This is waaaay too much to answer well. For the first few lessons, you might benefit from doing it individually so the instructor can focus on just you until you get the hang of it. When you have the basics, you can start doing group lessons.

With western riding, there are 3 basic gaits to the horse. The walk (4 beat gait, easy to sit, slow), the jog/trot (two beat diagonal gait, kind of bouncy, a little faster…think of a dog trotting), and the lope (also called canter…looks like how a dog does when they are running…its 3 beats and has a "lead"). When you ride western on a very trained horse, you typically ride one-handed (usually left hand) and steer with that hand. For a walk and trot, most people make a "cluck" or "clicking" type noise, and kind of bump the horse with their heels. For the lope, most people use a "kissing"" noise, and use their outside (leg on the fence) leg to ask for the lope. For a stop, you say WHOA, sit back a little, and pull your hand back softly. Once a horse is stopped, if you keep pulling back with your hand, they will start to back up.

Those are the basic commands in a nutshell. You always want to remember to ask the horse softly at first. If they are well-trained, they respond to that. Ask your instructor to teach you how to groom and saddle the horse. You might want to look up a diagram of the parts of the saddle.

The bridle is made up of the reins, bit, headstall, and a curbstrap or curb chain. Maybe look up this stuff too.

Also, when riding, you always want to make sure you keep your heels down. If you put your toes down, it throws your weight forward, and you can't sit back correctly or stay centered on the horse.

Good luck, but I'd think about buying a book if you really want to get better info!

Always remember that your stomach is an accordion, not a sack of potatoes. ;D In other words, your stomach is flexible and is capable of moving in a way that won't make you slam all over the horse's back.
Move those hips like you mean it and move them with the horse and you won't bounce.

Your instructor will teach you the basics. But your stomach is an accordion. After you ride a while, you will understand what I mean.

theres alot here is some of the things to rember

-always keep your heels down for it helps you balance in the saddle
-keep your hands a couple of inches above the saddle horn and only a inch apart.
-there should be an imagenary line from your shoulder to your hip to your heal
-an emergency stop is when you pull on one of the reins rest your hands on your pocket until the horse comes to a complete stop!

this hould get you started ! HAve fun You'll love it!

Ok

walk-act like you want to walk and squeeze your legs on the horses sides

turn left- pull the rein on the left side to the left

turn right-pull the rein on the right to the right (oh ya the reins you hold are straps

stop pull back on the reins (not hard though)

ASK THE INSTRUCTOR THEY WILL TEACH YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW (sit up tall in the saddle)

Don't worry! Your instructor will start you off from the very beginning! She will teach you to groom, tack up, steer, walk trot etc…!!

PS. Private lessons are much better than group! But once you get better and are able to walk, trot/post and canter group lessons would be alright.

Don't fall off !
Everything else is optional .

That's why you're having lessons, isn't it? To learn all that stuff.
If you're that keen to find out, get a book from the library. I have a few horse books that explain all of that and more. Plus they have nice pictures.
If I were you, I'd go for group lessons to start. They are cheaper so you can have more of them (unless money is not an issue) and therefor more practice. If the others are all beginners too then you should learn just as much that way as in a private lesson, although you won't get quite as much personal attention. Make sure the group isn't too big though. You can always have private lessons when you're more advanced and want to learn more complicated stuff.

u should do private lessons. just so u get the basics down. its 2 hard to explain online…sry…but ill tell u how to groom and tack up…grooming is very simple first take the rubber brush or the curry comb and brush the horse in big circles to get the hair off. after tht take the hard brush or the stiff bristled brush the one tht when u feel it its kind of prickly. just brush the horse how u would brush ur own hair. after tht use the soft brush its very soft on the bristles brush it with tht the same way with the hard brush. im an english rider so actually i cant tell u how to tack up in western sry!

There is alot to answer here, there are soooo many basics. I say the number one basic, though, is to not be afraid. Horses can sense fear, and if you are afraid of something, you only make them uneasy and harder to handle. They feel that because you are scared and unsure, why should they be calm and collected??

Also, another HUUUGE basic is dont' stand behind a horse, no matter HOW much you trust them!!! Horses are very sensitive when something is behind them, its a natural instinct. And if you are behind them, watch out!! Horses kick, and they kick HARD. So I suggest keeping away from the back of the horse and always walk around the front of him.

As for grooming and riding, you will learn that once you begin. You dont' have to go into your riding career being a total expert; you learn things over time. Did you already know algebra going into kindergarten?? No, so the same can be said for riding. Your instructors will help you learn all that you need. Also, I have found that reading some horse encyclopedias are helpful, so I'd check some of those out. Once you start riding, you'll never be able to stop!! So have fun!!!

private lessons can be good for one-on-one instructions, but you can learn alot from watchign others too…learning from their mistakes and watching what they are doing correctly.

since its your first lesson, your instructor should give you all the basics from grooming to getting on and to how to control the horse…

but, jsut as a heads up for simple riding tips to remember: hang on with your knees, heels down (toes up), relax, and have fun!!! your gonna be riding a horse!!!

haha, good luck at your lesson!