Anyone else had this?

[My_breadbagel]

RANT ALERT! I went to a yard about a decade ago where I learned everything about riding- and they told me I was ready for a horse. However, I still didn’t know how to keep my feet in my stirrups, and they taught me some AWFUL habits. steer with your hands, to fold mechanically (without moving with the horse!), to smack a horse if it bucked, that wacking the poor sod on its shoulder made it go faster- what on Earth? We didn’t use saddle fitters, or back people/ physios. I was taught that horses only behaved bad for the sake of it. My poor horse had to deal with me riding like that for six months when I moved to a good yard. I was shocked when I learned to move a horse with your legs and seat, how to jump, how to RIDE. I mean- stupid stuff really- like how to safely dismount? How to girth up in the saddle? I mean Jesus, so many people loved that first yard but it was awful!!!!!
I now use a gentler approach. I still get peed off with my horse sometimes for being a sod, but I don’t act in haste if I can help if and always investigate weird behaviours. So many things that I did wrong- and my horse told me off for- and I didn’t realise! The yard had a high horse turn over too- if a horse went “crazy” or lame they sold it to some soul. This one horse I adored got sold on after I left, and without me knowing, and I wish I had had him for myself. He was such a darling, but sent wild with a bad saddle fit and so forth. If a saddle didn’t fit there, they just used a breast plate. However, they passed checks but HOW?

 

[Flying_Form]

Unfortunately so many of these yards exist - even with top riders… seen it for myself with one Olympic level rider and one national rider! Thankfully, a lot of people get out of these yards and like you learn that there’s a lot more to riding than slapping, kicking and telling off your horse. Knew someone else who ‘didn’t believe in’ horse dentist or physio and wondered why his horse was so upset all the time until he eventually bit the bullet and found he had sore wolf teeth, incredibly sharp teeth, and a back so tight and knotted that our physio was horrified. Sometimes I think owning a horse should require a license but I suppose not everyone is that bad ??‍

 

[spotty_pony]

Unfortunately very common in riding schools. ?

 

[My_breadbagel]

Unfortunately so many of these yards exist - even with top riders… seen it for myself with one Olympic level rider and one national rider! Thankfully, a lot of people get out of these yards and like you learn that there’s a lot more to riding than slapping, kicking and telling off your horse. Knew someone else who ‘didn’t believe in’ horse dentist or physio and wondered why his horse was so upset all the time until he eventually bit the bullet and found he had sore wolf teeth, incredibly sharp teeth, and a back so tight and knotted that our physio was horrified. Sometimes I think owning a horse should require a license but I suppose not everyone is that bad ??‍

Ugh I know people like you describe too! They ended up selling one horse after the other because it was “dangerous” ?

 

[Keith_Beef]

Nobody taught me how to dismount or how to tack up, either, it seemed to be that we were supposed to pick it up by watching other, more experienced riders, around us.

There is a theory component to the French system of "Galop" tests, but at my level (Galop 3) it's still quite basic.

 

[Ratface]

I was fortunate enough to have been brought up in a family of fierce women and even more scary staff who made very sure that I was, eventually, competent enough not to impede the donkeys, ponies, cart, carriage and riding horses that I was lucky enough to be put up on.
I was also taught to be grateful to the equines and people who were kind and patient enough to teach me.
That was 70+ years ago. I still have lessons, pick the brains of the kind and patient professionals who take care of my wonderful horse, and am still aware of the ever- expanding gaps in my own knowledge.
I do the best I can, with what I have.

 

[AntiPuck]

Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of riding schools like this. It's a big reason I stopped riding at all a few years ago, and am reluctant to go back to RSs, there are too many where the attitude towards horses is just so off.