🐴 How Many Hours Do TES Horses Teach Per Week?

🐴 How Many Hours Do TES Horses Teach Per Week?

At The Traditional Equitation School (TES), the health and well-being of our horses come first. One question we’re often asked — especially by parents and new riders — is:

“How many lesson do the TES horses actually do?”

It’s a great question, and the answer might surprise you.

📊 What the Data Shows

TES uses scheduling software to track every ride, every lesson, and every horse — and we’ve done so for years. This gives us a clear, data-driven view of each horse’s schedule and ensures they are never overused.

We recently ran a 90-day report to analyze the average exercise load of our school horses. The results:

• The average TES lesson horse taught 5.4 hours per week

• No horse averaged more than 9 hours per week, even in their busiest month

These numbers include more than just riding time — they also account for:

• Walking to and from the arena

• Mounting and dismounting

• Checking girths and adjusting stirrups

So the actual physical exercise is even lighter than the numbers suggest.

💻 Safeguards Prevent Overuse

Our scheduling system includes built-in limits. Once a horse reaches its preset daily maximum, the system automatically blocks additional bookings and sends an alert. This ensures horses are never overscheduled — even on the busiest days.

🧭 How That Compares to Industry Standards

• The British Horse Society (BHS) recommends 3–9 hours of weekly work for lesson horses, depending on their condition and the intensity of the work. TES horses fall comfortably within this range — and because our lessons are primarily beginner and intermediate level, they fall on the lower-intensity end of the spectrum.

• U.S.-based organizations such as the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) and U.S. Pony Club (USPC) emphasize responsible horse use and safety, though they do not publish strict hourly caps. TES fills that gap with a clear, measurable system designed around horse welfare.

• 
  

🐎 A Culture of Horsemanship

TES follows a consistent and intentional approach to horse care. Scheduling is carefully monitored, veterinary and farrier care is routine, and our instructors are trained to prioritize each horse’s condition and temperament.

We believe transparency builds trust — and well-managed horses build great riders.