I went out to a new barn's open house last weekend to check out the facility, meet the instructors and see what the prices were like. And I almost died. A group lesson (4-5 students) for an hour is $30 and you have to purchase at least 4 lessons. Otherwise its an extra $5 per lesson. Semi-private (2-3 students) is $40 an hour, same rules of buy 4 or add $5, and private (1 student) is $50 an hour! I know I haven't had a lesson in awhile but thats $10 more than the last time I rode. What are you paying for a group/semi-private/private lesson for a hour?

I looked into lessons for my daughter and in our area it's at least $40 everywhere I checked. I would have liked to get a deal on a group lesson or by paying for several but no one offered a deal like that. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford the rates so she didn't end up with lessons. It's not like when I was growing up and had friends that horses.