What advice would you give?

So here is the story: I work at a horse sanctuary where my horse is also boarded. I have only been there about a month but have really fallen in love with all the horses so decided to help out any way I can. I brought my digital photography class to the farm last monday and one of my classmates is now going to sponsor a horse! Problem is she has never been around horses and she is planning on riding and coming out every day to groom and love on her.

I told her to take lessons from the owner of the barn on the horse she is sponsoring, and that I would help her learn the ropes. But I have no idea where to start. So any opinions on advice I should give her about learning about horses?

She needs to learn the basics first. If she's never been around horses, she needs to learn how to deal with them on the ground before she ever gets up in the saddle.

Lessons are great, but horses aren't one-dimensional. There are plenty of necessary things to learn about them before she puts one foot in a stirrup.

Teach her saftey- like never stand directly in front of a horse and explain about the fight-flight brain mechanics. Teach her how to pick out hooves. Teach her the importance of grooming. Teach her how to tell when a horse is not paying attention to her. Teach her how to lead and halter safely.

I would think the sanctuary has rules about riding when you have no clue.

Just start where you started. Basic horse safety is #1, #2 reality check that horses in the movies are not like horses in real life, #3 grooming, feeding, mucking out stalls #4 how to handle a horse ex. Haltering, leading, picking up feet cleaning out hooves #5 how to saddle and bridle a horse and control it with reigns #6 learning to walk and control a horse from the saddle, make it stop & back up in an enclosed area #7 picking up some speed, leaving the arena, trail riding, trotting, in a group ..... ahhhhhhhhh and on and on...but she can do it...you learned all this stuff why can't your friend?

That is the cool part about learning stuff eventually we are asked to share it with someone else and the cycle goes on and on!

I would suggest reading up on horses. Its a good way to get a base as long as you have knowledgeable horse people around to back up what you have learned. Heres a good 'beginner horse person' book
Amazon.com: Horses for Dummies (0785555551381):...

Yep I read horses for dummies when I got my gelding, that poor book is in tatters now. I read it just a little too much! I gave her a list of good reads.