How often should you ride to get good?

Hello! People joke that it takes 200 years to get good at riding. It is said with a twinkle in the eye, but there is something in it. Sports research talks about needing 10,000 hours to master a skill. If you ride three times a week for about an hour, it takes roughly 60 years to reach 10,000 hours.

Elite riders ride several hours a day, often 6 to 7 days a week, which gets them to 10,000 hours in about 6 years. I think it takes far more than 10,000 hours to get truly good (world class) at riding, because it is not only my own body I have to learn to use to influence the horse. I also have to learn to feel and understand the horse's movement and to give my aids at the right moment. On top of that, we all have different horses, each needing different training methods.

None of this should make us give up. Think of it instead as taking up a sport you will keep developing in and learning new things from for the rest of your life. 💕🙂