This is a common question we all have at one time or another.
There are three very different, short answers.
First: it takes next to no time.
We know well about the people who get on a horse, learn to kick and steer, and for all intents and purposes, ride a horse. If you're lucky enough to find one of those golden horses, and you have some athleticism and coordination, you'll likely be able to go where you want and be able to stay somewhat securely on a horse in a matter of months. Of course, it does help to have a horse that is accommodating and compliant.
Second: it takes a lifetime.
We all know of lifelong riders who continue to have "lessons" after multiple decades of owning and riding horses. I think of the high performance riders that I've followed from the time they began their international riding careers at the highest dressage Grand Prix level, who improved tremendously after five to ten years.
Let's face it - the learning is really never done. In fact, this is one of the things that appeals to me most about horse riding. Just when you think you've got it all, something new appears magically out of the woodwork, showing you a path to even more effective or better or less active... you never know until you get there. And it happens with everything - even the most basic skills such as riding the walk (how difficult can it really get??) or striking off into a canter stride.
Third: it takes two years.
This last observation is my personal one. Over the years, as I went through my own learning curves and as I observed my students develop, I've discovered that the two-year average is a pretty good time period to aim for.
That is, it will likely take you two years to really master a (any) riding skill. Of course, the more often you ride, the faster the learning will come.
Let's say you want to learn shoulder-in. Even if you can achieve the shoulder-in position in a handful of lessons, and then you can do it at the trot and the canter... it likely won't be that great for a while. You'll likely go through several learning curves and plateaus until it has really and truly become second-nature to you - and your horse. Start with a new horse, and even while you can achieve it well, you will realize that the new horse will teach you something you didn't know. And that will take plenty of time to master all over again.
So the two-year rule is a good one to keep in mind. It is especially relevant for riding concepts such as "seat" or "swing" or "on the aids" or "bend" or "over the back." These are those fuzzy, difficult-to-describe, feel-based concepts that nobody but you can do something about.
Two years. That's a fair amount of time to become really good at a given riding skill. So, really. Get started!
I'd love to know what you think. Leave a comment below.
