How much do you pay for riding lessons?

I pay $100 for a 1hr private dressage lesson on a saintly lesson horse. The 1 hour includes warm up. I used to pay $70 at a different barn, but the quality of instruction at this current place is substantially better.

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Sorry, I realized I said PNW out of habit.

Washington state, the west side (more $$ side) but Iā€™m lucky with my trainerā€™s pricing plus I live in a bit of a rural/niche area with a mix of upper class and working/farmer class, so I could easily find someone more than double cost nearby. Iā€™ve said before there is a successful instructor nearby who charges $60 for a 30 minute lesson, which includes warm up and cool down, so really just a 20 minute lesson.

Thanks

Do yo mind if I ask what state youā€™re in please

OP, just curious why you are asking? Do you currently feel overcharged? Is this for research?

Based on the name, I suspect the poster is compiling information for some reason. Not anything personal.

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Iā€™m in California

Sorry, I should have said when I first posted the question. Itā€™s research for an article Iā€™m writing.

Spot on!

Could you be more transparent about the article, where and how it will be published and such? Itā€™s interesting to see the different replies, but I think you should be forthcoming.

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I didnā€™t think I was allowed to post links to my website but Iā€™m writing an article on how much lessons cost in different areas. I hope to publish it soon but donā€™t have a date yet.

If you want to check out my site just remove the ā€˜_ā€™ from my username and add .com after it

I am actually kind of seeing a Why there are fewer horse programs these days. When adjusted for inflation the $20 lessons of 1975 would be $115 today rather than what I am seeing people post now

a $50 lesson back in 1975 would have been $9, even then that would not been available. Those that now paying $100 that would have been am $18 lesson then.

That $135 pony ride lesson I posted above would have been $24 in 1975, so it appears at least that farm has made adjustments that reflect actual costs

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Relative to the average family income, riding lessons were not nearly as e expensive when I was a lesson kid as they are now. A lesson program was about as affordable as Little League or any other kid sport. (Owning a horse was a different story, unless you lived on a farm and didnā€™t board.)

But all kids sports these days are relatively speaking far more expensive than they were decades ago. I honestly donā€™t know how well the cost of other sports compares with riding anymore.

Even school-sponsored sports need a lot of side purchases by parents for a child to truly be successful, particularly in larger competitive high schools. Better protective equipment than what the school has hanging on a peg, for instance. Outside medical support for strains and injuries. Extra coaching to make the starting team. And so on and on.

It is kind of shocking to me how much some parents are spending on a single child who is serious about a higher-profile high school level sport. Iā€™m not sure if riding in a lesson arena is really more expensive.

However showing at rated shows is another level of expense. But so are travel teams, as well as state championship tracks, in any teenager sport.

Its scary when you look back a what costs were and what they are now!

Thatā€™s very true

Iā€™m in SW PA. My lessons are $60 for an hour private (same for anyone who hauls in to our barn, my trainer doesnā€™t charge a facility fee if you come to her but will add a travel fee if she comes to you), $35 for a semi-private jump lesson or when we do fix-a-test as a barn. My trainer is a 5* eventer and has her USDF bronze medal. Sheā€™s definitely grossly underpriced but she does that on purpose so that people like me can be consistent clients and take two lessons a week and I appreciate her endlessly for that.

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I ride at two barns, both in North Texas (near Southlake, actually) - both charge $280/month for four lessons. Group or private, depending on the instructorā€™s schedule.

@clanter if you want a different reference for your friend (they are being taken advantage of at that price), Iā€™m happy to provide

I agree with you, it sounds as if she could be charging a lot more but as you say she gets more consistent clients that way

Thank you thatā€™s really helpful, as you say there are a lot o factors that make s difference

Thatā€™s actually not too bad a price per lesson.

Thanks