Have you ever been taught by someone famous??

I've had lessons with Paul Darragh, Francis Connors, Robert Splaine and Joan Greene for show jumping.

For dressage, I've had lessons with Emile Faurie, Jennie Loriston Clarke (she was incredible), Anna Ross-Davies, Nicola McGivern, David Pincus, Serena Pincus, Gareth Hughes, can't remember who else!

best one off lessons ever: probably with Paul Darragh and Jennie L-C, but for consistency of training, Emile Faurie is the best IMHO.
 
I won a horse mag masterclass lesson with Emile Faurie last year which was great and have been a demo rider for Mary Wanless...would repeat the Emile in a flash but not the MW if I had to choose!!...
 
Ummm, lots, over the years...
Lucinda Green clinics (3, on different horses), really excellent.
Ginny Leng clinics (quite a few times), good for real exactitude, no good for bolstering the confidence though!
Ian Stark clinic (brilliant, told it just how it was, one of the best instructors I've ever found)
Robin Leyland (old-time Team GB showjumper), he was absolutely excellent, very sadly passed away now.
Leslie Law when I worked for him. Honestly can't remember anything other than being told off for hailing a taxi!
Harriet was-to-be-Law when I worked for Leslie. Very good on flatwork.
Nick Burton when I went to him very regularly, when he was competing at 4*. Very very good at flatwork but tbh I think I wasn't good enough to benefit enough from his expertise at the time...
Anne-Marie Taylor xc clinics - very good.
Yogi Breisner - least said, the better. He must have been having a very off day, because everyone else rates him very highly.
JP Sheffield - really really good.
Ken Clawson - ditto, except he rushed me into something when I needed a minute to chill out, which wasn't great, and made it worse!
Andrew Nicholson - very very good, scathing when I managed to fall off in front of him when mare left a leg (only time I ever came off the flipping thing, ever!), but excellent instruction.
probably lots of others that I can't recall at present...!
 
kerilli said:
Ummm, lots, over the years...
Lucinda Green clinics (3, on different horses), really excellent.
Ginny Leng clinics (quite a few times), good for real exactitude, no good for bolstering the confidence though!
Ian Stark clinic (brilliant, told it just how it was, one of the best instructors I've ever found)
Robin Leyland (old-time Team GB showjumper), he was absolutely excellent, very sadly passed away now.
Leslie Law when I worked for him. Honestly can't remember anything other than being told off for hailing a taxi!
Harriet was-to-be-Law when I worked for Leslie. Very good on flatwork.
Nick Burton when I went to him very regularly, when he was competing at 4*. Very very good at flatwork but tbh I think I wasn't good enough to benefit enough from his expertise at the time...
Anne-Marie Taylor xc clinics - very good.
Yogi Breisner - least said, the better. He must have been having a very off day, because everyone else rates him very highly.
JP Sheffield - really really good.
Ken Clawson - ditto, except he rushed me into something when I needed a minute to chill out, which wasn't great, and made it worse!
Andrew Nicholson - very very good, scathing when I managed to fall off in front of him when mare left a leg (only time I ever came off the flipping thing, ever!), but excellent instruction.
probably lots of others that I can't recall at present...!
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Thats amazing, you are very lucky, i would love to have some lessons with some of those people :D x
 
Oh, I forgot:
Arno Nessen, European SJ trainer who was utterly brilliant, and, amazingly, got me to ride my event mare till she was going better on the flat than anyone else had ever managed...!
Won a lesson with Matt Ryan, thanks to Supastuds, he was really really good too, the perfect combination of humorous and exacting.
Yes, very lucky. :) :)
 
Oh, and Mary Wanless... she sort of deconstructs ones riding, rearranges one slightly, so that what feels easy and normal feels totally weird... but I found her good, wasn't put off, would prob go to her if she was local, as I liked the results even if, because it was just one long session, it didn't last long enough to become a habit.
 
kerilli said:
Oh, and Mary Wanless... she sort of deconstructs ones riding, rearranges one slightly, so that what feels easy and normal feels totally weird... but I found her good, wasn't put off, would prob go to her if she was local, as I liked the results even if, because it was just one long session, it didn't last long enough to become a habit.
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kerilli - Wow, i bet you have got so much great information of all these amazing people :D

Oh i see about Mary now, thanks for explaining i thought that she was horrid or something. She sounds nice x
 
I train now with someone who uses Mary Wanless principles, but is not quite so dogmatic and aggressive about it. He has deconstructed my riding and put it back together in a much better way. I found Mary very uncompromising and 'my way or the highway' about things. I guess I prefer someone who will explain in a variety of ways...
 
SpottedCat said:
I train now with someone who uses Mary Wanless principles, but is not quite so dogmatic and aggressive about it. He has deconstructed my riding and put it back together in a much better way. I found Mary very uncompromising and 'my way or the highway' about things. I guess I prefer someone who will explain in a variety of ways...
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Thanks for your reply, i know what you mean i think i prefer someone who will explain it aswell x
 
Hi Soupdragon. They were all brilliant & I learned loads from each one. Gareth got me & my young horse going over 10 years ago with basics. Very clearly explaining what aids to use for what & how the rider influences the horse's way of going. When he moved south we started SJ with Richard. He is wonderful for developing rider & horse confidence from pole work basics through to a course & jump off techniques. As horse & I improved I realised I needed help with flatwork so booked a lesson with Ulric at Osbaldeston. He is so knowledgeable & gives me simple tips which really improve what we are trying to do (& which books don't tell you). I have regular monthly lessons with Richard & Ulric & always feel horse has performed so well & improved in what we have worked on. I leave my lessons on a high & with a bit of homework for next time. For me these lessons are just about affordable.
Spencer & Pammy / Charlie are 'one off' occasional lessons, my Christmas & birthday presents to myself.
I went to Spencer a few times when horse was young & I didn't really know enough to do what he was asking me to do. My friend had videoed me & when I look at the video now I realise how good he was. He is very quick to see potential problems & can resolve them before they become problems.
NDG invite Pammy & Charlie to do training at Osbaldeston twice a year. I never thought I was good enough but went to watch a lesson & was hooked! It's not just for members, anyone can go. 3 people share a lesson with both trainers. Either will ride your horse (or not if you don't want them to) Charlie rode mine. They are terrific at finding a way of helping you do anything you find difficult. They don't expect you to be dressage divas & will happily work/ride ordinary horses as well as top level dressage stars. Pammy will draw diagrams to help explain & they both will show you on your horse as well as talk you through it as many times as needed. They know so much, have loads of patience & humour & are down to earth about everything. I'd love to take my horse to Talland for a week but would need to win the lottery first.
 
Had lesson with Jeanette Brakewell .... very good esp with pointers on the flat. Had a few xc clinics with Nick Turner who I found extremely good!

Have been with a friend to Carl Hester lesson... was also good.

Also after watch lesson with Phoebe Buckley at Mrussells yard would be interested in having some with her in the future.

Currently have lessons with local eventer Pip Peters.
 
Went to work for Ken Clawson for 4 months, stayed 5 years, JP Sheffield was stable jockey at the time.
Won lessons with William and Pippa Funnell, written up over two months in Horse and Rider.
Xc clinic with Mark Todd, and Leslie Law.
Sj Steven Hadley.

Learnt alot from all of them, but have also learnt from watching and listening
while others teach.

Have also watched certain people teach and wouldnt go to them for lessons...
 
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In my mad eventing days did a couple of jumping clinics with Stephen Hadley. Really good as I was lacking in confidence after a couple of nasty falls and he worked hard to get both of us confident again.

Dressage mostly (once I realised the mare really didn't want to do showjumping!)
Done one off clinics with Laura Fry, Pammy Hutton and Paul Hayler. All good but got most out of the latter two as my mare was on her worst behaviour for the lesson with Laura.

Trained my old girl regularly with Gareth Hughes with occasional sessions with Stephen Clarke. Both fantastic and taught along the same lines as Gareth started out with Stephen. When Gareth moved I've been down to stay but then mare retired to stud and was a long way to go with the other horse who was not really ata high enough level to justify the trip. Hoping to pick up with him again when my youngster is a bit more established. My old lady is 7/8 TB so not your typical dressage horse and I swear the old bag would sit up and salute when either of them came into the arena!

Also trained both horses regularly with Judy Harvey, although not done much this year as had transport problems and then mare was playing paralympic pone for a friend. She's the only person who has ever been able to get on P and really get the best out of her, although in fairness Gareth is too big for her so never got the chance (he would need roller skates!)

Most recently been working with an Irish chap called Donie McNamara who trians the Irish para team. He is brilliant and really gets the best out of me and my little mare.
 
Was trained by Rob Hoekstra for around 8 years or so...also George Remen...another highly successful Dutch SJ'er...and John Roberts who produced one of Michael Whitakers top GP horses - Warren Point.

More recently Shane Breen.
 
Rambo said:
Was trained by Rob Hoekstra for around 8 years or so...also George Remen...another highly successful Dutch SJ'er...and John Roberts who produced one of Michael Whitakers top GP horses - Warren Point.

More recently Shane Breen.
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Wow, sounds really good. Your the first person to mention Shane Breen i think. I think he is such a lovely man. What is he like to be taught by?
 
I had a lesson with Mary King who rounding off with the immortal words "There are thousands of easy horses out there, it's up to you if you spend time on a difficult one." :D okay, maybe my horse was a little too green for the clinic but actually it gave me a tonne of confidence and even though we didn't jump over about 18inches I was pleased with him.

I would LOVE a lesson with Geoff Billington, he's brilliant!
 
When I was a kid I went to a riding school at Ebford, near Exeter, and was taught by a Captain Hewitt, who was the father of a certain James Hewitt of "Lady Di" fame. Need one say more. I remember he used to wear immaculate white breeches and brown shiney longboots, and used to slap his whip on the side of his boot, which made the horses scoot forward!

We did endless sitting trot, and you had to be able to keep a pound note between your knee and the inside of the saddle!!!

Anyone else go there?
 
Mari said:
Hi Soupdragon. They were all brilliant & I learned loads from each one. Gareth got me & my young horse going over 10 years ago with basics. Very clearly explaining what aids to use for what & how the rider influences the horse's way of going. When he moved south we started SJ with Richard. He is wonderful for developing rider & horse confidence from pole work basics through to a course & jump off techniques. As horse & I improved I realised I needed help with flatwork so booked a lesson with Ulric at Osbaldeston. He is so knowledgeable & gives me simple tips which really improve what we are trying to do (& which books don't tell you). I have regular monthly lessons with Richard & Ulric & always feel horse has performed so well & improved in what we have worked on. I leave my lessons on a high & with a bit of homework for next time. For me these lessons are just about affordable.
Spencer & Pammy / Charlie are 'one off' occasional lessons, my Christmas & birthday presents to myself.
I went to Spencer a few times when horse was young & I didn't really know enough to do what he was asking me to do. My friend had videoed me & when I look at the video now I realise how good he was. He is very quick to see potential problems & can resolve them before they become problems.
NDG invite Pammy & Charlie to do training at Osbaldeston twice a year. I never thought I was good enough but went to watch a lesson & was hooked! It's not just for members, anyone can go. 3 people share a lesson with both trainers. Either will ride your horse (or not if you don't want them to) Charlie rode mine. They are terrific at finding a way of helping you do anything you find difficult. They don't expect you to be dressage divas & will happily work/ride ordinary horses as well as top level dressage stars. Pammy will draw diagrams to help explain & they both will show you on your horse as well as talk you through it as many times as needed. They know so much, have loads of patience & humour & are down to earth about everything. I'd love to take my horse to Talland for a week but would need to win the lottery first.
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Sounds great - must admit woud like to go to Talland also as have a very nice event horse at the moment who could do seriously good dressage - our winter regime!! Have always loved Pammy (and Carl's) commentary at Badminton. There is somewhere reasonably local that has clinics with Spencer but think I would feel inadequate!! Should maybe just bite the bullet and go. Ruth Edge is very local and I'm always full of good intentions to book a lesson but never quite got round to it - have been to a few demos she's done and is very impressive especially on the flat.
 
Dizzle said:
I had a lesson with Mary King who rounding off with the immortal words "There are thousands of easy horses out there, it's up to you if you spend time on a difficult one." :D okay, maybe my horse was a little too green for the clinic but actually it gave me a tonne of confidence and even though we didn't jump over about 18inches I was pleased with him.

I would LOVE a lesson with Geoff Billington, he's brilliant!
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Having had 2 lessons with Geoff in a clinic as an xmas present from my grandfather, i can honestly say it was the biggest waste of time and money!
The first lesson i was told "good"
The second i was told "put your stirrups up a hole!"
That was £60 an hour in a group of 4 lesson!!!
 
Ive had a lesson with Pammy Hutton found her quite good she even said i was a good rider *smug* she wasnt half as scary as i expceted, our RC has her up a few times a year so am going back when she comes up again, also had a lesson with Ulrich Molgard hes good but i have issues with understanding his accent so doesnt work that well and he is well pricey!


Also had a lesson off David Bowen he mainley shouted at me and told me to get on with it, I do not like to jump
 
Yogi Breisner - least said, the better. He must have been having a very off day, because everyone else rates him very highly.

Don't know how to make the quote thing work, but Kerilli said that!

couldn't agree more!
 
horsecrazy25 said:
Wow, sounds really good. Your the first person to mention Shane Breen i think. I think he is such a lovely man. What is he like to be taught by?
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Shane is a really nice guy and his style of teaching i thought was very good. Spent a lot of time on the flatwork and just picking me up on some small things. I only had the one lesson with him in the end...his busy schedule and my broken horse conspired to prevent further visits. He was quite expensive i thought but then i guess with his reputation he can afford to be a bit selwctive.
 
EventerMum said:
Yogi Breisner - least said, the better. He must have been having a very off day, because everyone else rates him very highly.

Don't know how to make the quote thing work, but Kerilli said that!

couldn't agree more!
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Thank heavens for that, I thought I was the only one in the world who doesn't think he's the dbs.
I'll never forget or forgive what he forced my (young, green, big and gangly but very promising) horse to do. Or forgive myself for standing there like a useless muppet and letting him do it... :( :( :(
 
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