Differing teaching styles - or is it me?

[Bangagin]

For many years I had regular lessons with a classical riding trainer/coach on my previous mare, and it almost felt like learning to ride again from scratch, as she unpicked everything and put it back together in a much more organised way. I don't consider myself to be a particularly great rider, but I do know that those lessons really improved my seat and balance, and I feel much more secure in the saddle generally.

Fast forward a few years without lessons as I had to retire my mare and it took me some time to find a new pony (in the meantime loaning several horses and riding those belonging to friends). I now have a young cob mare, and I thought I would like to restart lessons - more for her sake than mine as she is very green. I knew of a local instructor and have seen her teach friends and get very good results. But her teaching style is very different from my previous trainer. It's very difficult to explain, and I may just be very rusty - but my new instructor is telling me to keep my lower legs round my horse lightly (as if I am containing a magic bubble and stopping it from floating away) whereas my classical trainer concentrated more on connection/contact with my thighs and letting my lower leg hang.

I've only had two lessons with my new instructor but my mind and body are finding the new style of instruction quite confusing. It's very hard to unlearn "stuff" after probably 10 years of learning it and even longer riding in that style.

I'm now wondering if it's just me being very rusty these days (after about 4 years without lessons) or whether the styles of classical v conventional teaching are very different?

 

[Skib]

whether the styles of classical v conventional teaching are very different?

Depends what you mean by conventional.
Not only are there different styles of riding, but those styles change over time.
I started with BHS and moved to a "classical" teacher, that is, she taught in the styke of Charles Harris which he himself had learned at the Spanish riding school in Vienna taught by Podhajski. Much of the teaching was on the lunge to improve balance. Rising trot and forward seat canter were postponed for some time.But we rode without stirrups and eventually bareback. The mare I rode would respond to what we called "thought" transitions.
I hacked mostly RS horses used to conventional aids but discussing this with an escort who had riden as a child we realised that conventional BHS had also changed over the years. RS horses who carry beginners are trained to ignore the shifts of weight and seat but my experience is that these RS horses can quickly pick up "thought transitions"
Cueing a horse is not simply the delivering of a signal. It involves preparing the horse so that the horse is physically able to carry out the instruction and then being specific about the style and speed of the new gait.
Horses are not idiots. Any RS horse I have ridden regularly twice a week, week in week out will pick up what might be described as classical cues. They also pick up on their regular riders. Due to a misunderstanding, one day I rode the RS hack as if she were indeed my own horse. I used minimal cues and rode her with more softness and quality. She went like a dream. The biggest difference was in the canter when I turned her for home and ask her to head home, she went in a soft lope.
I think now that this was because she was already so relaxed. I had ridden her very gently and she returned that gentleness to me.

 

[Alibear]

I think there are definitely different teaching styles and horses being clever can often cope with being ridden in more than one style.
But as you have your own horse again and have a style you already know, you might be better suited to finding someone who teaches in your style rather than going back to the begging in again.

 

[nikkimariet]

Everyone has their own way of learning and with horses that usually ties in with the style of teaching even down to the terminology used. Wouldn’t panic would just either explain to her or find someone else?

 

[smolmaus]

I knew of a local instructor and have seen her teach friends and get very good results.

Results aren't everything. She may be a very good instructor but still not for you.

My current instructor is more classical and alike in style to how I learned as a child, but we have multiple years of RS teaching to unpick! What I like about her is that we try different methods of visualization and find what works for me and the pony. She was saying herself the person she goes to for lessons asks for something (more forward, more engagement of the hind quarters etc) and lets her decide how that's achieved herself. You don't necessarily need the same style of teaching again, just someone who can be flexible enough to not futter with what's working.

 

[Squeak]

Everyone has their own way of learning and with horses that usually ties in with the style of teaching even down to the terminology used. Wouldn’t panic would just either explain to her or find someone else?

This, I find trainers a very personal thing and it's not always a reflection of how good a trainer is as to whether you get on with them or not, sometimes they just don't explain things in the right way.

 

[Bangagin]

Thanks all. I think I'll have a chat to her next week, carry on a bit longer and see how we get on as it's early days.

 

[lme]

Depends what you mean by conventional.
Not only are there different styles of riding, but those styles change over time.
I started with BHS and moved to a "classical" teacher, that is, she taught in the styke of Charles Harris which he himself had learned at the Spanish riding school in Vienna taught by Podhajski. Much of the teaching was on the lunge to improve balance. Rising trot and forward seat canter were postponed for some time.But we rode without stirrups and eventually bareback. The mare I rode would respond to what we called "thought" transitions.
I hacked mostly RS horses used to conventional aids but discussing this with an escort who had riden as a child we realised that conventional BHS had also changed over the years. RS horses who carry beginners are trained to ignore the shifts of weight and seat but my experience is that these RS horses can quickly pick up "thought transitions"
Cueing a horse is not simply the delivering of a signal. It involves preparing the horse so that the horse is physically able to carry out the instruction and then being specific about the style and speed of the new gait.
Horses are not idiots. Any RS horse I have ridden regularly twice a week, week in week out will pick up what might be described as classical cues. They also pick up on their regular riders. Due to a misunderstanding, one day I rode the RS hack as if she were indeed my own horse. I used minimal cues and rode her with more softness and quality. She went like a dream. The biggest difference was in the canter when I turned her for home and ask her to head home, she went in a soft lope.
I think now that this was because she was already so relaxed. I had ridden her very gently and she returned that gentleness to me.

My first trainer (who was incredible) trained with Charles Harris who used to travel down from London, by train to teach him.

 

[Vodkagirly]

Not every instructor suits every one. Doesnt mean they are bad just not your type. If your not feeling it, try someone else. Its a bit like dating! Need to have the same goals and communicate well.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

definitely find that instructors are very personal.

Also I find very individual to horse-rider combinations. I’ve had instructors that I got on with really well on a previous horse, but I just couldn’t get on with them on my current one. Changed instructors and suddenly started making progress

 

[Capalldonn]

my new instructor is telling me to keep my lower legs round my horse lightly (as if I am containing a magic bubble and stopping it from floating away) whereas my classical trainer concentrated more on connection/contact with my thighs and letting my lower leg hang.

I'm not quite sure I understand the difference between the old and new instructor. However, if your old RI allowed you to stretch your lower legs away from the horse, your new RI is right, in my book. The lower legs should hang but at the same time maintain a light, gentle contact.