Centered riding - anyone had a lesson

[Jingleballs]

Following on from the the other thread around working your horse into a correct outline and the impact the rider stability can have on this I was wondering if anyone has experience.

There are 3 centered riding instructors located near to me - Anne Currie, Karen Glasgow and Isabelle Duncan and I'm contemplating getting a lesson at my yard to see what comes out of it.

I just wondered if anyone had experience of this sort of thing and if you'd found it beneficial and if it is something that you can u se alongside existing training of if it's a case of using very different and distinct aids and exercises and a different school of thought altogether?

 

[TopTotty]

Hi, I went on a course some years ago and it was very good. It's the sort of thing that enhances the way you already ride and I took away a few things that I do everyday......probably forgotten more than I learnt now!
It was very slow in terms of riding...only got out of walk on one occasion. Had a few sessions in the classroom first.
Enjoy

 

[whiteclover]

I had one lesson from a CR instructor. I think it was okay, I didnt get the full benefit as horse was being a prat and I spent most of hte time trying to control him.

 

[Lucyad]

I had one lesson with Ann Currie, but it was in very difficult footting (soaking wet dodgy arena, so we couldn't do much. I have been to a couple of her unmounted sessions. Would be interested to do more if, for example, there were opportunities through my riding club.

 

[Jingleballs]

I had one lesson with Ann Currie, but it was in very difficult footting (soaking wet dodgy arena, so we couldn't do much. I have been to a couple of her unmounted sessions. Would be interested to do more if, for example, there were opportunities through my riding club.

Thanks Lucy - what did you think of what you did do - did you feel it was something that could help improve your riding? What were the unmounted sessions like?

She's only about 30 miles from my yard and she does travel out so I'm perhaps going to see if she will come out to mine as there might be a couple of other girls at the yard who are interested.

 

[Supanova]

Hi - I haven't had a Centred Riding lesson as such, but I have had a Mary Wanless type lesson which is very similar. I think its invaluable as it gives you some really different tools to use and makes you become so much more aware of little things in your body which have absolutely massive impact on your horse. I actually think it is these types of things that make the difference between an average and great rider. I think a lot of riders (myself included) plateau at a certain level and never really get any further and i believe it is learning this type of riding which will help get to the next level.

As I said in my other post, i'd highly recommend the book Centred Riding by Sally Swift - really easy to understand and to use when riding. For example, she says you should grow up and down like a tree when asking for a downward transition (i.e. up like the branches and down like the roots) - amazing impact. I can make my horses halt with no other aid now!

 

[Lucyad]

Thanks Lucy - what did you think of what you did do - did you feel it was something that could help improve your riding? What were the unmounted sessions like?

She's only about 30 miles from my yard and she does travel out so I'm perhaps going to see if she will come out to mine as there might be a couple of other girls at the yard who are interested.

I don't quite know, Baby Bear. I think she could teach me a lot, would suit how I would aspire to ride. However I like instructors who fire infomration at me - I like a lot of shout to the £! But as it was a first lesson, she didn't know me or how much I liked to be pushed (as much as possible, and then some). And the cirumstances were difficult. I didn't feel I got much from the lesson, but if other lessons were avaialble at a convinient location I would certainly try some more - but point out beforehand that I was quite happy to be bombarded by feedback and blunt criticism.

I am not sure about the non ridden TBH - I suspect a lot of it was just too subtle for me!

 

[Jingleballs]

I don't quite know, Baby Bear. I think she could teach me a lot, would suit how I would aspire to ride. However I like instructors who fire infomration at me - I like a lot of shout to the £! But as it was a first lesson, she didn't know me or how much I liked to be pushed (as much as possible, and then some). And the cirumstances were difficult. I didn't feel I got much from the lesson, but if other lessons were avaialble at a convinient location I would certainly try some more - but point out beforehand that I was quite happy to be bombarded by feedback and blunt criticism.

I am not sure about the non ridden TBH - I suspect a lot of it was just too subtle for me!

Hmm that's quite interesting - from the reading I've done today I suspect that the whole approach of Centred riding is around this subtle changes that can make a differnce.

Re the type of instruction - for jumping I need someone to shout at me but for flatwork I find that type of instruction caused me to tense up so I actually prefer someone who gives me the time to process things and then feel for myself what needs to be done so maybe it will work for me.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Skippys Mum]

I've had a few lessons from Anne. Its really weird. Its a bit like watching paint dry. You sort of amble round and dont feel you're getting anything out of it (some of the lessons I didnt get out of walk) and then a couple of days later it occurs to you that you are no longer losing your stirrup or getting a sore shoulder or whatever.

Dorothy and I have had a handful of lessons with her and we've also been to some on foot demos.

 

[Jingleballs]

Hmmm that's interesting SM - sounds like sort of subliminal training where you don't even notice that you've changed anything until you see the results!

Have you felt you've had a long lasting benefit from these lessons?

 

[HD15]

I grew up riding with several instructors that had a centered riding basis to their technique. (I'm from the US where I think CR is a bit more common.) I think the softness and the "correctness" to your position is invaluable. And the effect is has on your horse can be significant. I've probably forgotten most of it now, but I recently started re-reading the Centered Riding book and have found I feel so much more effective having only gotten to chapter 2!

I don't know much about how a specific CR lesson would work (the whole not getting out of walk thing, as I always thought some of the trot work was were it really made a difference), but I would recommend giving it a go. They should also have plenty of stretches and exercises you can practice at home.

 

[Skippys Mum]

BB, I've definately had some long term success with the CR lessons. A few niggly position things have improved for me. I plan to have another couple of lessons over the summer (just as soon as Dorothy gets Jackson working again!).

Anne is lovely but you really have to take a leap of faith. You do not feel you are achieving anything at the time. Its later that you realise that "oh, I've not been doing that".

I found it helps to have one or two specific things that you want to work on rather than making things too general.

 

[Shutterbug]

She's only about 30 miles from my yard and she does travel out so I'm perhaps going to see if she will come out to mine as there might be a couple of other girls at the yard who are interested.

I would be interested in taking part if you are having her over K so let me know. You know me, I will try anything once lol