The question comes in almost every first-lesson email: what do I wear? The short answer is long pants, closed-toe shoes with a small heel, and a layer you can take off. Helmets are provided. Here is the longer answer, written for the weather on the Daly City bluffs, where a first lesson in July can be colder than one in October.
The Short List
Long pants that let you bend your knee: jeans, riding tights or sturdy leggings all work. Closed-toe shoes with a slight heel and a smooth sole, so the foot cannot slide through the stirrup; an old pair of boots or hiking shoes with a defined heel is ideal. A fitted top with a light jacket or fleece over it. Hair tied back if it is long. A water bottle and sunscreen. That is all a first lesson needs.
Why the Heel Matters
A heel stops the foot from pushing through the stirrup, which is the one piece of equipment that can hold on to a rider who has come off. Running shoes have a wide, soft sole and no heel, so they are the one thing we ask you to leave at home. Sandals, flip-flops and open-toe shoes are out for the same reason, plus the obvious one: a thousand-pound animal steps where it steps.
Dressing for the Coast
The ranch sits on the bluff above the Pacific, fifteen minutes from downtown San Francisco. Mornings are often foggy and ten degrees cooler than the city, and the wind picks up in the afternoon. Layers solve it: a fitted base layer, a fleece or jacket, and nothing so bulky you cannot feel the saddle under you. Avoid loose scarves, long dangling jewelry and anything that flaps, because a horse reads movement before it reads intent.
Helmets and Gloves
We provide riding helmets and every rider wears one. If you own a certified riding helmet, bring it. Gloves are optional but welcome; a thin pair of work or riding gloves keeps the lead rope and reins from rubbing on a long day. Spurs and crops are not part of a first lesson; the groundwork comes first, and the horse is matched to you.
What the First Lesson Looks Like
Every lesson in the lesson program starts on the ground: catching, grooming and saddling with an instructor beside you, then the saddle. You will be in the dirt, near the horse, before you are on it, which is why we care more about your shoes than your shirt. Dress for a working barn and you will be dressed right.
Kids and Adults
The same list holds for kids from age 3 and for adult beginners. For small children, bring a spare layer and a snack; the Junior Club lessons are 30 minutes, and standing in the wind afterwards is where little riders get cold. Adults who have not been on a horse in years tend to overthink it. Jeans, boots and a jacket have carried riders for a century.
Ready to Book?
A single one-hour lesson is $160, a 30-minute lesson is $85 and a private hour is $225, before the card processing charge. Book one lesson online on the lesson program page; when you are ready to ride every week, the Lesson Club brings the price per lesson down. No car? Getting here covers BART and the bus.
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