The cost of riding lessons compared to other sports

Learning to ride

If ponies fascinate your child, you may be weighing up the cost of riding lessons. Learning to ride is an experience like no other – there are so many benefits of horse riding for children and it’s a great way to encourage them to spend time outdoors.

However, many parents are put off by the cost of riding lessons – after all, horse riding is widely reported to be one of the most expensive hobbies. But is it true that horse riding is the most expensive hobby for children? How does it compare to other sports? And is it worth the investment?

The cost of riding lessons: is horse riding an expensive hobby for children?

If your child wants to get started with horse riding, your primary concern is likely how much you’ll need to invest in their new hobby. Firstly, before we look through your options, there are a few things to consider…

1. Location

The cost of riding lessons varies up and down the country, and you can expect to pay more to ride where property and income are higher. You might also pay more to ride at an urban equestrian centre, where wages and licensing outlay can be steeper.

2. Kit

With riding horses comes the cost of kit – there is a relatively prescriptive list of what to wear. It’s essential to wear an up-to-standard safety helmet and a pair of stout boots with a small heel (preferably a pair of riding boots), and it’s advisable to invest in a pair of breeches, jodhpurs or riding tights and a body protector.

You can economise on clobber by picking up second-hand riding clothing, but safety equipment must be correctly fitted and bought new to guarantee protection. That said, beginner riders can on the whole borrow or hire boots and safety helmets from the riding school.

3. Lesson time and type

Some riding schools offer peak and off-peak schedules, with peak time lessons in the most expensive category. Furthermore, the duration of your child’s lesson will affect the cost. Riding lessons tend to be from 30 to 60 minutes in duration – the longer the lesson, the greater the investment.

Riding lessons come in many forms – and not all take place in a riding manège…

Taster and lead-rein sessions: some riding schools offer taster rides for younger children, which might be 15-20 minutes on a lead rein down a track and cost £10 and up.
Stable management: these off-horse lessons in care and management tend to last from 45 minutes to a whole day’s course, from around £30
Group lessons: taking place in a manège with anything from four to 10 participants, group lessons are arguably the most financially accessible route to learning to ride. The cost per child starts at around £15 for 30 minutes at lead-rein standard
Semi-private lessons: a more intensive session for two to three riders. Riders of a similar standard who can walk, trot and canter off the lead rein will benefit most from this lesson type. You can expect to pay from £25 per child for 30 minutes
Private lessons: these lessons offer one-to-one tuition suitable for riders of any level. They are the most expensive lesson category – prices tend to start at £30 for 30 minutes
Club or own-a-pony mornings and days: half or full-day sessions for committed children who want to expand their riding and stable management skills. This can cost from £40 for a half day and includes riding and stable management tuition, as well as supervised time with ponies

At the lower end and the ability range, and with borrowed kit, a weekly ride could cost you as little as £10-£30 per week – not bad on paper.

The cost of riding lessons: is horse riding expensive compared to other sports?

Here’s where the situation gets a little more nuanced. As stated previously, a lead rein session could cost as little as £10. Compare this with a private tennis lesson, which could cost anything from £20 for one session, and a pony ride looks lighter on the wallet. However, many dance schools offer a three-week taster course from £10. To complicate the picture, class uniform often becomes compulsory if they enrol at the dance school after the course, meaning further financial outlay. It’s a similar story with martial arts classes. Once a taster course is complete, group lessons rise to a minimum of around £10 per child. Private lessons cost significantly more.

Group swimming and football lessons can cost as little as £3 for children aged five or under – this pales in comparison to the at least £30 you’d fork out for a 30-minute private riding lesson. Above all, though, any hobby can become expensive as a child progresses and commits to becoming proficient. A child who wants to play hockey casually in a group once a week is going to require significantly less investment than a child who trains in the week and plays competitively at weekends – there’s not only tuition but kit, time and mileage to consider, too.

The average child who can walk, trot and canter off the lead rein would likely want at least one 30 to 60-minute group lesson per week. They would probably want their own riding clothing, perhaps including a safety helmet. Weekly tuition could set you back £20–40 per week, while budget short riding boots and an up-to-standard safety helmet would cost around £100 together.

In summary, beginner lead-rein riding sessions and group lessons for a young child won’t have you feeling the pinch over and above other sports. But as your child progresses – and especially if they want to enrol at a Pony Club Centre for more activities, or want to loan or own a pony – the monetary and time investments can mount.

Are riding lessons for children worth it?

We have a rather biased perspective here at Horse & Hound – as passionate horse people, we all think it’s worth it! Be that as it may, here’s a list of factors that might give you a more balanced view…

Time spent outdoors: all aspects of equestrianism constitute robust outdoor exercise, from mastering rising trot to mucking out a stable. In fact, even grooming horses counts as low-level physical exercise. Caring for and riding horses is an interactive and immersive way to spend time in the great outdoors that ups the heart rate, boosts fitness and conditions the muscles
Form lasting friendships: whether it’s making friends at a weekly group lesson, own-a-pony days or at a pony camp, your child will meet and learn alongside children of all ages and share in the joy of horses together
Learn important social skills: horses must be handled with calmness, care and consistency – skills your child will cultivate through exposure to them
Offers a focus outside academia: learning to ride and care for horses isn’t just a great way to decompress from scholastic pursuits, these skills are also another string to your child’s bow that could open them up to various social, sporting and career opportunities
Gain a lifelong skill: once you learn to ride, you never forget – it’s an accomplishment your child will carry with them forever
Screen-free activity: with the rise of screen time concern among parents, having an activity that motivates your child to put down their phone or tablet could be a huge asset