Has anyone ever trained with Ernest Dillon?

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ecrozier

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Exactly as per title! RC have a session booked and am thinking of going with Roo, just wondered if anyone has any positive/negative experiences?
 
Yes and I still would if any of the EC s round me used him. He gave me quite possibly the best SJ lessons I have ever had so much so that despite only having had 2 or 3 lessons and not for maybe 6 years I can still hear him ringing in my head when jumping a course of show jumps.

He takes a bit of getting used to as he can be quite hard (but all for your own good), he comes away with some cracking tongue in cheek sexist comments some times too but as long as you are not over sensitive and just realise that it is his sense of humour, you will get on just fine.

I would recommend him - but don't expect an easy time of it ;-)
 
Thanks seahorse - in what sense not everyone's cup of tea? I'm pretty easygoing about trainers, the one thing I need to avoid at the mo is someone who looks at my horse and sees he is scopey and whacks everything up to 1m+ - I KNOW he can jump big however we need to focus on his canter and shortening his stride when necesssary not just jumping big! Had a bit of a disasterous session last year when he was presented with a 90cm one stride double he tried to bounce - he cleared it but scared himself in the process!
 
Not had a lesson with him but watched one up yard and i quite liked the way he taught. He had been theaching the girl for a while so had a good rapor with each other but he was still tough on her. Found him quite down to earth but very tell it as it is and make you work. Would have loved a lesson with him but not sure my confidence would have coped at the time, now i think he would do me the world of good :o
 
Ok thanks all. I can definately take criticism (my flat instructor is a real marmite type, I love her but others hate her as she can be extremely blunt!!) but just don't need someone taking one look at my horse and either a) assuming I want to be jumping silly heights right now or b) thinking I have overhorsed myself! Tbf had a few different instructors and no one said that but am fully aware that we are learning together to an extent so do meed someone reasonably sympathetic to that! But can certainly take being yelled at - am used to that!
 
Never again......... Making jockey pull up 2 strides out and adding strides all the time, "he is only a pony" was all we heard, we persisted for 5 very expensive lessons as we thought maybe there was a point to this but in the end both pony and jockey had their confidence in each other was shattered and their canter quality destroyed, in the last lesson I think they finally trotted over a small cross pole, pony was just stopping at fence after fence. Before they went they were happily hopping round BN and 1m Amateur horse classes. We had to go back to basics to get the canter back, Seriously, if it was a 3 stride, he had to do 4, 4,6. Maybe he would be different with a horse but I would not take a pony to him again. He is a full up 148cm with a decent length of stride, not a stuffy type.

Didn't find him rude or anything - it was just his methods that I would question!
 
I am about to do a 3day clinic with him and I can't wait! The difference after only 2 lessons with him has been amazing! For the first time everything is making sense my mares ehole attitude has changed. He can be sexist and you need to have a sense of humour but that's what makes the lessons so enjoyable for me as I try not to take myself too seriously. I would highly recommend you try him I have found that the best way to find trainers is by joing these sorts of clinics is the perfect way to try before you buy.

I hope you enjoy let's us know what you think.
 
Wow mixed reviews. Have booked myself in, will see how youngster is going before deciding whether to take him or my older more establised one! He might not love the way older boy jumps but we have spent many years finding the best method for him and one lesson wouldn't alter that too much at his age!
 
Have worked with him as a trainer for a long time - he comes here every month and I recommend him. He has over the years given me skills I never thought I could master and that has allowed me to ride horses that would have been well out of my league had I not had the right help. (I still have a long way to go though :) )Someone posted here that he took away a horses canter and kept adding strides - Don't know them obviously but that's not my experience - he is totally focussed on the quality of the canter that you jump from - but very much for allowing the horse to come to the fence without the rider pulling or pushing and getting in the way.
He is very good also at spotting exactly what a rider can do individually to help their riding as he has been teaching so many different people for so long.
He can be a tough taskmaster as others have said but that is normally only once he knows you and your horse as a combination. But I do think he is one of these trainers that you either get on with and like or not - He's pretty black and white. C'est la Vie.
The thing that I like is that he is very much about making sure that your riding is the best that it can be - don't tell him your horse won't do this or that! He'll tell you that it's you not the horse! :) And if you have a specific problem he's usually got a pretty good idea of how to help you. Hope you enjoy your lesson if you have one
 
I've only had one lesson with him, I sneaked in for one when he was visiting the local pony club. :D I would love to have regular lessons with him.

We spent a lot of time working on the quality of the canter to get my mare really really going forward. He says it as it is. I got told my mare was lazy and I was being ineffective, not very nice to hear when you already feel like crap, but he'd totally hit the nail on the head.

I went not having a huge amount of confidence, and he was very scary, but when we started jumping he really put the emphasis on getting that 'vavavoom' canter and then letting my mare take care of the rest. He kept telling me that there was no way I'd be able to mess it up if I got her going forwards as she is a willing sort, and he was right. At the end he gave some really good feedback, and the week after we went and jumped a double clear at a ODE.

I can still hear his voice ringing in my ears as I come to a fence, 'FOOOORWAAAAAAAAARDS!' :)
 
Daveismy cat... 'Forwaaaaard' cracked me up! That is totally Ernest!
I love him - he's transformed me (rusty, not jumped for 10 years, not v brave) and my horse (6yr old who'd be overfaced and put off, stopped given half a chance and generally didn't think he wanted to jump) into a pair that now really love popping round a course with a big smile on both our faces. We only jump up to 90cm at the moment but we do it with confidence and enjoyment.
We have lessons through RC once a month (up in Scotland). First few months we spent getting going forwaaaaaards and now we are focussing much more on getting power in the canter rather than speed. Ernest has done wonders, he is always very careful to ensure confidence builds and stays in the horse, as well as the rider.
Also had a flat lesson with him recently as not really fit enough to jump after the winter, that was quite a revelation too and some great results.

I can appreciate people saying he may be a little 'direct' in approach, but frankly I can't stand trainers that faff around just flattering and telling you good things that are nice to hear. He's by no means fierce or mean though, and is also quick to praise when you do a good job and when you listen and do what you're asked. Hoenst, straightforward and no bull!
 
i have, and I really liked him. Whats more, Im not someone who does bsja... i went along with my little 14.3hh at the time ,was really lacking confidence and said I wouldnt jump over 2ft6:o I was also 30 years of age, but he didnt make ay comments about the whole 'adult on a pony' thing.

Yes he was a hard task master, sarcastic and a very dry sense of humour BUT i found very likeable and he said he enjoyed teaching us because we took on board what he said and he could see us trying very very hard to get it right. I remember having repeated stops at a big X pole and almost coming off... i trotted away fighting back the tears and was physically shaking I was so flippin scared of coming off again. To be fair to ED he was really very sensitive about it and while he didnt let us off with it he didnt push me to panic point, which i was afraid someone like him might do. We suceeded in the end :)

Id defo go back to him now with my new horse - he taught me more about the quality of the canter that anyone else ever has and like others have said,it stays with you.
 
I think you either like him or don't. I like him, used to have lessons with him until he stopped coming to the area. He can be quite tough. He doesnt stand for any rubbish. He's slightly scary so really makes you ride which I like, but some people hate that. I'd say try him.
 
I would never go back to him! He has done clinics almost everywhere (in scotland) and once he has pissed most people off he goes to a new place and starts all over again. He sold a couple of people i know very over priced horses that haven't worked out! he seems only to be interested in the money.
 
Hi DaveIsMyCat - sorry, I posted then forgot to check back on the thread. It is Strathearn RC, and the lessons are held near Cleish in a lovely indoor arena.
If you want, PM me your email address and I will give it to the person who organises the lessons to get in touch with you.
 
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