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Thinking about introducing your children to horse riding but not sure where to start or what they should wear?

These handy hints and tips from recommended provider Albourne Equestrian Centre will help you prepare for your child's first horse riding experience.

Don't waste your money! 

Please don’t worry about having specialist equipment, a quality riding school like Albourne will supply you with the basics needed to give you a taster (which is a pair of boots and a riding hat).

However there are a number of things you can do to make their first experience safer and more comfortable.

Five tips for your child's first horse riding experience

1.  Long hair should be tied back out of the way (a low pony tail is best so it doesn't interfere with your child's hat fitting)

2. All jewellery should be removed.

3. Children should dress in trousers without a seam if possible to avoid any discomfort rubbing their inside leg

4. Winter weather – make sure you wrap up your child warmly when they go riding; a jumper or a waist-length coat is perfect.

5. Body protectors – these are recommended for all horse riding activities and can be bought from your local equine retailer.

When you are ready to invest, you can get some great stuff second hand (but never buy an old riding hat) this must always be new as you never know if this has been damaged or dropped – which will reduce its protection. If you become a member of the Albourne Pony Club, riding our horses you can access their second hand shop and we will put you in touch if you’re interested.

Don’t understand what a stirrup is.......

If you want more information about what certain equestrian terminology means before you go on your horse riding experience, or after you get back, why not visit this jargon buster on the Hoof Ride website which will provide you with easy explanations to those sometimes confusing expressions.

A day of learning for just £2 and all for children's charities?

Do you live in Sussex and want to learn to ride a horse in a safe, fun and progressive environment ? Go to the Albourne Equestrian open day 31^stAugust

• FREE lead rein rides for children
• Treasure hunt, kids’ games and lots of activities
• Have a yard tour and meet the horses and ponies you could ride
• Get involved with the Pony Clubbers - if you own a pony or not there is so much fun to be had!
• Sign up to our Take Back the Reins course - register at the open day for the 6 week course and get 2 lessons FREE!
• Need to overcome your nerves, we will have an NLP Practitioner to help you.
• Find out how you can help the Court Medow Riding for the Disabled group, come and see all the great work they are doing
• Tea and Cake stall
• £2 entry to help raise funds for the Court Meadow RDA and Rockinghorse Children's Charity.

Come along - we would love to meet you!

Check out the fun we have here...www.facebook.com/AlbourneEquestrianCentre

Henfield Rd, Albourne, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 9DE - 01273 832989