Sorry for repeating the question but I thnk I put it in the wrong category -thanks for the responses!
For my family, the biggest obstacle is money. My sister and I both ride, which makes it twice as hard. We make it work though, even though we aren’t rich. Our lessons, which were a semi-private, cost $180 a month. Currently, my sister is a working student at the barn, so she gets a reduced price, so now our lessons are $140 (the group rate). That’s for four lessons, one per week, with hour-long sessions.
Then there’s horse shows. We both do 4-H, and we lease my trainer’s horse, plus she leases a school horse out on show days. Our lease is $100 a month, but we pay for most of that out of our own pockets (babysitting money, since I babysit regularly for a family). We really like showing, so we pay for those on our own too. Showing and leasing are things that usually come after a few years of riding, though.
But don’t let the money thing put you off — my family has worked out a system where my sister and I help pay for it, and when our grandparents (who spoil us too much, even when we demand that they not ;D) heard that we were helping pay for horseback lessons, they’ve been helping out just a little bit too.
Another obstacle that I found, as do many, many riders, was finding the right barn. One barn I went to didn’t have enough school horses to fit me in every week. One barn’s lesson program included walking in circles for an hour, maybe trotting once and changing direction, nothing more. One barn’s instructor wasn’t certified and she wasn’t reliable. Finally I found the barn I’m at now, and its a place where I should have started in the beginning. They have multiple certified instructors, lots of school horses for all different riding styles and abilities, options to lease school horses once or twice a week, or even take the school horses to select shows, and a 4-H club. Since going there, I’ve learned so much faster, and I really love riding even more.
Just a couple more things… don’t be surprised when she comes to you, saying she needs a helmet and boots. She does. If she rides english, go for paddock boots (http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&source=imghp&q=paddock+boots&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=) and half chaps (http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=active&gbv=2&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=half+chaps&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=), if she rides western, then any cowboy boots with a heel will work. Boots designed for riding horses are the safest, most comfortable, and will last longest. Her helmet MUST be designed for horseback riding, and it has to be ASTM/SEI approved to be legal. Riding gloves are also a good idea, and are super cheap. My current pair was only $3.
The breeches come later, for now she can get by with jeans. I’ve been riding for 6 years and I just wear jeans most of the time.
I hope it works out for you both!