How many sports do you know that are played without a coach? From tee ball up through college and into professional sports one common denominator is the coach! Coaches help players to understand the sport they have chosen through physical practice of skills and repetition. Coaches teach us how to be safe and how to prevent injuries. Coaches give us confidence and push us to improve at just the right time. Horse sports have an even greater need for competent professional coaches. Training people to sit atop a 1000 + pound animal and develop the skill and confidence to perform with that animal takes an experienced and knowledgeable coach.
Horse sports require physical practice but with different equipment than a tennis racket or basketball. Riders must learn to work as part of a team with their horse and who better than a coach to train a team! A good horse coach will help riders to work at a comfortable pace to develop skills that increase their riding ability and keep them safe. Would you allow your elementary age baseball player to play in a major league game? No! The skills are not there and the safety risk is too high. So why do people think it is ok to throw a saddle on a friends horse and try to ride if you have no experience? Many physical injuries and even more emotional injuries happen when inexperienced riders try to ride without a competent coach. Start riding regularly under the watchful eye of a trusted coach and you will reach your goals safely and with a level of confidence that will be yours for a lifetime.