Not in the least, in fact the vast majority of students have no previous equine experience. This is where it becomes critical to assess two important aspects of guide & packer school:

• Does the school have a sufficient number of horses and mules and are they sound?
• Does the program really teach me how to ride and stay safe?

We are proud of our stock at Swan Mountain Wilderness Guide School, and we purposely have designed our equine sessions to give much more thorough instruction on riding and staying safe then the majority of other guide schools.