Following on from Daisydo's lead rein thread

[much-jittering]

How did you learn to ride? I was taught on the lunge as I learnt to ride via private lessons at a riding school rather than on own pony. I don't remember ever being lead until doing young/silly horses a lot later on! When I've discussed this with people before I think I'm in a minority, so wondered what about you lot?

However the majority of kids who come to the yard I work at want to ride in a group, either for value for money or for riding with others (and I do agree that having others to watch really helps beginners), and so they learn on the lead as lunging isn't practical. That said they tend to only actually be attached at the very start, rapidly progresses to somebody walking alongside and holding on when it gets more complicated If I do have somebody who is wanting private lessons they tend to start off on the lead but I always take the opportunity to whack a lunge lesson in as soon as possible, but due to only having reasonably large lunge ponies who lunge on autopilot they have to have experienced trot etc before they go on the lunge in my current situation - and in my current lead rein groups you can tell the kids who've had extra private lessons and had some time on the lunge.

 

[CatStew]

Due to my dads work, my mum, dad and I moved to Holland when I was 6 and a lot of the girls at my school went riding, which is why I wanted to start.. I wanted to be one of the cool kids and fit in with everybody else!!

When I was about 8 or 9 I think, I had pestered my mum and dad so much for lessons, but they didn't think they could afford it (baring in mind I already did karate, gymnastics and was on the local youth swimming team) so they would hire out a pony for me every few months and lead me out on a hack for about half an hour or so.

My mum was 'horsey' from a young age, but gave up as her horse passed away shortly before she married my dad and had me, so she was able to teach me the basics such as how to hold the reins, how to sit in the correct position, how to steer and how to rise to the trot. When they felt I was safe enough to stay in control by myself they put the rope over the ponys neck, but still ran next to me just in case!

This went on until they decided that it would be best for me to start proper riding lessons. My 10th birthday present was riding lessons at a local riding school, in my first lesson I remember a girl walking next to me first of all, but I don't think I was actually lead? I do remember the pony I was riding running off with me and doing a few strides of canter which I found really exciting whilst I think my mum was having palpitations!!

It's quite funny to think that it was my mum that initnially taught me, now its usually me giving her lessons!!

 

[Megibo]

don't remember to be honest
had a pony when i was 4 and it was sold because i showed no interest. then spent the next seven years of my life begging for a horse!
so went to various riding schools instead and settled at a good one.

i truly learnt to ride a real horse when my own pony was bought for me. i was a tiny 11 year old and she was a green bolshy welsh. took me a year and a half and numerous lessons, but i soon learnt how to sit naps, bucks, spins etc and she's taught me a lot. I wouldn't be much of a rider had i not had my own horse that turned out to be the type to try it on IMO.

 

[Onyxia]

My very first lesson was with a leader at a holiday camp,then my bloody stupid non horsey mother told the local RS I had been on a riding holiday and could do it all so I was chucked up on a pony and told to get on with it!
I think it was week 4 or 5 that the RI was chatting to my brother and found out what had really happened on the "riding holiday"

After that,my mother stopped my lessons So my riding consisted of beg,borrowed and saved up for via my lunch money lessons No leader.


Son,on the other hand goes to a proper RS.
He started on the lead rein and now his confidence is getting up he has a helper with him but not holding on.

I agree lunge lessons are amazing and bring any rider on leaps and bounds,but think the intense nature of them is too much for most young children who should be having fun while picking bits and bobs up along the way IMO

 

[Cop-Pop]

I was plonked on the back of a little pony and that was it - I was about 5. I started lessons when I was 9 when the pony I rode at home was retired I never went on the lead rein and I fell off a fair bit but both mum and dad used to ride as kids and were fairly blase abt it all

 

[much-jittering]

I agree lunge lessons are amazing and bring any rider on leaps and bounds,but think the intense nature of them is too much for most young children who should be having fun while picking bits and bobs up along the way IMO

They're only intense if you make them be though I guess.

All my lead rein riders do work without reins and stirrups anyway on the lead, but there's something about the lunging that really helps certain things when starting, I think the fact that you can go for a trot for longer as the leader doesn't keel over etc - how many times have people watched kids on the lead rein go for a very short trot and have to stop just as they're getting their rising established?

 

[Mince Pie]

I was put on a lunge rein for at least 4 months (possible 6) with no stirrups. Did wonders for my seat although I haven't worked without stirrups for ages so it's all gone to pot now anyway!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I was dumped on a pony before I could walk and lead out for hacks as my mother wanted to ride her horse and couldn't take me in the pushchair! SHe taught me all the basics when I was very young and I went to my first proper riding lesson when I was 4.5yo. By then I was quite happy to walk, trot and do little bits of canter. I was there for 2 years then went private. Although that didn't last long as we moved to Scotland. I then started riding someone elses pony as I didn't have one of my own and had 3 private lessons a week at a top riding school with the best instructor there so I could go out in the show ring and do the pony justice. I was 8 at the time. My mother then got me another pony of my own when I was 10 - a 2yo shetland colt. She gelded him and told me that if I wanted to show him I would have to make him. So when I was 10.5yo with my 3yo wild beast I broke him in. I can't have done that badly as in his first season showing as a 4yo under saddle he won nigh on 70 rosettes, rarely out of the top 4, went anywhere, did anything - except handy pony - he buggered off with ne doing that!

I honestly think being given a blank cavass was the making of me. I now mix riding racehorses with breaking and showing natives and would say I could pretty much stick like glue onto anything a pony or horse throws at me - just don't as me to jump - I'm not very good at that

 

[SpottyTB]

I was never lead either

My first lesson I won at a school charity auction! It was with a family, non of whom were qualified but they did have a range of ponies and horses!

After my first lesson I started having more and more riding there, if I came off I came off and I got back on and tried again!

My first canter was out hacking on a 30 year old 13.2 pony, I was only 5 she flowed into canter and I remember looking back at the girl I was with going "do I keep rising?" and I got "SIT!!" in reply!!

Best way to learn just a lot of time and fun with the ponies!