What is STAPES?

Stapes is a Latin word meaning stirrup. The smallest auditory bone is also called this because of its characteristic stirrup shape.

 

How can you approach the riding school?

You can find detailed information on our website's home page (www.ujbudailovasklub.hu), but the most important thing to note is that automatic navigation is very difficult to use and takes you on narrow roads, so we have put up signposts. If you see a white, arrow-shaped sign, always follow the arrow and not your navigation system.

 

Is a trial lesson always mandatory? I have been riding elsewhere for years, so let's not start with lunging again!

The trial lesson is mandatory for everyone! The aim of our riding school is to ensure the highest level of safety and quality education for all riders. The first lesson with a lunge gives the instructor the opportunity to assess the rider's abilities and knowledge in detail. Based on this, you will receive personalized instruction during subsequent lessons, ensuring continuous improvement. During the test ride, the instructor can continuously monitor the rider's movements and help them develop the correct posture and riding technique. Based on the trial riding, we can determine which level of instruction and lessons are most suitable for the rider.

 

Is it possible to purchase a season pass?

We offer a 10% discount when purchasing a 12-session pass. This can be 12 running sessions or 12 group riding sessions, or even a combination of 6-6. The pass is valid for 4 months.

 

What kind of clothing should you wear?

The most important thing is that your pants should be as close-fitting as possible, as loose pants will rub your skin almost immediately, so we do not recommend jeans, for example. Outerwear should be appropriate for the weather, but opinions differ on whether long or short sleeves are better. Expect to get very dirty, but long sleeves will protect you from dust, sun, and wind. Boots or shoes without laces are recommended.  Running shoes and boots are more difficult to put into stirrups, and the laces and tongues of all short-shafted shoes can get stuck in the stirrups, which are difficult to remove without manual assistance.

 

Should I wear a helmet? I see lots of people riding without helmets, and nothing bad happens to them.

This is a controversial issue, but let's be clear about one thing: if you don't wear a helmet and risk a concussion or other serious injury, it usually affects not only you, but also places a huge emotional (and possibly financial) burden on your relatives, parents, children, and partner. They will go to the hospital and spend their evenings sitting with you in the emergency room. Respect them enough to do everything you can to protect yourself. For us, the math is simple: anyone who rides a horse must wear a helmet. Anyone who goes cross-country or jumps with a horse must also wear a protector. By the way, I recommend wearing a helmet even when working around horses. We provide helmets and protectors for everyone. If you don't want to use shared equipment, bring at least a bicycle helmet, but in the long run, it is recommended to purchase your own helmet, chaps, and possibly a protector.

 

When should I arrive for lessons?

Part of riding involves bonding with the horse, cleaning it, tacking it up, and preparing it for the lesson. This takes 20 minutes for more experienced riders, but it is worth allowing at least half an hour. If you are unable to arrive that early, please let us know and the instructor/assistant will probably be able to prepare the horse, but we ask everyone not to make this a habit.

 

I would really like to participate trail riding. Do you offer this option?

Yes, we do. However, the 25-minute trial lesson is still mandatory, but it must be taken at an earlier date, not on the same day. Complete proficiency in the three gaits is the minimum requirement.

 

How dangerous is horse riding? How common are injuries?

Horse riding is one of the most dangerous sports. I would compare it most to skiing and snowboarding. Falls are an everyday occurrence, that's just part of the game, and serious injuries are rare, but they can happen. Protective gear can prevent many types of injuries, but not all of them. The spine and skull can be adequately protected with pads and helmets, but they offer no protection against hip and shoulder injuries. From personal experience, I can say that in two-thirds of cases where people had prolonged recovery (vertebral fracture, collarbone fracture), wearing a protector would probably have been enough to make the fall just a few days of painful memories. I have only heard senior skiers say that they don't ski because they don't want to get injured. But there is a big difference here, which is not so much the injury itself, but rather the psychological shock that tends to dominate: in horse riding, the element of unpredictability is greater. Here, the rider may feel more exposed to the horse and external circumstances. There is only one way to gain confidence: you have to ride! 🙂 Developing adequate muscle strength and muscle memory, recognizing emergencies in time, overcoming panic, and using proper posture, behavior, and reflexes are all part of this process.

 

I would like to start show jumping. Do you have that option?

Yes, we do. However, the 25-minute trial lesson is still mandatory, but it must be taken at an earlier date, not on the same day. Complete mastery of the three gaits is the minimum requirement. Show jumping cannot be a reasonable expectation if, for example, you only have time to ride once a week. A minimum of two, but preferably three sessions per week is realistic in order to develop the appropriate fitness and routine.

 

I'm already an adult, is it worth starting horse riding?

Of course it's worth it. 🙂 You may feel that it's too late to start, but that's not true, everything new adds color to your life. You probably won't become an international show jumper, but that's not usually the goal. Confident riding skills and safe trail riding are absolutely achievable goals. Think about what it would be like to go trail riding with your partner or children on vacation, for example. I started riding when I was over 30, and I've never regretted it. 🙂

 

Is there English language instruction?

Yes, there is. For now, Viki is the permanent instructor who teaches English-speaking students on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. All of the substitute instructors also teach English.

 

A friend of mine fell off a horse. He wasn't hurt, but he hasn't dared to get back on since. How common is this?

In today's world, expectations regarding horse riding have changed as follows: I want to learn to ride (or teach my child to ride), but without ever falling off the horse, without ever having a bad experience when riding, and while feeling completely safe every second. This is a completely false, meaningless, contradictory line of thinking (e.g., learn to love, but don't experience disappointment in life).
There are two types of riders: those who have fallen and those who will fall. If you ride, you will fall. This rarely results in injury, but serious accidents can occur. How does each person react to falling? It depends on their personality. But one thing is certain: it should not be seen as a failure, as it is part of the process. Anyone who learns to ski, skateboard, or ride a bike will fall. Maybe a hundred times. It doesn't matter at all. People don't say this nowadays, but my opinion is: if you can't cope with this, then don't ride. Do everything you can to stay safe, wear a helmet and protective gear, be prepared for an emergency, and if you fall, ask yourself: how could I have avoided it, what should I have done differently? We learn from every fall; this is just another lesson, don't take it to heart. Be determined, and if you're not injured, then you have to get back on, immediately. It's not good for either the rider or the horse to learn that a fall means the end of training. Every horse and rider has their own personality: sometimes it's harder to get in sync on a given day, other times everything goes smoothly, almost as if on cue. This is natural, that's just how life is. This is the flow...

 

Is there a possibility of boarding services?

This is possible for our own students, based on an agreement.

 

Is it possible to participate in competitions?

We are an officially registered association, so you can also participate in competitions.