Joining a horse club is a good way to meet other horse people and learn from them. Through the connections you make as a club member, you'll have access to firsthand accounts of local instructors and boarding facilities. Most horse breeds have a breed association that promotes them, and it's easy to locate these on the Internet simply by entering the breed name in a search engine. Breed associations realize that young riders comprise future adult members of their organization, and they encourage youths to be interested in their breed and take part in youth activities.

The Welsh Pony and Cob Society of America has a special youth program directed toward the many young people who ride Welsh Mountain ponies. As the name implies, this popular breed hails from Wales. The Welsh Cob is a larger version of the Welsh pony. In the United States, the breed can be found competing in nearly every riding discipline — English and Western pleasure, hunter/jumper, driving, dressage, and combined training. The club's website, www.welshpony.org, features a youth segment with online articles about pony care and offers tips as well as games, stories, and puzzles.

The AQHYA is for youths eighteen years old and under. The group has 30,000 members and offers scholarships, youth-specific shows, classes in general shows, a leadership conference, and other focused activities, such as the Youth Racing Experience. Visit the AQHA website at www.aqha.com and click on “Youth” for complete information about joining and participating in the AQHYA.

Like other breed-specific groups, this association exists for youths involved with Arabian horses. The IAHYA has more than 5,000 members, and its magazine and website (www.arabianhorses.org) have a special youth section called Generation Equus. The website tells about special events especially for youths, such as Youth of the Year and the Youth Nationals Arabian and Half-Arabian Championship Horse Show. Clubs are divided into geographic regions, so you can probably find one near you.

Dressage is one of the fast-growing equine sports in the United States. The USDF promotes dressage interest and education and offers activities for riders of all ages. The organization accepts individual members as well as those who join through a dressage club, called a GMO or group-member organization. You can find out about clubs in your area by visiting the website at www.usdf.org.