Horse Riding : natural ability or a taught thing

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Georgie-

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I'm just curious of opinions as I have often wondered whether any thinks as I do, and since I've recently read the thread on here about what is a 'novice' rider. It got me thinking back to the days when I worked at a riding school.

I did this for about 4 years and from my observation some people that paid for lessons week in week out never seemed to progress or even got the hang of basic riding. I can still see the people now some of them had been riding longer than I'd been there and still just couldn't feel the rhythm to trot still using the horses mouth for balance, or feel a stride up to a jump. Also a pet hate of mine using over exaggerated arm movements to get their horse to turn hands coming up to their chin to stop. I bet you think we just had crappy instructors... We did not we had an array of characters over the years that were very good and knew what they were talking about. I learnt to ride there myself before going back to work there. I’d say 19 out of 20 people would say they learnt to ride well there. But there were just the odd few that just couldn't grasp it not even the basics!

Its the same at my local shows some of the people that go round the show jumping cat leaping fences, getting left behind at every other jump, legs flapping arms above the head, they look like they've never had a lesson in there life, they tell people 'ooh I've been riding for 30 years' and I feel like saying 'really you've subjected numerous horses to that for 30 years!'

Basically what I'm getting at is do you thing horse riding is something that can be taught or do you think you have to have some kind of natural ability/balance/rhythm. Is there a point that people should just call it a day and admit that their hearts just not in it and they just can't do it? I'm not talking about after a few weeks or months but some of the people I've encountered have been going for years!!

I'm not saying every one should be dressage stars or top show jumpers or school masters. I know people enjoy just plodding around myself included in this I love taking my horse for a walk round the woodlands. But everyone should know how to ride correctly if not for the safety of themselves but the comfort of the horse!

:)
 
I think some of it comes down to natural ability yes. I started riding lessons with my friend about 7 years ago. without trying to sound arrogant I did progress much faster than her. None of her family were horsey where as my nan & mum both rode a lot in their teenage years. she quit after about 5 years because she said she did not enjoy it which is fair enough. I however loved it and was so excited for my riding lesson every 2 weeks!! Now i've got a horse share and feel like im learning so much

I doubt it all comes down to natural ability though, but I do think in some cases it helps :)
 
I think it's a bit of both, as with all skills. You can have natural talent, but you still won't make a great rider without practice, being well taught and guided. On the other hand, with very little natural ability, hard work and good teaching can still make a great rider.

I wonder are there people who, no matter how hard they try, will never make a decent rider?
 
I think there has to be a certain amount of natural ability for an instructor to bring out. With horses you have to have a "feel" which cannot be taught. What can be taught is to recognise and respond to this feel, but without it you can spend a kings ransom on tuition and never progress as far as someone else with a natural feel for the horse. I believe this is not just concerned with riding but the general day to day handling as well.
 
I think maybe some people do have a natural ability - I was always told I was a natural when I was younger (probably not so much now, lol) - I never schooled my mare, we would ride for hours out on hacks and she was a hunting machine. I could get on virtually any horse and ride it, probably not 'correctly' though!

Now I am older and more nervous I seem to doubt that ability more - I am trying to ride more from my intuition than how I am 'supposed' to ride and my boy seems to respond much better that way.
 
hollieeb said:
None of her family were horsey where as my nan & mum both rode a lot in their teenage years.
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This seems to suggest you think it's inherited. I know it helps coming from a horsey family, but only because others have knowledge to share with you, plus there are more likely to be opportunities to ride. You may have more confidence too.

Not sure it could be shown to be genetic though.
 
I think it is a learned ability but some people do have have existing skills or attributes that make it easier for them to learn - better balance, good posture, etc. I'm not sure that this makes them a 'natural' but if they start off in a better position and more stable as a result then everything else will be able to happen much faster. Of course there will also be people who have poor posture, lack co-ordination, balance, etc, and this will make the learning process much slower. But with a good instructor, a good horse and a student who is willing to put in the time and effort (and probably money as well, unfortunately!) I think anyone can become a decent rider. IMO attitude can hold a lot of people back though and if someone isn't willing to learn - either because they think they're good already or because they're only there to have fun and don't want to work hard physically (or mentally) - then it's very difficult for an instructor to bring about improvement, even if they are actually a brilliant teacher.

I do agree that there are some people who seem to have a natural 'feel' for a horse, both on the ground and ridden but I also think this is something that can be learned - although it may take a long time to do so.
 
Both, and like any other complex skill, you'll never know how much is "natural ability" and how much is learned.

When I was teaching kids to ride, there were differences between them (all complete beginners) in that some of them seemed to have a very natural seat and had no trouble balancing on the horse. Others struggled and required more coaching to find their balance and yes, in those lessons, they progressed at a slightly slower rate. This is not to say that the kids who struggle will always struggle. With good training and more importantly, motivation, they can learn to ride as well as the "natural" kids.

I certainly was not even remotely like one of those kids who sat beautifully on a horse the first time they ever rode and my equitation is still pants. But my horse goes better and better every year I have her (much better at 19 than she was at 7), so it can't be going to badly.

I suspect the people the OP described who say they've been riding for 30 years but still can't get over a jump suffer not from lack of ability, but lack of motivation to improve, or perhaps lack of awareness of where it's all going wrong. It takes concentration and effort to improve your equitation as well as awareness of the areas that need improving, and not everyone wants to go there.

I would suggest that lack of awareness is one of the more common issues that stops people from progressing. I have met plenty of adult riders battling with behaviour and training problems, but totally oblivious to the underlying issues -- mainly lack of feel and communication problems between horse and handler. Addressing it, even acknowledging it, is a bit like Donald Rumsfeld's "known unknowns."
 
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I think its a bit of both - you need a good instructor and you never stop learning with horses, so instruction definitely is important. But natural ability needs to be there in the first place for the instructor to bring it out.

There was one guy at my last riding school (I left a few months ago to get a horse on share) and he loved riding, had been going for lessons twice a week for years - but was still truly awful! He would ride with the longest rains possible, arms in the air and would flap with his arms to get the horse going forward. His seat was all over the place, sometimes leaning way too far back or way too far forward. No matter what my instructor did, he never changed and that was simply his 'style'. I dont think it helped that he started riding late in life (not sure how old he was but must have been in his 50's). But he loved riding, he loved being around horses so my instructor gave him the more tolerant horses and left him to it really, trying to give him instruction but he is almost deaf so I'm sure he never heard her most of the time!

I think if you start riding young you are one of these people that have the 'natural ability', and it is far easier to become a decent rider. If you start later in life yes it is more difficult, and you need good instruction, but you can still have the 'ability' in there somewhere!
 
I think its both, & attitude too. As kids my friend & I were both about the same ability wise. But much as she loved riding & horses, she wasn't particularly bothered about improving, she had enough skill for what she wanted to do, whereas I constantly raised my own goal posts. Up to 10/11 we'd been evenly matched, but then I got far ahead because I wanted to, but she didn't mind not doing.
I'm not convinced being a good rider is genetic, but some personality traits are genetic, which can effect riding skill. Likewise some physical attributes. Eg kid one from healthy, active confident family has an advantage over kid two whos unhealthy, inactive & lacking confidence. But, that doesn't mean longterm kid one will be a better rider, but at first it makes it easier.
 
I don't think the expense entailed in riding regularly helps. People who have their own horses or who share one have a huge advantage. Someone in lessons once or twice per week is going to progress at a much slower rate than someone with their own horse who can ride five or six days per week.

Imagine trying to learn a musical instrument if you only ever played it once or twice per week.
 
I suppose, like in all things, it depends on the person. I am from a non-horsey background and knew from the age of 4 that horses would feature in my life. The most I ever did before owning a horse was a 2 hour pony trek. I then bought a newly-backed 3/4 Arab when I began my working career and the book 'Thinking Riding' by Molly Sievewright. I stayed a page ahead of the horse :D and have never looked back. Incidentally, I had that horse for the rest of his life. I was 2nd in my first ever showjumping class and went on to have many, many wins. I have never had a lesson and one well-respected gentleman in the horse instruction world once said (over 20 years ago) that I was the best amateur showjumper in Scotland, an accolade that made me very proud. I have thought about my success many times and can only put it down to innate ability, a competitive spirit and building a life-long trusting bond with my horses. I also think it helped that my head wasn't filled with with a lot of the cr*p I have heard spouting from certain others. :rolleyes:;) There are many excellent instructors out there but they can only work with what they've got and some people sadly lack ability and will plateau in their learning. Also, I never over-analysed which I think is a huge problem with some riders who analyse everything to the nth degree and are riding through a fog of conflicting advice which clashes with their own lack of knowledge, empathy and understanding.

I agree, some people spend years on lessons and never progress. Week-in-week-out I see people competing in showjumping classes and they will never win in a million years. Everything has to be 'as taught' or they circle and the element of risk is so dumbed down that I can't see what some riders get out of the sport. Each to their own I suppose but I would still do it my way if I had to do it all over again, much more fun and what a fortune it saved me in lessons! :D
 
Definitely agree with that caol Ila. My daughters 7, first sat on a horse at a few weeks old, ridden regularly from about 6mnths old. (admittedly only 10mins at that age). Grown up riding & surrounded by ponies, I teach so she's had the equivalent of a private trainer every time. For over the last few years, she rides 5x or more a week, first show class at 2. That obviously puts her at a massive advantage to a kid her age who's had its own for a year & the odd sit before hand, let alone one who's had two years of weekly lessons. And because she's so used to horses her confidence is miles higher too. So it would be hard to say how much natural talent she was born with, versus her upbringing. Various things do make me think she has talent too, but comparisons are hard to make at this age.
 
Georgie- said:
people should just call it a day and admit that their hearts just not in it and they just can't do it?
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These are two different things. If their heart is not in it, of course they should call it a day.

If they're just not very good then they should keep at it, though possibly trying different instructors until they find a good 'match' and make progress ;)
 
Georgie- said:
Its the same at my local shows some of the people that go round the show jumping cat leaping fences, getting left behind at every other jump, legs flapping arms above the head, they look like they've never had a lesson in there life, they tell people 'ooh I've been riding for 30 years' and I feel like saying 'really you've subjected numerous horses to that for 30 years!'


:)
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Think with some people who have ridden for a long time it is down to simple lack of lessons!! If I go without lessons and just hack out too much, my riding slowly becomes more and more sloppy. I know lots of riders my age (late 40s) who haven't had lessons for years and it really shows, even though they can't see it themselves! Natural talent or not, I think everyone needs regular lessons or at least schooling sessions where specific goals are achieved, in order to keep their riding skills up to scratch!!
 
Floxie said:
These are two different things. If their heart is not in it, of course they should call it a day.

If they're just not very good then they should keep at it, though possibly trying different instructors until they find a good 'match' and make progress ;)
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Fair point! haha.

Should have re -read before posting I could have worded that better! :)
 
Fully agree!
Natural ability I think comes into play when you can judge stride, have perfect balance etc... as sometimes people just " Cant get it "..

Someone said that it is easier for people that have their own horses - I would semi agree with this though I know loads of people who own their own & think they are amazing and no need for regular lessons now they have their own horse which IMO is not the way to go - I have more lessons now than I did before I got my Mare.

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FionaM12 said:
I think it's a bit of both, as with all skills. You can have natural talent, but you still won't make a great rider without practice, being well taught and guided. On the other hand, with very little natural ability, hard work and good teaching can still make a great rider.

I wonder are there people who, no matter how hard they try, will never make a decent rider?
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I don't really know but in regards to you commenting in people cat jumping fences with arms everywhere- I don't think this is really a fair comment. I can quite easily have a great position and horse going beautifully for dressage, yet if I went and jumped a course with the same horse you'd think if never jumped or sat on a horse in my life! Purely because we jump for fun when we fancy and are not particularly in the swing of it!
 
So actually, I think with the natural ability thing to go on a whole different level- I find it natural to do and get in correct position and give aids for dressage but jumping although I enjoy, it's just not 'natural' to me.
 
dumpling said:
I don't really know but in regards to you commenting in people cat jumping fences with arms everywhere- I don't think this is really a fair comment. I can quite easily have a great position and horse going beautifully for dressage, yet if I went and jumped a course with the same horse you'd think if never jumped or sat on a horse in my life! Purely because we jump for fun when we fancy and are not particularly in the swing of it!
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My point was that they claim to have done it for 30 years and that they are like that. They are choosing to show jump and they do it week in week out around our local show circuit area. It is the discipline of their choice their just not any good at it to say how long they have been doing it, most of them have never taken a break from riding. By the sounds of its not your choice of discipline your just having a go, right?

:)
 
It's natural ability to do it really well, but plenty of people can ride a horse effectively and not fall off from learning how to sit, what aids to give, repetition, repetition, repetition. As long as they're taught correctly of course. You see learners in the "monkey" position where any sudden stop would have them over the horse's head, heels way up in the air and legs too far back, then they get taught to sit up and balance on the horse. They also need the attitude of wanting to learn and the heart to get back on when things go wrong.
 
Ah I see what you mean. Yes. I figured many moons ago jumping was not for me or my boy. If we particularly have a notion for it I may do a small class once in a blue moon but that's all! I see where you're coming from now. And yes, there's a point where no matter how much money you put to it- best horse , equipment etc some people just don't have 'it' IMO .
 
Its interesting.

I think some people do have a natural ability (hate them!), others have an ability to learn and apply what they've learned. Others have a huge amount of confidence, which gets them a long way! A mixture of the above would be ideal. I reckon I have a tiny bit of ability, a lot of desire to learn and ability to apply it, but score very low on the confidence levels!! A lot of men I've known riding have "just got on and done it" and gone a long way, but its not always been that nice to the horse. Other people I've known have been great riders but awfully nervous and never dared compete.
 
Do you think that perhaps rather than (or in addition to) a natural "ability", there is a difference between those with a natural "affinity" with animals and those who have never really had much contact with animals generally. It would be interesting to see if there is a correlation between those "naturals" who had also grown up with, say, dogs around the house and those who had no contact or had never developed a close relationship with any animals at all.

I've noticed over the years that problems often start with a lack of confidence on the ground, which perpetuates and transfers to one's riding.

Any thoughts??
 
I definitely think that riding can be a natural ability. I was put on a pony aged 6 months, mum always had ponies around and so it was natural for me to sit on them, usually without a saddle and be led around the field from an early age. I never had fear and it didn't matter how big they were, I wanted to be on top. I did have a few riding lessons as a kid, but mainly it was riding around on other peoples. When I was 13/14, I started riding out with a friend of my mum's on her horses, riding over all sorts of terrain often at high speed, she is a bit nuts!! I do think that I must have a fair bit of natural ability, quick responses and a good sense of balance which enabled me to have a good independent seat. I had a series of lessons with Mary Wanless when I was about 18, I have never forgotten what she taught me.
I may not be the most elegant rider, I might not be able to perform dressage movements and I don't like jumping much, but I can ride across any country and have ridden a multitude of different horses over the years.
On the other hand, I have seen people who spend a fortune on lessons and still have to rely on the reins for balance and are terrified to ride their horses in open spaces.
So yes, I do think that natural ability comes into it, I've seen the same skiing too!!
 
I think it's like a lot of things in life - some people do have a "natural" ability, and some have to work a little harder to achieve similar results.

But, good riding skills absolutely CAN be taught - you just need a good instructor, simple logical instruction, and the desire to learn.
 
I'm a believer in natural talent when it comes to riding. Although a bit of both works too.

There's a girl on my yard who has been riding for a loooongggg time and has not gotten any better in the last 5 years or so...:confused:

She's always had the same instructors and help that I've had on the yard but still flaps around with swinging legs and god forbid a jump is placed in front of her :D

Where as on the other hand I'm now re schooling and breaking horses for people :o Everyone's always saying I just have a way with the beasts :rolleyes:

The other day a woman who brought her daughter to ride came up to me and said 'Where did you learn to ride?! You're a fantastic little jockey!' :p She seemed very surprised when I said right here on my yard ;)
 
Having taught for more than 30 years I can definately say that yes, there are some "natural" riders out there; a mixture of talent, affinity, physique and desire. As in any sport, natural ability added to drive = more success. There are also people who say "oh, I've been riding for 20 + years" as if this makes them better qualified than others. But if you've been riding BADLY for 20+ years then it still makes you a BAD rider. And yes, some people are unteachable - usually those who think they are great :-)
 
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