Does a good instructor have to be a good rider?

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ruth83

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Sparked by a discussion about what you look for in an instructor and which (if any) qualifications you hold in best regard.

I've heard a number of people say they wouldn't consider someone as an instructor if they weren't a good rider. Upon what do you judge this - watching them ride? Their competition record? What they say they can do? And what level do they need to be riding at? Would you consider an instructor who does not ride above the level you are competing at but who is a good instructor and makes an improvement to you/your horse. (Obviously they must understand the movements, technicalities etc you have to ride).
 
I want my instructor to be qualified in the areas that I think I need help in. So if I am wanting BHS exam training I will go to a BHS I, if I want Centered Riding, I will find a Centered Riding Instructor of level 2, if I want Classical training, I will go to someone training with Philippe Karl.

So qualifications or CPD in the relevant area are important and I take a long time to choose who I am going to train with.

Not at all bothered if they compete or not. I don't think they necessarily have to ride now, but useful if they have ridden to a reasonable level before. I think they would have to have experienced a certain level of 'feel'. But if they can't teach you at your level, they aren't going to progress you.
 
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ruth83 said:
Sparked by a discussion about what you look for in an instructor and which (if any) qualifications you hold in best regard.

I've heard a number of people say they wouldn't consider someone as an instructor if they weren't a good rider. Upon what do you judge this - watching them ride? Their competition record? What they say they can do? And what level do they need to be riding at? Would you consider an instructor who does not ride above the level you are competing at but who is a good instructor and makes an improvement to you/your horse. (Obviously they must understand the movements, technicalities etc you have to ride).
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I pay an instructor to spot faults and have a rationale to fix them, I have been taught by decent riders who cant teach and I have been taught by good teachers who dont rideI know which is best.
 
Tough one... If the instructor has no 'suitable' riding qualifications then it could be difficult judging how good a rider they are from watching them... I mean your own knowledge base would have to be pretty decent to evaluate them... And potential for problems if your learning style is enhanced by being able to watch your trainer...

Having said that (and totally not horse related)... I used to do gymnastics at county level as a youngster... I 'retired' fairly early as I grew way too tall and too shapely - cardinal sins in those days... After that I primary and assistant coached advanced (two to commonwealth level) who had talent well in excess of anything I had... Being less able to execute the sport myself wasn't a hindrance in having the eye and judgement necessary to train someone more able...
 
I would want an instructor who has competed up to the level I could realistically achieve, even higher maybe as I believe they have the experience in that particular discipline to help me bring on my hopeful youngster. Thus, I would also expect them to be a good, experienced rider to correct my faults and help me progress with the training of my young horse. I don't necessarily care about qualifications, as long as I can see and feel the progress and have a good sense of humour I'm happy :D
 
A good teacher doesn't have to necessarily be a good rider. Being good at something doesn't guarantee you can pass that knowledge on to someone else and I think that teaching successfully is a gift.
 
Im in the process of becoming an enlightened equitation teacher - there are 8 of us on the course all of differing riding levels and experiences. Some of that depends on age to some extent, as you obviously cannot garner years of experience in your earlier 20s.

However spotting someones faults AND knowing how to correct them are massively influential to that persons riding. Some times physical limitations or money or time may mean that person isnt a stellar rider themselves but more than capable of showing how to correct a fault to improve that persons riding :)
 
my first instructor had a instructors certificate but was not the best, i learn't the basics of walk trot canter and jumping but the best instructor ive ever had competed up to novice affiliated in eventing (he probably could have gone a long way if he had more time to compete) and had lots of BHS qualifications/certificates you name it,
he was fab and a amazing rider, if we where struggling he would borrow our hat and get on the horse himself to show us which i found really useful and i loved watching him ride as he was just fabulous, never looked like he was moving a muscle but the horse went perfectly, my main amibition is to ride like him but i think he just has a lot of natural talent! his teaching ability was amazing too, learnt more from him than any other instructor (and ive had quite a few) and would come out of a lesson buzzing because id learnt so much, im not sure if him being a amazing rider had anything to do with it but my first instructor was a good rider (not as good as him) but a rubbish instructor, but ive never had a bad rider who is a good instructor so i don't really know!
 
For me to respect the opinion of an instructor they have to have ridden to a much higher level than the one at which I am aiming to compete. They don't have to be riding at that level now, but must still be involved in the discipline whether as a listed judge, BS registered trainer etc.

Some good riders aren't good teachers, but there are enough good riders who ARE good teachers, so why not have one of those? Also, when producing a young horse, its pretty handy to take advice from someone who has produced lots to top level.
 
Where a technical intervention needs to be made, for sure a good rider is more likely I think to be able to provide the requisite information and sequencing of actions. And if I were to be looking to an instructor to instill in me the confidence to compete at a certain level and under certain circumstances, then yes I would like to have the peace of mind of having seen him/her do so without obvious nerves and to a fair result. But for where you need more than just just technical accuracy and a good eye for situation and timing, for me the key is someone who has the coaching expertise to push me through my mental barriers while working within my physical constraints.
In a game where the 'try' of both horse and rider can be so influential in how a run is finally scored, bringing out the confidence to sometimes throw caution to the wind without undermining the horse's willingness is key.
 
Cortez said:
If an instructor cannot teach THEMSELVES to ride, how are they ever going to teach you?
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Not sure if you mean it this way but that implies to me that any instructor worth their salt would just be naturally brilliant in the saddle... Never having needed an instructor in their past... :confused:

There's a difference between a competent rider and someone with far superior natural talent... I don't necessarily believe that means the competent person can't train someone to a higher level than they can achieve themselves...
 
I had a good instructor but when I didnt get what she was trying to teach me she would not get on my horse to show me so I lost faith and although my horse was not naughty I decided she was a bit frightened. More talk than action!
I stumbled by chance on a riding establishment a bit of a drive for me for my children(recommended) and the owner and her staff were brilliant, they run pony club and I really enjoyed and learnt a lot from watching. If a horse was not doing it right or being badly behaved(not often) one of them would get on. They backed horses and would bring them on. I could have spent all day watching. I havent been for a few years now but the same instructors are still there. Owners would box their horses for lessons at the yard and it was great to watch the going ons and the help they gave to owners having issues.

There is a difference and this school was run by really keen, caring and a lifetime of experience riders(with mixed abilities). The instructors would also freelance too if you needed a lesson at home on your horse.

So sorry for long post yes I think so. But I think a good rider can be a good teacher and not necessarily qualified instructor. There are some folks who drive in our village and are about 100 years old and they just know their stuff but arent qualified. Years of experience.
 
I want an instructor that can ride my horse and give me tips on how to improve my riding and my horses way of going, if they're not a good rider I personally don't think that they could improve my riding as much as someone that can ride.

This is not to say that a bad or average rider can't be a good instructor either just depends on the level or horse you ride.
 
Well, I am NOT a very good rider. I get by and on a really good horse I can push the buttons, but my body has never moved in a way that makes me a fabulous rider.

However...........

In a month I managed to teach someone ot ride to the standard that a college and their instructors believed she had been riding for a few years - and she was even placed in the group ABOVE me.............she did have some natural talent though.

I know what a horse goings reasonably well looks like, but I cannot feel it when on a horse, I just cant.

I think that after a certain level though, you need someone who has the actual working experience, but for the lower levels, they can be a good teacher but not able to ride to that standard.
 
Hi,

This one depends on the person really. I have been around some fantastic riders who really can't teach and around instructors who know what to do and can train someone but don't have the skill themselves to do it.

Difficult one this but i'd be more inclined towards an instructor who really can ride - perhaps more intimidating to begin with but you have a benchmark to aim for.
 
The best instructor I ever had was someone who had no qualifications whatsoever.
Just thought as well, most professional riders teach but don't necessarily have any qualifications ... and some of them very young riders.
 
As an instructor, I find it very helpful to be able to get on a horse - either to explain to the horse (or the rider), or to assess whether a particular training issue is based with the horse's understanding (or the rider) I have on occasion been surprised by what the horse showed me, compared to how I had assessed the combination from the ground.

I've had lessons from brilliant instructors who don't ride and brilliant riders who weren't on my wavelength at all. I've never been bothered about qualifications - although I have lots of them, I've always gained clients from my competition record or word of mouth - no one has ever asked me what exams I've got.

I think one of the major factors in being a successful instructor is empathy with the combination, while being a good rider, you only have to have the connection with the horse.

I don't think there's a real answer to this question as different training styles will suit one rider and won't suit another - I think a good instructor has to care about the results of each training session, has to like the horse and rider in front of them and has to want to communicate well with them both. Whether they are successful doing this from the ground or from the back of a horse is reasonably irrelevant.
 
As someone who recently had to source out a new riding instructor... Yes I do think they have to be able to ride!

You can't expect to reach Grand Prix if you're riding with an instructor who has never sat a leg yield - to be able to explain something you must be able to do it. For example, I could read as many books on the subject as I wanted - but I'd never be able to tell someone how to wire a circuit if I've never done it myself
 
Not exactly the same, but I had an art teacher in college who didn't draw as well as me, but he still taught me how to better my art. He spotted things I didn't.

I'd like a riding instructor to be able to at least be able to handle a horse on the ground with confidence and competence, because if I were to come off and hurt myself, I wouldn't want to also have a loose horse running around with someone too scared to go near it.
 
i have been looking for a new instructor lately and have found the best judge of whether i will like them or not has been watching their pupils ride, and how they train them.
 
overtherainbow said:
i have found the best judge of whether i will like them or not has been watching their pupils ride, and how they train them.
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I agree with the above. The best instructor I had had no formal qualifcations whatsoever, but had trained in Portugal classically. When I was having an argument in the school on day with my horse, she came in and just put me on the lunge and sorted me out. I had lessons from her for a couple of years after that. She transformed my riding, but most of all changed the way that I THOUGHT about riding and what I was trying to achieve. The old saying "Those who can, do and those who can't, teach" is sometimes quite apt!
Qualifications mean nothing to me and I actually avoid new teachers with BHS qualifications and would never have one. Those I know have only one way of teaching and riding and can't see outside the box.To them, the BHS way is the bible way. The older ones who did their exams years ago have come round to different ways of tackling issues.
 
Qualifications are another subject entirely, but they don't mean a person can either teach OR ride. Just that they can pass exams (I have BHS, and other, qualifications, BTW, and can honestly say I didn't learn a single useful, practical thing from the BHS system).
 
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