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Horse Riding Maths

Horse Riding personal bests maths challenge

A child-friendly sports challenge using personal bests to practise subtraction with real examples.

Quick answer

You can use subtraction to find out how much your horse riding personal best has improved by comparing your old score to your new score.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to use subtraction to find the difference between your old horse riding personal best and a new personal best. Success signs:
  • You can subtract two numbers to find how much better you are
  • You can use a number line or counting back to solve subtraction problems
  • You can explain how much your horse riding personal best has improved
  • You can work out the difference between two times or scores

Why this matters

When you ride horses, it's fun to get better at things like jumping, dressage, or galloping. Every time you improve your personal best, you can use subtraction to find out how much better you are. This helps you track your progress and feel proud of your achievements. Whether you're trying to ride faster, jump higher, or stay on longer, subtraction helps you see how much you've improved.

How it works

To find how much your horse riding personal best has improved, you need to:
  1. Write down your old personal best score or time
  2. Write down your new personal best score or time
  3. Subtract the old score from the new score
  4. Read the answer to see how much better you are

Examples you can see

Let's imagine you're trying to ride your horse as fast as possible around a track. Here are some examples: Example 1: Your old time was 3 minutes. Your new time is 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
  • First, we change everything to seconds: 3 minutes = 180 seconds, 2 minutes 30 seconds = 150 seconds
  • Then we subtract: 180 - 150 = 30 seconds
  • So you got 30 seconds faster!
Example 2: You used to jump 4 fences in a row. Now you can jump 7 fences in a row.
  • Subtract: 7 - 4 = 3 fences
  • You jumped 3 more fences!
Example 3: You used to ride for 10 minutes. Now you ride for 15 minutes.
  • Subtract: 15 - 10 = 5 minutes
  • You rode 5 minutes longer!

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Horse Riding Challenge You are a young rider preparing for a competition. Your coach has given you a special challenge: track your horse riding personal bests and find how much you've improved using subtraction.
  1. First time: You rode for 12 minutes. Your new best is 15 minutes.
  2. Second time: You jumped 5 fences. Your new best is 8 fences.
  3. Third time: You rode at 10 km/h. Your new best is 13 km/h.
  4. Fourth time: You completed 3 rounds of the course. Your new best is 5 rounds.
Challenge: Work out how much better you are each time using subtraction. What do you notice about your improvements?

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Subtracting in the wrong order (old score from new score instead of new score from old score)
    Why it happens: Children might get confused about which number to start with.
    Fix: Always subtract the old score from the new score to find how much better you are. If the new score is bigger, you've improved!
  • Mistake: Forgetting to convert units (like minutes to seconds) when comparing times
    Why it happens: It's easy to forget that 1 minute = 60 seconds.
    Fix: Always make sure you're comparing the same units. If one is in minutes and one in seconds, convert them to the same unit first.
  • Mistake: Counting forwards instead of backwards when subtracting
    Why it happens: Children might think of subtraction as "adding on" instead of "taking away".
    Fix: Use a number line or count backwards from the larger number to the smaller number.

Parent and carer guide

Help your child understand how subtraction works in horse riding by:
  • Using real-life examples like times, distances, or scores
  • Encouraging them to explain how they solved each problem
  • Practising with simple examples before moving to harder ones
  • Using a number line or counters to show subtraction visually
  • Reinforcing that subtraction helps us see how much we've improved
What to say:
  • "Let's see how much faster you are now!"
  • "What do you notice about your progress?"
  • "Can you show me how you worked out that difference?"
What not to worry about:
  • They might make small mistakes at first – that's normal!
  • They don't need to be perfect right away
  • They can use counters or draw pictures to help

Practice questions

  1. You used to ride for 8 minutes. Now you ride for 12 minutes. How much longer are you riding?
  2. Your old time was 4 minutes. Your new time is 3 minutes 30 seconds. How much faster are you?
  3. You used to jump 3 fences. Now you jump 6 fences. How many more fences can you jump?
  4. Your old speed was 8 km/h. Your new speed is 11 km/h. How much faster are you?
  5. You used to complete 2 rounds. Now you complete 5 rounds. How many more rounds can you do?
Answers:
  1. 12 - 8 = 4 minutes
  2. 4 minutes = 240 seconds, 3 minutes 30 seconds = 210 seconds, 240 - 210 = 30 seconds
  3. 6 - 3 = 3 fences
  4. 11 - 8 = 3 km/h
  5. 5 - 2 = 3 rounds

FAQ

What is a personal best?

A personal best is the best score or time you've ever achieved at something. It's your own record that you can try to beat.

How do I know if I've improved?

If your new score or time is better than your old one, you've improved. You can use subtraction to find out by how much.

Can I use subtraction for other horse riding skills?

Yes! You can use subtraction for jumping heights, distances, times, and even how many times you've done something.

What if I get a worse score?

If your new score is worse than your old one, the subtraction will give you a negative number. This means you didn't improve – but it's still helpful to know!

Why is it important to track personal bests?

Tracking personal bests helps you see how much you've improved over time. It's a great way to stay motivated and celebrate your achievements.