Standing Ovation by Ovation Riding: Time to Ride

Every Friday, Horse Nation teams up with Ovation Riding to spotlight an individual or organization doing good work in the horse world. Today, we’re recognizing the American Horse Council-facilitated Time to Ride.

Screen shot via YouTube

Sustaining the industry that supports the sport we know and love is critical — but equally important for the survival of equestrian sport is bringing new fans, new riders and new enthusiasts into the fold. As a response to industry-wide concerns about a decline in growth in equestrian activities in the new millennium, companies and leaders have come together to create Time to Ride, facilitated by the American Horse Council, to welcome new equestrians to the saddle.

The concept at the core of Time to Ride is simple: introduce as many newcomers to the horse world as possible. Each year, Time to Ride Challenges hosted by participating lesson stables, tack shops, veterinary clinics, race tracks and more open their doors to welcome individuals with little or no horse experience to interact with a horse, learn more and hopefully take the first steps towards enthusiasm and passion for the world of horses. Time to Ride awards prize money to the organizations or barns that host the most newcomers in a six-month period from May to September.

New for 2017, the Challenge includes two phases: Phase I introduces newcomers to horses, and Phase II invites those people back for a more in-depth experience. Prize money is divided equally between both phases, and hosts do not need to compete in Phase II to be eligible for Phase I prizes. Liability release forms are required for all participants and hosts must carry liability insurance in order to put on a Challenge event.

Learn more about Time to Ride through this video:

Apart from the Challenges, Time to Ride serves as a liaison between riding schools, trainers, instructors and other riding opportunities and the individuals seeking ways to start with horses: horse businesses register for free to be listed on the interactive map at Time to Ride’s website, and those new to horses can search the site for riding schools, race tracks or horse shows, trail riding opportunities and clubs.

Time to Ride is free of cost to both horse businesses and the individuals and families seeking them. Learn more at Time to Ride’s website and Facebook page, and consider connecting your business to this database to help our industry grow!

Many thanks thanks to Ovation Riding for their support of both Horse Nation and individuals and organizations that are doing good work in the horse world. If you know someone who deserves a Standing Ovation, we would love to recognize them in a future post. Email the name of the person or organization along with a message about the good work they do to [email protected]. Photos/videos are always welcome, and include a link to their website if applicable.