awful teaching or my opinion totally wrong?

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ilovecobs

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Hey, in my opinion this is bad schooling and bad instruction, just not sure if im right as the instructor is apparently quite good according to 1 or 2 people i know.

Horse isn't schooled well IMO the instructor tell her to saw on the horses mouth untill it drops its head, pause for a second as a reward and then carry on so it keeps its head there... thats sort of everything i thought you shouldn't do :confused:

So said owner on her horse was having a lesson over some XC fences in a field and the horse was rushing a bit, but wasn't particularly strong just a bit quick, the instructor told owner to get a stronger bit to 'unlock' the horses jaw as its strong... however its not at all just unschooled. The horse also has no concept of collection in any pace on the flat as it hasn't been taught it, the instructor said it doesn't need to...
This is apparently a knowledgeable woman with various qualifications and so on and i don't know.. im just confused as to why an instructor is telling people to do such weird things, or is it me who is in the wrong? What do you think?
 
I'm inclined to agree with you - a horse that is unbalanced and unschooled on the flat should not be expected to pop a XC fence without issue!
 
I think its hard to make judgement without actually having experienced a lesson with this instructor, or knowing the horse or rider being taught.

Many people mistake "sawing" for "playing" with the bit - 2 totally different things. Was it the instructors actual words, or was the pupil interpretating her wrong?
 
I don't agree with that instructor at all and I doubt my own would. What does the horse's owner think?
 
lizziebell said:
I think its hard to make judgement without actually having experienced a lesson with this instructor, or knowing the horse or rider being taught.

Many people mistake "sawing" for "playing" with the bit - 2 totally different things. Was it the instructors actual words, or was the pupil interpretating her wrong?
Click to expand...

Whoops! Good point!
 
For a horse to maintain an elastic, consistent contact there should be no movement of the rider's hands anyway. Any movement should be only to encourage a horse that has grabbed or is leaning on the bit, to let go of it/respect it. Not to tell it to "drop its head." So regardless of whether she's a sawer or a fiddler, she's being given incorrect instruction and needs to find herself an instructor who knows her *rse from her elbow.
 
the instructor said to pull back on one rein and then the other, i suppose this doesnt sound too bad but the rider is a little harsh with her hands. I made this thread because a few people who i get the impression from that they are very knowledgeable and experienced but im not so sure anymore. Wanted to know if i was being stupid. Im a big fan of giving and retaking the reins sometimes but i didnt think it was right to be pulling back lol.

thankyou for all the replies :)
 
I was taught and also taught Martial Arts for many years, in all those years I only ever came across a tiny number of excellent instructors who were genuine, giving and really knew the subject they were teaching (regardless of rank or belt colour), the rest were idiots or charlatans.

From all the things I have seen and been told since I started riding again just over two years ago, riding instructors are very much like Martial Arts instructors!
 
The horse shouldn't be jumping if if he can't walk, trot and canter in a balanced manner without leaning on the riders hands, make balanced transitions, turns and circles. This is basic schooling before any horse should be made to jump with a rider on his back. With regards to the hand issue, depending on the horses mouth, if the horse has a spoilt mouth (by heavy hands) and tends to grab the bit and fix on it sometimes you have to move the hands lightly and in an upwards direction to act on the corners of the mouth, not the sensitive tongue, to get a little movement on the bit to get the horse to release his jaw. NEVER See Saw with a backwards heavy hand, how would you like it!!:eek:
 
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