Although horse owners take great pleasure in caring for their horses, riding is still typically the ultimate intent. It's fun, challenging, interesting, and physically demanding. But contrary to what many novices believe, you can't learn to ride well in a six-week crash course, nor can you learn to ride from reading books about it. While you can learn the basics of how to steer and stop in several weeks, it takes years of honing your skills to become a truly effective rider.