Considering returning to a riding school...

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happybear

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A while ago, I had to face up to the fact that my lovely boy was never going to come right and that it was time to call it a day. He has left a very big hole in my life and I am lost without him.

Anyway, I've been managing to ride friends' horses, mostly hacking which has been great and a much-needed reminder that riding is supposed to be fun, but I'm starting to miss the schooling aspect of riding and I want to keep this up. I haven't been schooling regularly for a couple of years while my horse was off work, and I'm conscious that at some point I'm going to want to buy another so I don't want to get out of practice. I snuck in a schooling session on a friend's horse last weekend and had a blast but it's difficult to make this a regular thing - people are so kind to lend me their horses to hack and school that I don't want to take the mickey and ask too often.

I would start looking for a share, but this isn't really an option for me at the moment because I work away during the week. I'm getting my hacking fix but I'm wondering whether it's time to return to a riding school to continue on the schooling side of things.

Now I haven't been to a riding school for about 10 years, and for some reason thinking about attending one is making me a bit nervous. I'm in my mid-twenties and am a fairly capable rider but I've had a bit of a confidence knock with everything that happened with my horse. I'm not sure whether I'm feeling nervous because I'm so comfortable at my livery yard and so the thought of being and riding somewhere new is slightly daunting, or if it's because I'll be going on my own. I suppose my question is, has any one else returned to a riding school after having their own horses and how did you find it?
 
I returned to a riding school last year. I was a bit nervous like you. I lost my mare and felt a bit lost without being able to ride anymore.
I wanted to keep it up and it had been a while since I'd done any schooling so I was a bit apprehensive but, it was a good experience.
I found a smaller riding school, didn't like the idea of going to a big commercial one. I had private lessons as I felt a bit embarrassed to share a lesson with youngsters. :)
The first few lessons were harder because, my horse had been so forward and responsive and riding school horses tend to be the opposite of this (with good reason) but once I got matched to a good horse and I got to know how she ticked it was quite fun.
I found I learned a lot about my riding and some bad habits I'd picked up were corrected.
I've now got my own horse again but I did really enjoy going back to a riding school.
 
I originally had my horse on winter loan from a trekking centre. When he went back to work for the summer I returned to my old riding lessons (I was mid twenties at the time), it had only been 8 months, and the teachers, others in lesson and horses were mostly the same.
For me the big thing was that it was a fairly decent level of lesson at a riding school of decent horses (a number of school horses hunt all winter and we had some of the retired eventers in too,including a 3* horse!) and an adult only lesson. If anything happened to mine I would definitely go back (it's been 5 years now) but I would be very tempted to have a private lesson or 2 to start off.
 
I'm having the same dilemma too, i had to stop riding while pregnant (doctors orders unfortunately) so a friend of mine took on my horse and now i have decided that he is better off staying with her because they have their own yard, spoil him rotten and he is the happiest I've ever seen him.

I've been lucky enough to borrow a friend's horse but i'd really like to work on improving my riding before looking for a share but am nervous about having lessons again because i've not had a lesson in a long while, am quite unfit, and am used to a well schooled and forward going horse. i'm currently asking around to see if anyone can recommend anywhere :)
 
It might also be worth contacting instructors in your area, as sometimes they will do private lessons on one of their own horses or a part-livery. This might give you a more responsive horse if the local riding school's are not what you are looking for. (make sure they are insured).
 
When I used to work away (and was horseless at home) I had a few private lessons, it was great and really improved my seat especially lunging lessons with no reins. It also helped kill the boredom of staying away from home :)
 
I went through basically the exact same thing as you. I however did the stupid thing of loaning another horse and realised after that that I had gotten in such a routine with my own horse I had forgotten how to ride. The loan didn't work out and I gave up for months. But I recently started back at a yard where I go every weekend to help out and have a lesson through the week. I almost feel like I have my own horse again but without all the worry about wasting them haha
 
Try somewhere that does stage 3/4 training - the exams test improving the horse and jumps are 3 foot so you need a "better" horse than the beginner lesson focused ones.
 
I've done this for the last few winters. At home I don't have an arena so don't do any schooling Nov to March as it's too wet so pony either gets a couple of months off or just hacking and I go to my RI riding school. I love it and find the lessons an enormous help as we work purely on me and my position.
 
happybear said:
A while ago, I had to face up to the fact that my lovely boy was never going to come right and that it was time to call it a day. He has left a very big hole in my life and I am lost without him.

Anyway, I've been managing to ride friends' horses, mostly hacking which has been great and a much-needed reminder that riding is supposed to be fun, but I'm starting to miss the schooling aspect of riding and I want to keep this up. I haven't been schooling regularly for a couple of years while my horse was off work, and I'm conscious that at some point I'm going to want to buy another so I don't want to get out of practice. I snuck in a schooling session on a friend's horse last weekend and had a blast but it's difficult to make this a regular thing - people are so kind to lend me their horses to hack and school that I don't want to take the mickey and ask too often.

I would start looking for a share, but this isn't really an option for me at the moment because I work away during the week. I'm getting my hacking fix but I'm wondering whether it's time to return to a riding school to continue on the schooling side of things.

Now I haven't been to a riding school for about 10 years, and for some reason thinking about attending one is making me a bit nervous. I'm in my mid-twenties and am a fairly capable rider but I've had a bit of a confidence knock with everything that happened with my horse. I'm not sure whether I'm feeling nervous because I'm so comfortable at my livery yard and so the thought of being and riding somewhere new is slightly daunting, or if it's because I'll be going on my own. I suppose my question is, has any one else returned to a riding school after having their own horses and how did you find it?
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I know its not quite the same but a few years ago my horse died and in the gap between finding another I started my bhs exams at a riding school and went weekly and rode and did the lectures etc, when I got my own horse again I carried on with the course and am now a qualified instructor. Make sure you go to a proper professional school and not a cheap and cheerful. I made so many friends through the riding school and had a lot of support for my exams, there were times when my confidence was lower and I had nothing but help around me in abundance and would definitely recommend it!
 
Thank you everyone. It's good to hear that other people have done it and found it a positive experience. A friend has kindly offered to come along if I go somewhere at the weekend just for some company, so I may bring her along for the first time as a bit of support on the sidelines.

I think as soon as I go once, providing I am matched to a good horse and have a successful lesson, I'll be fine. It's just pushing myself out of my comfort zone and finding the right place with the right horses!
 
I had to retire my horse in 2010 and lost him last year. I missed riding but didn't fancy going for riding lessons during winter, so I had a few lessons on a mechanical dressage horse. It's great for helping with position and gets you back into the swing of things.
 
After I lost my horse last year I returned to lessons. I had become a happy hacker used to the same horse so the lessons were very useful for me. I have a private lessons with my OH. My riding has improved a lot. I would recommend it. I now have a youngster to bring on so the lessons should help a lot and my instructor will continue to give me lessons on the youngster. I would chose a place carefully and have private lessons at least to start. It is also a good way to meet more horsey people. Good luck.
 
I've had positive experiences going back to RS.

I had my own pony up to 18yrs then after going to University and trying to establish a career with a brief period between BSc and MSc sharing a horse I had about 4 years with no horses in my life at all. I then ended up in Kent and started group lessons at Cobham Manor. I loved it. I made a number of lasting friendships from that group. We used to go to the pub after each lesson, and the organised social events together then even when most of us eventually got our own horses and not even at the same yard we continued to meet up every week for the local pub quiz. I'm still in contact some 15 plus years later :)

Again when I lost my horse to wobblers and moved back to Sussex to care for my mother I started again at the local RS hacking out for fun only as the lessons were not advanced enough for me and again made lots of new horsey contacts before going on a year later to buy a new horse.
 
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