Have you ever been taught by someone famous??

Interesting comments about Yogi Breisner - I found him to be inspirational when I had a TB who decided that it no longer wanted to jump. One lesson with him and we were jumping smallish courses - by the end of the second lesson the horse (as far as I can remember) won every jumping competition we did.

However, this was a horse that was taking the piss rather than being young or green. THe methods we used would not have been suitable on a horse that was confused about what was expected of it.

Also enjoyed some lessons with Tim Stockdale.
 
Lucinda Green Clinic - good in some ways although disapointing as i was in a group with 1 person who fell off & the horse refused to be caught for ages, & a really smart horse that she loved, so my slightly large headed stubbourn racehorse didn't really get any specific attention, although i had a nice time

Mary Wanless clinic - Raved about my breathing, which was weird

Billy Twomey - V. good, even if he did tell me to sell both my horses & buy a decent one, didn't have a clue about eventing though, which was amusing when i asked him if he thought my horse would jump round a PN, but would def recommend him for SJ

Currently train with Michael Owen (not the footballer ha ha) and he is BRILLIANT, really firm, but really improved me & my horse (that i think he likes!) for the 1st time in a long while i've got a trainer that i feel gets me & my riding style, and having lessons from an event rider rather than indivdual people for each discipline, has really helped me feel everything is there & coming together (see note about BT, while great for my SJ, wasn't that good for getting a feel for how to react to how the season progressed)

i'll be sticking with MO, and having the odd bit of dressage training from a well repected local trainer, who i've gone to on & off for years when i have chance!
 
racingdemon said:
Lucinda Green Clinic - good in some ways although disapointing as i was in a group with 1 person who fell off & the horse refused to be caught for ages, & a really smart horse that she loved, so my slightly large headed stubbourn racehorse didn't really get any specific attention, although i had a nice time

Mary Wanless clinic - Raved about my breathing, which was weird

Billy Twomey - V. good, even if he did tell me to sell both my horses & buy a decent one, didn't have a clue about eventing though, which was amusing when i asked him if he thought my horse would jump round a PN, but would def recommend him for SJ

Currently train with Michael Owen (not the footballer ha ha) and he is BRILLIANT, really firm, but really improved me & my horse (that i think he likes!) for the 1st time in a long while i've got a trainer that i feel gets me & my riding style, and having lessons from an event rider rather than indivdual people for each discipline, has really helped me feel everything is there & coming together (see note about BT, while great for my SJ, wasn't that good for getting a feel for how to react to how the season progressed)

i'll be sticking with MO, and having the odd bit of dressage training from a well repected local trainer, who i've gone to on & off for years when i have chance!
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Awwwww, glad you have found someone that understands you and your horse :D x
 
Aces_High I would die off if I was work riding with any of that lot - how amazing?

I had a lesson with Peter Murphy who was very good, but basically picked up everything my regular trainer was working with me on anyway (though he did teach me a nifty little trick to 'close down' my horse without looking like I was pulling about - have found it useful riding pointers as well!). Had the rather intimidating experience of having Geoff Billington warming me up for a 1.20m class one day on my 15.2hh ex riding school coloured horse. It was really decent of him to help me as he was also riding in the class and was probably a bit short of time to be fair (someone else put him up to building my practice fences, I'd NEVER have been brave enough to ask...)
 
Worked on Karen Dixon's yard for a bit, absolutely love being taught by her, but was rather "omg!!" when I first met her, I remember being a pony-obsessed kid reading about her in horse and pony magazine...!
Had a xc lesson with jeanette brakewell a while ago, and must admit I didn't find her helpful but know other people do.
Oh and had a lesson with John Ledingham last year (not sure if he really counts as 'famous'...) and thought he was seriously good, had my very baby ex racer in a group with 2 professional sj-ers (on their foxhunter horses!) and he still managed to be really good and made sure the clinic worked for all of us. I really hope I can see him again in the future now my horse actually does canter!
 
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Harvey Smith is my most famous - he was brilliant. I know he isn't many people's cup of tea but I liked his style.

Luis Cervera a lot when I was young and lived in Spain, excellent.

Mary Wanless - the deconstruct thing completely and utterly ruined my riding. I lost so much of my feel TBH and it was years ago and I am still trying to get back to where I was. HOWEVER, she was brilliant at explaining body awareness and I use that a LOT, so good and bad there. I too used Sam who used to run her yard and as with SC, his way suited me a lot better and is highly recommended.

Duncan Inglis - used to work for him.

Was supposed to have a lesson with Michael Whitaker but my horse was ill *sob*

A person who has been mentioned here as good and bad, bad, bad, bad for me.

Another who has been mentioned as bad who I love!

There are others but I am old and my brain does not work very quickly!
 
Many years ago I did a clinic with Lionel Dunning - he didn't quite know what to do with a long-striding 14.2 that could take out / add in strides at whim bouncing doubles and making it look easy.
Other than that - lessons with people that have trained top riders - Derek Watts was fab with the pony mentioned above. George Edwins - brilliant with older BSJA ponies, or for giving rider confidence - he used to be able to talk me round a track up to about 5ft high on a 14.2 which I wouldn't attempt now, and teaches a lot of jump jockeys. Got hollered at on a few occasions by Andrew Davies' mum Gillian - now that is one scary lady! Picked up tips from David Broome when competing against his eldest son.
One person that I wish I'd had a lesson with was William Funnel - he partnered my younger bro in the mini-major at Olympia and was brilliant, walking the course and helping him warm up which was far more than most of the other "major's" did.
 
Many many years ago I had lessons with Ted Williams, fantastic, I rode 14.2's then, more recently Ollie Townend (fab, he really was down to earth and not arrogant at all), Ken Clawson (made me bl**dy work, but good), Tracie Robinson (wow, she really got a tune out of us) and best one for me was with JP Sheffield (really understanding and he never pushed us too far out of our comfort zone, well recoomended).

Would love to have a lesson with Ollie again, but also William and Pippa Funnell.
 
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wow, some great names there :D and sounds as if some people have had some great times :D

Heidi - Very very very very jealous that you had a lesson with Oli, i can't express how much i want one with him :D

I do love this thread :p it's so nice to see who people have been taught by and how they rate that person, a few names i don't think i want a lesson with but loads i want lessons with :D x
 
Horsecrazy - get in touch with those you fancy having a lesson with.
Most are usually accessable via clinics or directly.
Obviously some have a minimum level they will teach - too many wanting lessons, but you should be able to train with someone.
Guess i'm saying, don't wait for a competition win to fulfill your dreams - I think you can get it sooner than that :-)
 
millimoo said:
Horsecrazy - get in touch with those you fancy having a lesson with.
Most are usually accessable via clinics or directly.
Obviously some have a minimum level they will teach - too many wanting lessons, but you should be able to train with someone.
Guess i'm saying, don't wait for a competition win to fulfill your dreams - I think you can get it sooner than that :-)
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Awwww thanks, yeah i know what you mean. This might sound stupid but how would i contact them directly?? xx
 
kerilli said:
It depends who it is, really. If it's a top eventer, their contact details might well be on the BE register of trainers, which is on the BE website here:
http://www.britisheventing.com/page.asp?section=110&sectionTitle=BE+Accredited+Coaches+List

If they're not there, ask on here, someone will probably have contact details.

If it's someone a long way away from you, perhaps you could organise a clinic to make i worth their while to make the trip.
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Thanks, that is really helpful. I would love a lesson with Oli Townend :D x
 
horsecrazy, i have his email addy (well, his PA answers his emails because he's so busy, but messages get to him) so if you want to organise a clinic, or go for a lesson, that's the way to find out if he might be available etc. pm me if you want it.
 
Had a lesson with Robert Pickles once - enjoyed it but probably would have got more from it had I been on something I knew how to ride (had never sat on the horse beforehand).

He was good but I was getting more from my own instructors at the time
 
teapot said:
Had a lesson with Robert Pickles once - enjoyed it but probably would have got more from it had I been on something I knew how to ride (had never sat on the horse beforehand).

He was good but I was getting more from my own instructors at the time
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Awwwww bless, at least you go on well with him and liked him as some people on this thread have had bad experiences x
 
When I was younger and competing purely BSJA - Stephen Hadley several times (fantastic person) - I featured in 'Horse' magazine years ago after also attending a clinic with him. Also Andrew Hamilton.

Recently since moving to Eventing - Andrew Hamilton again, David Gatherer (the best), Les Smith (scary) and Caroline Powell (had me jumping HUGE fences :)
Susan Dunlop for Dressage (she is very patient with my rubbish flatwork!)


Also had a horse broken in during a demonstration at the Yorkshire Riding Centre by Richard Maxwell - was brilliant as he really did sit on her and trot her round after 30 mins (she had only ever been walked on a halter - and she kicked him during the demo!)



Would love lessons with Ruth Edge and plan to go early next year - not sure if any scottish eventers would be interested in joining me for a 2 day clinic? could be a laugh!
 
carolinefox1 said:
When I was younger and competing purely BSJA - Stephen Hadley several times (fantastic person) - I featured in 'Horse' magazine years ago after also attending a clinic with him. Also Andrew Hamilton.

Recently since moving to Eventing - Andrew Hamilton again, David Gatherer (the best), Les Smith (scary) and Caroline Powell (had me jumping HUGE fences :)
Susan Dunlop for Dressage (she is very patient with my rubbish flatwork!)


Also had a horse broken in during a demonstration at the Yorkshire Riding Centre by Richard Maxwell - was brilliant as he really did sit on her and trot her round after 30 mins (she had only ever been walked on a halter - and she kicked him during the demo!)



Would love lessons with Ruth Edge and plan to go early next year - not sure if any scottish eventers would be interested in joining me for a 2 day clinic? could be a laugh!
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Awwww bless, sounds as if you have had some great lessons :D Ruth Edge would be lush xx

The breaking in part is amazing. Not so good about kick :p x
 
I'm taught by Georgie Davies, who I absolutley love, totally fab and really gets the best out of me and the Beast. I also have the occasional lesson with Paul Hayler (Dressage rider and European Pony (dressage) Selector) can also really recommend him, really lovely way of teaching. :D
 
Yess, I have...

Polly Stockton - bit disappointing. Supposed to have 40mins SJing lesson, only had 20mins, and when I had a little run out at a wall three times (oops) her only advice was 'try again'. Might've been a bad day as one of my friends swears by her.

Emily Gilruth, did work experience with her. Didn't find her too helpful on my naughty horse (refuses last second) as all she shouted was 'go on, go on' which didn't really give me much to work off. But then on well behaved horse she was good :)

Richard Carruthers. His methods really, really don't work for me. He had us walking up to a jump claiming horses should have enough impulsion to get over it. I had only had my horse a few weeks and asked if I could trot up to it, cue a very angry outburst from him. Fell off that lesson too, really knocked my confidence. Still...

Louise Lyons! Oh my goodness. That woman was like a god! I was petrified of my horse at the time (XC) and she took the whole group so slowly. Didn't only tap into the horses mindset but mine as well by asking me to give leads to the nervous horses, as a sort of incentive to get over the jumps I think. Really worked for me, and we were jumping into the water and just flying over Novice jumps that day. Flatwork with her was very good as well. Excellent instructress!
 
CaleruxShearer said:
I'm taught by Georgie Davies, who I absolutley love, totally fab and really gets the best out of me and the Beast. I also have the occasional lesson with Paul Hayler (Dressage rider and European Pony (dressage) Selector) can also really recommend him, really lovely way of teaching. :D[/

Awww wow, glad you had a successful lesson and i bet it feels great to know that the instructor has got the best out of you and your horse :) xx
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Solo1 said:
Yess, I have...

Polly Stockton - bit disappointing. Supposed to have 40mins SJing lesson, only had 20mins, and when I had a little run out at a wall three times (oops) her only advice was 'try again'. Might've been a bad day as one of my friends swears by her.

Emily Gilruth, did work experience with her. Didn't find her too helpful on my naughty horse (refuses last second) as all she shouted was 'go on, go on' which didn't really give me much to work off. But then on well behaved horse she was good :)

Richard Carruthers. His methods really, really don't work for me. He had us walking up to a jump claiming horses should have enough impulsion to get over it. I had only had my horse a few weeks and asked if I could trot up to it, cue a very angry outburst from him. Fell off that lesson too, really knocked my confidence. Still...

Louise Lyons! Oh my goodness. That woman was like a god! I was petrified of my horse at the time (XC) and she took the whole group so slowly. Didn't only tap into the horses mindset but mine as well by asking me to give leads to the nervous horses, as a sort of incentive to get over the jumps I think. Really worked for me, and we were jumping into the water and just flying over Novice jumps that day. Flatwork with her was very good as well. Excellent instructress!
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Awww sorry to hear you didn't have very good lessons with a few of the people but glad that the Louise helped you and your horse :D x
 
Mary Wanless - Made me cry - flipping awful in many ways...some useful stuff on my legs...that was about it

Mary King - Good, BUT it was a group of 5 of us and at 80 squid not really worth it. I was a xmas present to myself.
 
Matthew Wright - I did a xc clinic with him on Flynn a couple of years back, he just pointed at jumps at went 'go on then', I thought :confused: but how? But after he watched us go over a few he told me where I was going wrong & what I needed to do about it. He was so (w)right (:o). It was a turning point for us ;) So that was well worthwhile.

Lucinda Green - I treated me & Mrs P to a place on a clinic with her as a late 40th birthday present to myself. It was dream come true and she was brilliant - I will forever be approaching jumps thinking 'BALLS TO THE FORE!!!' :D! They say you should never meet your heroes because you'll be let down, well not this time ;)
 
Charlotte Bathe (was Hollingsworth when she won her medals), not particulary famous, but anyone who can win Burghley and two team gold medals is good enough for me, and seeing them in her sitting room is inspiring.
She really helped me with my welshy, and as helped my riding so much, i have also had lessons on a couple of her horses to work on my riding which was fabulous.
Was going to go to Kenneth Clawson but sadly pony had to be pts rather suddenly so never happened.
 
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