understanding Horse Behavior: Body Language, Stress and Pain
How your horse communicates and learns: body language, recognizing stress and pain, and knowing when to call the vet or a behavior specialist.8 min readPlanning a Riding Holiday or Horseback Trek: Choosing, Safety, and Insurance
Base-camp holiday or trek, the riding level each one takes, what to ask the organizer, and how you are insured on a riding holiday at home or abroad.7 min readHorse Podcasts: Dutch and English-Language Shows by Topic
An overview of horse and equestrian podcasts: Dutch and English-language shows on welfare, training, mindset, and news, and how to choose.6 min readGroundwork with Your Horse: Why It Pays Off and How to Start
What groundwork is, what it does for trust and safety, what equipment you need, and five basic exercises to get started.6 min readNatural Horsemanship: What It Is and What You Can Use from It
What natural horsemanship involves, how it differs from regular training, what the criticism is, and which principles any rider can use.6 min read
Show all 26
Training a Spooky Horse: From Tension to Trust
Why horses spook, which causes to rule out first, and how desensitizing, groundwork, and a calm rider build trust step by step.6 min readYour First Trail Ride: Preparation, Group Riding, and Getting Home Safely
When you're ready for your first trail ride, why an experienced companion horse is the golden rule, and what to agree on the way.6 min readLandelijke Rijvereniging (LRV): Club Riding in Flanders
What the Landelijke Rijvereniging (LRV) is, how the federation and local clubs work together, which disciplines it offers, and how to join.5 min readRiding Certificates in Flanders, Belgium: The Paardensport Vlaanderen System
How the Rozetten certificates from Paardensport Vlaanderen work: six levels, what you demonstrate, where you test, and what it costs.5 min readLeading a Horse With a Halter or Rope Halter: The Basics
How to safely lead a horse in hand with a halter or rope halter: position, the lead rope, stopping and turning, tying up, and common mistakes.5 min readStarting Horse Riding as an Adult: What's Different From Learning as a Child
First time on a horse at 30 or 60: what adult beginners experience differently than children, and how to plan around it.5 min readThe most common beginner mistakes in the saddle
The mistakes almost every beginner rider makes (from gripping the reins too tight to looking down) and how to correct them.5 min readGrooming and Saddling a Horse: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
Getting your horse ready for the first time? Groom and saddle up step by step, with attention to order, safety, and the girth.5 min readHorse Riding Jargon You'll Hear in Your First Lessons
The words your instructor uses in your first riding lessons, explained in the context where you'll hear them: from hoefslag to lichtrijden.5 min readHow Fast Do You Progress in Horse Riding?
How long it takes to learn to ride, how often you should practice, and realistic milestones to expect in your first year.4 min readLearning the Posting Trot: Rising and Sitting in Rhythm
How to learn the posting trot: feeling the rhythm, finding the correct diagonal, and why sitting trot is harder at first.5 min readOvercoming Fear of Horses: How to Feel Calmer at Your First Lesson
For adult beginners nervous about their first riding lesson: where the fear comes from and how to feel calmer, step by step.5 min readPrivate vs. Group Riding Lessons: Which Should You Start With?
The difference between private and group riding lessons for beginners, what each costs, and which fits your goal, budget, and pace.5 min readRiding Camps and Riding Holidays for Beginners
Can you join a pony camp or riding holiday with no riding experience? What to expect as a beginner or parent, what to check, and when to wait.4 min readRiding School Etiquette for New Riders
The unwritten riding school etiquette nobody explains: how to behave in the arena, in the stable, and around other riders and horses.5 min readSigns of a Good and Safe Riding School
Concrete criteria for assessing a riding school before signing up: from horse care and safety to lesson groups, prices, and first impressions.6 min readWhat Age Can You Start Riding a Horse?
The age children can safely start, why there's no upper age limit for adults, and what changes at each stage of life.5 min readWhat Is Lunging, and Why Do Your First Lessons Happen on the Line?
An explanation of lunging for beginners: why the instructor holds the horse on a long line, and what you learn from it as a rider.5 min readWhat to Wear to Your First Riding Lesson
What to wear to your first riding lesson without buying anything: pants, shoes, layers, and what the riding school lends you.5 min readYour first canter: when you're ready and how to approach it
When a beginner is ready to canter, how to ask for and sit the first canter strides, and how to stay calm and confident.5 min readHorse Riding for Beginners: What to Know Before Your First Lesson
Starting horse riding: choosing a riding school, what to wear, what happens in the first lesson, what it costs and how to continue afterwards.8 min read
Market16
Haflinger Breed Profile: Size, Temperament and Care
The Haflinger at a glance: South Tyrolean origin, Dutch studbooks, ideal height, chestnut color, temperament, and points to watch for health and feeding.8 min readShetland Pony Breed Profile: Size, Temperament and Care
The Shetland pony at a glance: origin, studbook, height up to 107 cm, temperament and uses, and points to watch for health and feeding in this hardy pony.7 min readWelsh Pony Breed Profile: Sections A to D, Temperament and Care
The Welsh pony at a glance: six breeding lines with their height limits, origin, studbook, temperament and uses, and points to watch for health and feeding.8 min readA Care Pony for Your Child: Expectations, Costs, and Safety
What a care pony involves, what it costs (usually time, not money), when a child is ready, and the agreements parents make about safety and supervision.5 min readWhat Co-Riding Costs: Typical Fees for Co-Riders and Owners
What is a normal fee for co-riding a horse? From free with care duties to roughly €25-75 per month for a fixed riding day, and how to settle on a fair amount.5 min read
Show all 16
Evaluating a Co-Riding Spot: Trial Period, Safety, and Red Flags
How to judge a co-riding spot: what a good trial period looks like, which safety agreements are normal, and the warning signs that should make you walk away.5 min readBuying a First Pony for Your Child: What Parents Should Look For
When buying your own pony makes sense, why well-behaved beats pretty, how to choose the right size, and what to expect after the purchase. A guide for parents.6 min readInsured as a Rider or Co-Rider: How Cover Works on Someone Else's Horse
Which insurance matters on someone else's horse: your liability policy and its custody clause, accident cover, and a co-riding contract.5 min readBest Horse Breeds for Beginners: Why Temperament Matters Most
Why temperament and training matter more than breed for a beginner rider, with an overview of cold-blood, warmblood, and hot-blood types.5 min readLearning to Ride in Flanders: Choosing a Riding School or Riding Club
How to choose a riding school or Landelijke Rijvereniging in Flanders to learn to ride, and what lessons cost roughly.5 min readRiding Without Owning a Horse: Co-Riding, Care Horses, and Leasing
Co-rider, care horse, half-board, or lease: how to ride more cheaply and gain experience without owning a horse, and how to find a spot.5 min readSpotting a Neglected or Unhappy Horse When Buying
Physical and behavioral signs that can point to neglect or poor welfare when you go to view a horse, and what to do about them.5 min readIs There a Maximum Rider Weight for Horse Riding?
No legal weight limit for horse riding, but a clear guideline: rider plus tack around 17.5% of the horse's weight, about 95 kg (210 lb) on a 600 kg horse.5 min readManege, Ruiterschool, or Hippisch Centrum: What's the Difference?
What manege, ruiterschool, and hippisch centrum mean in the Netherlands, and how to choose where to sign up for your first riding lessons.4 min readWhat Equipment Do Beginner Riders Need (and When)?
Which riding gear beginners need first, what it costs, and what the riding school or time still lets you put off.5 min readHow Much Does Horse Riding Cost per Month? Prices for the Netherlands and Belgium
What does riding or owning a horse cost? Lessons, half-board, purchase, boarding, feed, vet care and a buffer, with sources for the Netherlands and Belgium.8 min read
Sport8
Horseback Riding With a Disability: An Overview of the Options
What's possible in equestrian sport for riders with a disability: from a trial lesson at an adapted riding school to para dressage and carriage driving.5 min readPara-Dressage: Competitive Sport for Riders With a Disability
What para-dressage is, how classification into five grades keeps the sport fair, which aids are allowed, and how to get started.6 min readDressage Arena Letters and Figures Explained
The letters around the dressage arena and the basic school figures explained, from the volte to changing rein.5 min readGaited Horses and the Tölt: Meet the Icelandic Horse
What makes gaited horses different from ordinary riding horses, how the Icelandic horse's tölt feels, and why the breed suits beginners.5 min readEquestrian Vaulting: Gymnastics on a Horse as a Starter Discipline
What equestrian vaulting is, why it can be a great first step for children, and how to find a vaulting group near you.5 min read
Show all 8
TREC: An Introduction to This All-Round Riding Sport
What TREC is, how a competition is structured, and why this trail-riding sport is accessible to a wide range of horses and riders.5 min readIntroduction to Western Riding and Reining
What makes western riding different from dressage and show jumping, and how reining works as a competition discipline.5 min readMounted Games and Pony Games: An Introduction to the Fastest Team Sport on Horseback
What mounted games (pony games) involves, how a competition works, and why it's an accessible entry sport for children and youth.5 min read
Rules3
Ending a Co-Riding Arrangement or Resolving a Conflict
How a co-rider or owner ends a co-riding arrangement properly: notice period, the conversation, common conflicts, and when stopping immediately is justified.5 min readWhere Can You Ride a Horse in the Netherlands: Forests, Beaches, and Bridle Paths
Outside public roads, the land manager decides where you can ride. How bridle paths, permits, and beach rules work, and how to find legal routes.6 min readThe Dutch Ruiterbewijs: What It Is and How to Get It
What the Dutch Ruiterbewijs (riding certificate) is, how the exam at SRR Nederland works, what it costs, and how it differs from a KNHS startpas.6 min read
Health2
Falling Off a Horse: When and How to Get Back On
Getting back on after a fall: check yourself and the horse for injury, then take the step back into the saddle.5 min readMuscle Soreness After Horse Riding: Normal or Not?
Why your first riding lessons leave you sore in places you didn't expect, whether that's normal, and when to slow down.5 min read
02: Frequently asked
What everyone asks.
What do I wear to my first riding lesson?+
Long pants (leggings or stretch jeans), sturdy shoes with a flat sole and a small heel, and a fitted jacket without loose parts. A riding helmet is provided on loan. Ask specifically for the right size.
How often should I ride to make progress?+
Once a week is the minimum. Twice a week is considerably faster. Progress in muscle and technique needs repetition: gaps of weeks in between derail the learning process.
What does horse riding cost in the Netherlands?+
A single lesson averages €25–€45. A 10-lesson card €20–€35 per lesson. A membership with unlimited lessons €100–€200 per month. Private lessons €50–€80 per lesson. Prices in Belgium are comparable.
Amounts shown are indicative: actual rates differ per provider, region and season.
Next step · Level 2
On to
considering your own horse.
You've been riding at a riding school for a while and are thinking about a horse or pony of your own. What the purchase price tells you, and what boarding, feed, farrier, vet, insurance and lessons add on top.
What awaits at level 2
- What does a horse of my own cost per month, all in?
- Full board, half-board share or your own stable: what suits me?
- Where do I safely buy a first horse?
- Which insurance do I need?