How to Evaluate a Lesson?

[Ample Prosecco]

Random musings. Obviously a great lesson is easy to recognise. Those lovely times where:
- A penny drops
- You and/or your horse improve
- You/your horse gain confidence
- You feel inspired
- You go away with a plan

But what about lessons where none of that happens. Is it unrealistic to think you will always improve noticeably across a single lesson, learn something new, understand something differently?
Also what about those lessons where it is HARD because you are on the edge of your ability, not quite getting something. But you need to struggle for a while before the penny drop moment arrives.

I'm asking beause yesterday's SJ lesson was really frustrating. I am trying to work out if it was just a bit of a rubbish lesson. Or was it EXACTLY what I needed to imrprove but can't see it. (I would say communication was deffo poor, hence my confusion but can I find the value and learning from it anyway?)

I wanted to work on powering up the canter a bit and having a better rhythm round the course, as I feel like my rounds have lacked rhythm and I sometimes allow the canter to get underpowered. I'm so used to trying to contain her that I need to get used to this new Lottie who needs LEG! And if there was time I also wanted to work on jump offs.

But the lesson actually had me in a very under-powered canter the whole time. The course started with trot poles to a cross-pole to be jumped out of trot. Then pick up canter and canter circles between each jump. I really could not see the point of starting over a trot-jump: Lottie made utterly minimal effort to get over it and the canter transitions were scrappy as she landed and was not really in a nice trot for stepping up into canter. Then the circles made it hard to power up a canter. Maybe that was the point. I need to be able to get a good canter from the trot-jump, and maintain it on circles, but it was not explained in that way. So each round started with a half hearted flop over a fence from trot (I did come in with a decent trot and she always cleared the fence, but she made very little effort - she is often lazy over smalll jumps. I don't think she sees the point of them!)

I can see that maybe I should be able to maintain rhythm and power despite circles so perhaps that was the point - but she was never saying 'more canter' or 'lets work on maintaining rhythm and power while circling'. She was just saying, turn your head, turrn your body, and the canter felt pretty lacklustre throughout. I did winder whether she had her 'exercise' in mind for all riders and I did what she planned regardless of my needs and goals tbh.

At the very end she said 'ok let's work on jump offs, do the course without the circles." It was more or less a 180 turn back to every fence as she'd set them up in this zig-zag pattern. And she was shouting turn/turn and as I complied Lottie almost came down twice, having lost her back legs. On the 3rd go I stopped and said 'she's going to fall if I turn that tight' and she said 'yeh she needs more balance but you aren't scaring her, She's fine." Not scaring my horse is not my lesson goal! I have no idea what the point of that was other than maybe demonstrating Lottie lacks balance on very tight turns. But it just felt horrible and that was how it ended.

Part of me thinks: ok I need to set up zig zagjumps in a small arena and work on powering up the canter while circling, and on very tight turns in canter. As we found it hard so that is what we should work on. And part of me thinks: that was a wasrt of time as it interrupted the flow, felt scrappy and was unfair on Lottie. Not doing that again! This is not what Lottie needs to improve those areas I want to focus on. And I genuinely don't know!

 

[ihatework]

Was this a new instructor to you or a regular one?

 

[splashgirl45]

Sounds like you didn’t gel with the trainer so maybe need to find someone else. I would think to get a better canter transitions would be better than circles, ie moving canter on on long sides and collect on short sides

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Was this a new instructor to you or a regular one?

New instructor. Mine has been out of action and I've not had a lesson for ages, so tried someone new.

 

[ihatework]

General thoughts that don’t necessarily directly answer your question (which is actually quite difficult to answer and very nuanced).

1. From what you have written it doesn’t sound like a great lesson but I say that with the caveat I didn’t observe the lesson and often what the rider takes from it sometimes doesn’t accurately reflect the situation. That said, it sounds like at a minimum the styles was wrong for you so I’d just chalk it up to experience.

2. Teaching someone new is difficult. They might come to you wanting to work on one thing but if there are gaping holes in the prerequisites those kind of need to be filled first. I don’t know if this is the case, but if it was then it needs to be well communicated.

3. Over the years it does seem you chop and change instructors a bit. Now I appreciate that you said your regular is off games which necessitated trying someone new (fair enough!) - but I do think you need to find one person you get on with and really invest in the long term goals and have a plan to get there. (That’s the completely off topic internet comment for you!)

Overall, chalk it up to not your best lesson and move on. Sometimes overanalysis doesn’t help.

 

[AandK]

If someone new, I'd write it off and not go back, based on what you have written. Doesn't sound like a good match to me.

 

[RachelFerd]

Sounds like trot jumping wasn't very well explained? Being able to trot to a fence and use controlled power to jump is a really essential skill. It sounds like you were trying to land in trot (which isn't really possible) - it has to be trot jump and land canter. Should be possible to trot and pop to 1m20+ with practice!

 

[Caol Ila]

I have come to believe that not every instructor is right for every rider/horse. I've had a lot of shight lessons, basically, where I've come away thinking, "That wasn't much fun and I haven't learned anything."

Not every trainer has a communication style that suits every rider.

Not every can truly see every horse and then give the rider the tools she needs to improve whatever they're doing in that moment.

Some trainers have a limited number of tools (exercises) in their toolbox.

Some trainers will give the same lesson to every rider.

You know I have written about a terrible dressage lesson I had on Fin where I was ragging the poor guy around these 10m circles, attempting to stop him from spooking at a scary corner of the indoor, and the trainer kept saying helpful things like "More bend! Get him off his forehand! Keep your inside leg forwards! Don't let him shy away from the corner! Use more leg!" And while none of those things were wrong, that definitely wasn't what he needed to work on at that stage of his education, the exercises weren't helping, and it felt increasingly chaotic and messy.

Then like a year later, I had a very good lesson on Hermosa, with a different trainer. I had been struggling to maintain the trot in the arena. She'd go a few strides, then wildly lose balance, veer to the inside, and slam on the brakes. We tried a couple things that didn't work, then the trainer asked, "How are you at riding sitting trot? I know it sounds like a stupid question, but lots of people can't ride sitting trot." I said that I was good at it (especially on a PRE with a super smooth trot). "Great!" Said the trainer. "Try that." I sat the trot, and voila, Hermosa could maintain the trot and steer around corners in it. Trainer explained, "I know they say you are supposed to rise the trot on a green horse, but some youngsters really do better with the support of the rider's seat every stride and it confuses them when they lose that connection in the rise. So, sit the trot when schooling until she totally gets it."

The exercises that Trainer 1 was making us do were probably meant to get the horse more through, off the forehand, blah blah blah, but they were not working for either of us. That seemed obvious, but her response was to ask more rather than change tactics.

Trainer 2 looked at a problem, tried a few things, then thought about it and tried something a little more out of the box that was far kinder to the horse and more helpful than "don't let her stop," and it fixed the issue.

My friend uses Trainer 1 on her much more educated (dare I say normal) horse and loves the lessons because the trainer focuses on her position and getting an already-well trained horse moving better. It works for them. But that's a horse who will respond well to the usual tools in a dressage trainer's box. My friend also likes the trainer's 'deluge of instruction' style, whereas that just makes me stressed. Horses for courses and all that.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Sounds like trot jumping wasn't very well explained? Being able to trot to a fence and use controlled power to jump is a really essential skill. It sounds like you were trying to land in trot (which isn't really possible) - it has to be trot jump and land canter. Should be possible to trot and pop to 1m20+ with practice!

That really was not clear. She said she wanted me to land in trot! It felt so awkard. Maybe I misunderstod the land in trot bit, but she did not correct it and I landed in trot every single time. Well I landed in a bit of a heap followed by trot, followed by canter. I would have had no problem landing in canter if she asked me to. I've done grids like that: Jump first out of trot then ping through in canter. That makes perfect sense. This didn't.

Yeh I'll just find someone else! My usual RI is working again, but not on a day I can make.

 

[TPO]

I think there are three* parts to this thread. *this number may increase as I start rambling and spiral off on tangents.

1) How do you/ how to evaluate a lesson


2) How to evaluate this specific lesson

3) What to do going forward

1) I think the points that you made in #1 are good markers for evaluating a lesson.
- A penny drops
- You and/or your horse improve
- You/your horse gain confidence
- You feel inspired
- You go away with a plan

The ideal situation would be saying yes to all of the above. Unfortunately life is rarely that straight forward! Sometimes there is good to be found finishing a lesson, perhaps not feeling accomplished *but*, knowing there is a plan and/or having confidence that the trainer can "rebuild". If someone is consistently finishing lessons and not feeling any of the above and/or noticing/feeling any improvements in their day to day riding/horsemanship that would be a driver to re-evaluate the lessons and/or trainer and, most likely, some looking inward honestly. It's easy to want to apportion blame elsewhere and trainers are an easy target. It is hard because it is difficult to have honest and open communication with some trainers on a professional rather than personal level.

It's a point that's been raised on here numerous times. It's so hard to pinpoint because it is multifaceted. Over time you build a relationship with trainers and it can be hard to address on a professional level if you aren't getting what you need from lessons. Equally it's easy to blame yourself (generic) that you're just not good enough / doing it right when really the trainer doesn't have the tools to teach you, however good they are with other people.

I don't really know what the answer is. I know I've watched lessons / clinics to then hear participants recall a totally different experience. Some of it may be pride and some of it may be a lack of experience/knowledge/awareness. It is just so hard. I've seen/heard really good trainers be left without a name by people who couldn't ride a rocking horse and if you took it at face value it would really seem like these trainers didn't know what they were on about (IME this usually happens after a trainer delivers some reality, no matter how sugar coated, and people don't like hearing it).

Sometimes that penny doesn't drop for weeks or months and can happen when doing something completely unrelated. It is hard though because for as long as that doesn't happen you're left in limbo thinking it was a bad or pointless lesson or that you're hopeless. There's some saying that I can't recall about (life) lessons not always happening when we're ready for them.

It's easy to say and not so easy to do (like finding a suitable trainer!) but it really does take a village. You (generic) need people around who can be that good balance of supportive and honest. Evaluating a lesson is a mix of how you feel, improvements in the horse and feedback from people that you trust. Simples...

2) At the root of it there seems to be a lack of communication in your/OP's lesson. If the exercise was supposed to be performed how RachFerd describes then at some point the trainer should have pulled you up to re explain and guide you through it. Equally if you felt it wasn't going well and that the exercise wasn't working out or helping then there needs to be some rider/owner responsibility to pull up and have a chat to either work something out or stop. Again, I know that's easy to say but I'd imagine that most of us have been in a position at one point or another that we've done something under guidance by a professional that we weren't totally comfortable, or understanding, of.

The exercises described do have merit and a purpose but only if executed correctly. So I guess the crux is figuring out where the mis-, or lack of, communication has come from and if it could be rectified.

Having said that you did advocate for your horse and pull up when you weren't comfortable with the "jump off" exercises and they dismissed your concerns. I think that would be the final nail in the coffin for me.

Using a new trainer always requires a leap of faith, of sorts, and you don't know until you try. I reckon you've had enough lessons with enough people to know in your gut if this is someone worth continuing with.

Look at how you felt after your first Joe lesson, I'd use that as your benchmark. Why should you have to lower your standards and expectations?

That leads onto...

3) I know that you're both getting good results, and enjoying yourself, training with Joe. I also know that he's not an eventing coach but I'd stick with him as pretty much your only trainer. As a casual outside observer your riding has never looked better and you've never looked more with a horse than since you started training with him.

I'm guessing he's not readily/regularly available to match the consistency that you like to train. I've no idea his stance on this but if at all possible I'd only train with him, apart from maybe your regular camps with trainers that you already know.

As a reader I've really enjoy your reports from training with the likes of Tik M, Mark R & Buck B but I think the Joe lessons have shown the value in consistency, finding a trainer/way of training that works for you and sticking with it. Again, no idea what Joe's thoughts are on setting up grids or going XC schooling but if he's an option at all I'd stick with him. Things like powering up the canter, mentioned in the OP, has got to be right up Joe's street and in turn that will help your eventing.

As well as training with some of the greats (& I'd jump at one off lessons with them too just for the chance to train with them) I know that over the years you've had some disappointing times with trainers that you haven't clicked with and they've knocked you/your confidence in different ways. Part of this is probably said from a place of complete jealously but, to have regular access to Joe and to have hard proof of the massive improvements since training with him I'd be clinging on with both hands. Head down and absorb everything possible of "his way" with no dilution or conflicting ways from anyone else.

I also think, given how much you've enjoyed and improved in your Joe lessons, it has raised your benchmarks and I think you'll be hard pressed to find someone to meet you there.

At some point I can see the benefit in "specialised" trainers who do have experience at higher level eventing and what not but I really think for now, at BE90/100 that Joe's general horsemanship and riding/teaching ability will continue to benefit you far more than trying various different jumping/dressage trainers.

So that's my two boab that you didn't ask for!

 

[IrishMilo]

That really was nI landed in trot every single time. Well I landed in a bit of a heap followed by trot, followed by canter. I would have had no problem landing in canter if she asked me to. I've done grids like that: Jump first out of trot then ping through in canter. That makes perfect sense. This didn't.

Maybe the instructor was sensing going back to the basics would be beneficial for a bit? Ideally you can jump from a trot into a trot without landing in a muddle.

With regard to the turning / falling over thing I see it like this - you are being told to turn a jump off turn, which you're going to need to do if you want to be competitive. But it's up to you to keep the horse balanced through the turn. If you're JUST pulling then yeah a lot of horses would stumble. If you're looking, turning, keeping your legs close and bending the horse through the turn with your inside leg *and* supporting with the outside rein... maybe the horse would be able to follow through more easily?

It sounds like the issue in this lesson is that you were taking things a bit too literally and not using everything you already know to execute the exercise to your ability.

 

[RachelFerd]

Maybe the instructor was sensing going back to the basics would be beneficial for a bit? Ideally you can jump from a trot into a trot without landing in a muddle.

With regard to the turning / falling over thing I see it like this - you are being told to turn a jump off turn, which you're going to need to do if you want to be competitive. But it's up to you to keep the horse balanced through the turn. If you're JUST pulling then yeah a lot of horses would stumble. If you're looking, turning, keeping your legs close and bending the horse through the turn with your inside leg *and* supporting with the outside rein... maybe the horse would be able to follow through more easily?

It sounds like the issue in this lesson is that you were taking things a bit too literally and not using everything you already know to execute the exercise to your ability.

I can't see any merit in trying to make a horse land in trot. When a horse jumps, they are taking a giant canter stride. The trot requires diagonal pairs to be on the ground. It's not physically possible to land with a diagonal pair of legs on the ground. The nearest you can get is to land in canter and make a transition back to trot within 1 stride. Or to just jump the fence so horrifically badly that you sort of land on two legs. Either way, I'd absolutely not be signing up for another lesson - stuff that.

 

[LEC]

Personally I find gut instinct is usually correct and if you didn’t find it beneficial, don’t go back. You should come out of a training session with a solid plan for homework not being confused about what was trying to be achieved throughout.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

The trot requires diagonal pairs to be on the ground. It's not physically possible to land with a diagonal pair of legs on the ground.... within 1 stride. Or to just jump the fence so horrifically badly that you sort of land on two legs.

YES! That is what it felt like. An ok if half-hearted jump, a muddle of legs on landing and then a scrappy, unbalanced transition to canter which she wanted asap. But after the jump. Re advocating for your horse, I realise I instinctively did this, by eventually ignoring the 'get into canter after a couple of strides', and rebalancing the trot first. And my nicest (or least horrible) round was the first one where I just thought 'slow it all down, do nice transitions, do nice circles' and we trotted a good 6-8 strides after the jump to get her back into balance then popped up into canter, then circled in a dressage canter before heading for the first fence. By which time the muddled start of the round was over and we could ride more or less normally. And after that she said 'yes much better'. But it was better by ignoring her.

So I am satisfied now that I was not missing something of value I don't think.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

It sounds like the issue in this lesson is that you were taking things a bit too literally and not using everything you already know to execute the exercise to your ability.

I do tend to be quite literal! Though obviously U used whatever riding skills I had availale to me anyway in that moment.

Having daid that, my normal instructor has learned not to say things like 'sit quietly, do nothing' eg through a grid as I will literally do NOTHING. And she's like 'well I didn't mean 'don't do anything at all.' But other times intructors want me to be literal. So when they say something which I think is sort of a guidline not a 'do this specific thing right now' they get cross. It's very confusing. Like once a trainer said, don;t look at the jump, look at me. And I thought she meant look less at the jump by dividing my attention between her and the jump. Not don't look at the jump AT ALL! But she didn't. And that became a really useful exercise in feel. And when Joe says drop the rein he means completely. Even in canter. So I do sometimes just do as I am told on the basis that maybe someting very new and unexpcted will happen that way. But it can go wrong....

 

[RachelFerd]

YES! That is what it felt like. An ok if half-hearted jump, a muddle of legs on landing and then a scrappy, unbalanced transition to canter which she wanted asap. But after the jump. Re advocating for your horse, I realise I instinctively did this, by eventually ignoring the 'get into canter after a couple of strides', and rebalancing the trot first. And my nicest (or least horrible) round was the first one where I just thought 'slow it all down, do nice transitions, do nice circles' and we trotted a good 6-8 strides after the jump to get her back into balance then popped up into canter, then circled in a dressage canter before heading for the first fence. By which time the muddled start of the round was over and we could ride more or less normally. And after that she said 'yes much better'. But it was better by ignoring her.

So I am satisfied now that I was not missing something of value I don't think.

It bothers me that there are people out there taking money for giving lessons where they are asking horses to do physically impossible things.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

@TPO yes I feel very lucky to have Joe. He's coming next week again. And then we are running a camp together and I'm taking Lottie. I'll slowly persuade him to spend more time in Derbyshire/Cheshire! He's just amazing and I agree I don't need eventing specific trainers. BUT I can't jump at home. I can only jump if I hire faciltiies and I feel I need eyes on the ground: a) Because putting jumps up alone is a PITA, b) it feels reckless to jump any significant heights alone and c) I do need the confidence from someone on the ground saying I am ready to step up a level. If I never had lessons I would never have started competing. Id' still he popping the odd 50cm fence, wary of the fillers!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

It bothers me that there are people out there taking money for giving lessons where they are asking horses to do physically impossible things.

I wish I had challenged now. I knew it felt a muddled mess, but I had not understood why. It makes perfect sense thinking of the leg movements. Feel a bit oif an idiot now.

 

[JackFrost]

It is rare for an instructor tell me something that I don't already know, I am usually acutely aware of what is not right and don't need to be reminded, but I do need someone to tell me how to change what I am doing in my body, and very few instructors can do this. I wish qualifications for instructors required a level of knowledge of both horse and human biomechanics, and that the system for getting to instructor level didnt favour those who are natural riders, who often don't understand why others have problems.
The best teachers I find are the horses themselves. Riding is a very difficult thing to teach by its nature, but I can't help thinking that it could be taught a whole lot better.

 

[JFTDWS]

I work on the theory of “if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it” with trainers. If I don’t feel they’re being fair to my horse, or setting them up to succeed, I won’t continue with lessons with them.

I reckon that if we don’t do an exercise that would have helped, we will take longer to achieve our aims. If I do follow their advice when it’s bad advice, and it goes wrong, we may never achieve them.

I’d rather trust my own judgement, even if that means playing it safe. I would never trust an instructor that I was ready to move up a level if I didn’t already think that myself, either. There are a lot of trainers out their who have (what I consider to be) very strange ideas and expectations of horses.

 

[scats]

As issue I’ve found in recent years is when an instructor praises something and says that looks good, but I know I can feel it’s slightly crooked or ever-so-slightly popping out on a shoulder and not fully between my hand and leg. I get frustrated because I know there’s an issue and it’s not perfect but I’m being told that looks good. I’ve always had a lot of natural feel and at times it’s felt like a bit of a curse. I sometimes wish I felt less and could just bumble around oblivious!

I’ve been trained by couple of GP dressage riders, but the instructor I found the most useful, who could ‘see’ what I felt was actually a friend of mine who hasn’t competed anywhere near to GP. I got more out of my lessons with him than anyone one else.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I work on the theory of “if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it” with trainers. If I don’t feel they’re being fair to my horse, or setting them up to succeed, I won’t continue with lessons with them.

I reckon that if we don’t do an exercise that would have helped, we will take longer to achieve our aims. If I do follow their advice when it’s bad advice, and it goes wrong, we may never achieve them.

I’d rather trust my own judgement, even if that means playing it safe. I would never trust an instructor that I was ready to move up a level if I didn’t already think that myself, either. There are a lot of trainers out their who have (what I consider to be) very strange ideas and expectations of horses.

There is a big differene between logically knowing that you are fine to do a but more, and feeling confident ebough to do it. I remember going round the farm ride at Somerford and talking yself out of every single jump at every height! Ie 50cm and upwards.

- Too big
- Weird shape
- Funny colour
- Too downhill
- Too uphill
- Puddle on landing or take-off
- Don't like landing or take off for random other reason.

This was not long after jumping clear round the BE90 track there.

I definitely need someone to say 'you can jump this' to be able to do it.

 

[JFTDWS]

There is a big differene between logically knowing that you are fine to do a but more, and feeling confident ebough to do it. I remember going round the farm ride at Somerford and talking yself out of every single jump at every height! Ie 50cm and upwards.

- Too big
- Weird shape
- Funny colour
- Too downhill
- Too uphill
- Puddle on landing or take-off
- Don't like landing or take off for random other reason.

This was not long after jumping clear round the BE90 track there.

I definitely need someone to say 'you can jump this' to be able to do it.

Whereas, to me, someone else’s opinion would be meaningless - I would have to believe myself and my horse capable of it before I did it, regardless of any third party’s viewpoint. I’ve seen far too many people encouraged beyond their abilities by trainers to think that they’re necessarily trustworthy in that respect.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Oh it deffo does not work the other way. If someone says I can do something and I have legtimate doubts, I am more than happy to say no. But I need external validation to say yes. That is getting better but I still need someone on the ground when I am jumping otherwise I bottle it every time. UNless I am competing. Then I am fine again. Though warming up is very hard.....

 

[JFTDWS]

Weirdly I’m fine training alone but I’m a psychological mess competing (hence I don’t do it). Between us we might make one psychologically competent individual!

 

[quiteniceforacob]

I also think there’s a lot to learn from “what doesn’t work”. I have come out of lessons feeling annoyed for not sticking up for my horse, but now I’ve tried xyz, I feel equipped to say “sorry, that doesn’t work for us”

Here, you’ve learnt that the quality of the canter is key (and that this instructor is not ideal). Maybe not the way we want to learn but still works.

I’ve watched lessons with a big name SJ who makes everyone jump a jump then halt. It’s to stop horses running off after, but as the owner of a horse who is quite backwards, this is completely wrong for us. I’m glad I’ve seen it so I can evaluate that it wouldn't work for us, because if it was put up in a lesson I’d probably do it then be annoyed later.

 

[millitiger]

Sounds like a pants lesson, however you evaluate it!

Sometimes I have had lessons and it hasn't necessarily been a great ride BUT I understand what we were trying to aim for and why we were doing the exercises.
I also think the main thing, when you have a 'not great' session, is having trust in your trainer.
With my dressage and jump trainers I have had a pants session in the last 6 months but I understand why we were asked the question, why I couldn't do it and I trust the trainer and their process.

One recently was without stirrups and doing medium canter down the long side, a PROPER transition to collected canter and then a PROPER corner - for 20 minutes I tried and tried and could not get all 3 things together, to the standard required, while my trainer kept pointing out my faults.
I left a bit deflated and it took me a few days but I did come out of the funk of feeling like I couldn't ride at all and I committed to practicing instead!

 

[Fire sign]

Random musings. Obviously a great lesson is easy to recognise. Those lovely times where:
- A penny drops
- You and/or your horse improve
- You/your horse gain confidence
- You feel inspired
- You go away with a plan

But what about lessons where none of that happens. Is it unrealistic to think you will always improve noticeably across a single lesson, learn something new, understand something differently?
Also what about those lessons where it is HARD because you are on the edge of your ability, not quite getting something. But you need to struggle for a while before the penny drop moment arrives.

I'm asking beause yesterday's SJ lesson was really frustrating. I am trying to work out if it was just a bit of a rubbish lesson. Or was it EXACTLY what I needed to imrprove but can't see it. (I would say communication was deffo poor, hence my confusion but can I find the value and learning from it anyway?)

I wanted to work on powering up the canter a bit and having a better rhythm round the course, as I feel like my rounds have lacked rhythm and I sometimes allow the canter to get underpowered. I'm so used to trying to contain her that I need to get used to this new Lottie who needs LEG! And if there was time I also wanted to work on jump offs.

But the lesson actually had me in a very under-powered canter the whole time. The course started with trot poles to a cross-pole to be jumped out of trot. Then pick up canter and canter circles between each jump. I really could not see the point of starting over a trot-jump: Lottie made utterly minimal effort to get over it and the canter transitions were scrappy as she landed and was not really in a nice trot for stepping up into canter. Then the circles made it hard to power up a canter. Maybe that was the point. I need to be able to get a good canter from the trot-jump, and maintain it on circles, but it was not explained in that way. So each round started with a half hearted flop over a fence from trot (I did come in with a decent trot and she always cleared the fence, but she made very little effort - she is often lazy over smalll jumps. I don't think she sees the point of them!)

I can see that maybe I should be able to maintain rhythm and power despite circles so perhaps that was the point - but she was never saying 'more canter' or 'lets work on maintaining rhythm and power while circling'. She was just saying, turn your head, turrn your body, and the canter felt pretty lacklustre throughout. I did winder whether she had her 'exercise' in mind for all riders and I did what she planned regardless of my needs and goals tbh.

At the very end she said 'ok let's work on jump offs, do the course without the circles." It was more or less a 180 turn back to every fence as she'd set them up in this zig-zag pattern. And she was shouting turn/turn and as I complied Lottie almost came down twice, having lost her back legs. On the 3rd go I stopped and said 'she's going to fall if I turn that tight' and she said 'yeh she needs more balance but you aren't scaring her, She's fine." Not scaring my horse is not my lesson goal! I have no idea what the point of that was other than maybe demonstrating Lottie lacks balance on very tight turns. But it just felt horrible and that was how it ended.

Part of me thinks: ok I need to set up zig zagjumps in a small arena and work on powering up the canter while circling, and on very tight turns in canter. As we found it hard so that is what we should work on. And part of me thinks: that was a wasrt of time as it interrupted the flow, felt scrappy and was unfair on Lottie. Not doing that again! This is not what Lottie needs to improve those areas I want to focus on. And I genuinely don't know!

 

[Fire sign]

I have had a lot of instructors and I know I am difficult to teach . At first they really like me and my horse and they imagine I will be making great strides and be out competing within the month but as time goes on they find that I have to be told everything all over again every week and then we have a few duff lessons where I can’t understand a thing and get a bit argumentative .. Because of this I generally give them abiut 6 months to get to grips with my hopelessness …and with the good ones this has worked well and I have learned a lot and been grateful .

At the end of the day though sometimes I just know it’s not going to work out .. it’s not that they are not good instructors .. it’s just that the method they teach is not going to work for me or my horse .. if it is the absolute opposite of everything I have been formerly doing for instance or my horse is upset or it just feels awful then it’s a gut feeling and I act on it very quickly and they don’t get booked again …

When it comes to jumping I am particularly decisive because at the end of the day it’s a lot more risky and you need to trust your coach

I think you have this gut feeling about this instructor and should just move on ..

 

[Caol Ila]

Aye, they can be the best trainer in the world, but if their method is totally the opposite of what you've been doing, then they might not be the best one for you (assuming, for the sake of argument, that what you're doing is more or less working and you/your horse don't actually need a total revamp).

For example, a few months after I got Hermosa, I had a classical groundwork trainer give us a lesson. The way she had me cuing the horse was quite different than the Western/natural horsemanship type groundwork I'm very comfortable with and can do blindfolded. Everything was different. Where I was standing. How I was asking the horse to do something. How I should expect the horse to answer. It was hard! But at the time, I thought I would go with it, though the trainer told me that her methods were not compatible with NH/Western methods. "You need to commit to a system." I thought proper in-hand dressage would be really good for her. And it would be. But then she had her unexpected foal. All training was put on hold for the first couple months, then I started doing bits and bobs of groundwork again with her. Straight back to my Western/NH stuff, obviously, because you do what you know.

Once foal was weaned at seven months, I did more with Hermosa and by then, she was pretty established and doing well with my system (well, Buck Brannaman's, Mark Rashid's, Tom Dorrance's, et al's system). I thought about having another groundwork lesson with the classical trainer, but ultimately decided not to because introducing a whole new system at that stage would be annoying and confusing for both of us. I already knew she would not integrate her stuff with the Brannaman-based work I was doing, but rather tell me it wasn't correct if I wanted her classically trained. I mean, learning how to do a piaffe in hand would be pretty awesome, but low on the list of things my horse actually needs to know.

My view was that if it works, don't fix. The opposite to that is if you are very stuck with a horse, then a trainer who will ask you to do things in a totally different way might be exactly what you need.