Arabian Horse Association Frequent Rider Program

If you love riding or driving and the horse you ride/drive is an Arabian or part-Arabian registered with the Arabian Horse Association, then here's a program that you might enjoy. The Frequent Rider Program is a program geared towards those people who simply love to ride/drive their Arabians or part-Arabians. While those that compete at shows or in endurance may enjoy logging their non-competitive time; this may be something for those who don't compete to get some recognition and rewards for something they already love to do.

In order to participate in the Frequent Rider Program (FRP) you must be a member of the Arabian Horse Association (AHA). Membership fees are reasonable at $25 for one year.

The hours you submit into a log for the FRP must be time spent riding/driving your horse non-competitively. Meaning that if you compete in endurance, or are showing, the time you spend riding for the endurance ride or at the show is not time that you can submit.

It doesn't matter how long you spend in the saddle or driving your horses. It can be minutes or hours. As long as it's non-competitive it all adds up! This includes time spent schooling your horse, riding/driving just for pleasure, trail rides, parades, or even taking riding/driving lessons.

You are not limited to just one horse either. If you have several Arabians or part-Arabians that you ride or drive then you can submit your time for each one. This program is for the person, not the horse, so hours spent riding/driving are tied to you, not the horse.

Hours are logged online, so no paperwork to submit or get lost. I do recommend submitting your rides as soon as possible so that you can remember where and when they happened. Also wearing a watch with a timer is of great benefit. Start it when you get on, and stop it when you get off. That way your time riding is a bit more accurate.

Rewards start after twenty-five hours of riding with a twenty-five hour lapel pin. Next reward is at one hundred hours with a one hundred hour lapel pin and AHA t-shirt. Rewards continue on up to ten thousand hours with a lapel pin for each milestone. Other rewards vary from hats, to a photo recognition on the AHA website for five hundred hours, to jackets and more.

The only drawback to the FRP is that it is not geared towards young children at this time. The clothing rewards do not come in children's sizes.

Time spent on the ground working with your horse does not count. This includes grooming, bathing, ground work, tacking up, trailering, feeding, or cleaning stalls.

Check out the AHA website for more information on the program and how to become a member.