How to not become 'that' riding school rider?

[DarcyPercy]

Hi all,

I've been reading a lot on the forum and have a question - I'm a new adult rider and I read a lot about the issues faced with riding school riders kicking the sides out of their horses / ponies, esp. when they are compared to established riders who are on non-riding school horses (hopefully that makes sense). My question is, how, as a new rider learning at a RS, can I make sure I don't pick up these bad habits from the get go?

I'd much rather not have to 'unlearn' something but, at the moment, I'm not really sure if I'm doing it or, if I am, how I can get around it? Often the horses I ride are, as my instructor puts it 'happy plodders' unless you really get them to listen up and take notice. I get them going just fine actually but I'm worried I'm doing it by being too leg happy rather than using the tools of a more established rider.

Thanks all

 

[Circe2]

I don’t think you need to worry too much about that - I suspect that once you’re on something a bit more forward you’ll quickly adjust (or it would set off like a cannonball!) ?

If anything, I’m sure you’ll feel relieved you won’t have to do any of the kicking - and realise how smooth and fun riding can be.

Habit-wise, what I would focus on as the key priority - if wanting to move up to eventually a loan or a horse of your own - is to ensure you have an independent seat and soft hands. You may not see how it matters at the moment (because those “plods” are rather immune to aids/forgiving), but once you’re on something more sensitive it becomes hugely important to be able to control your own body (ie weight), and hands. You will find that “private” horses tend to be a lot more sensitive to these things, and a lot less forgiving towards the rider.

But the only way to learn is through experience!
Good luck with your riding - and do keep in mind that we all started somewhere - and you can find insensitive and gung-ho riders at all levels (and intuitive and gentle ones too).

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

I don't really have an answer for you as a RS rider myself (recently returned to riding but always been at RSs) but would be really interested in what answers you get for this one from more experienced riders.

The first thing that came to mind is that there might be lots of people out there on non-riding school horses that also have bad habits - so it might not be a RS/non-RS thing. Plus I think it's a bit of a natural process to be doing things wrong until we get them right (either through gaining the knowledge or our bodies getting strong enough/figuring out what they're supposed to be doing).

On the 'leg happy' thing I guess being aware that some horses are more sensitive/responsive than others, so if it's a new horse to you not going in with big kicks from the start.

This is just my very novice thoughts though, so will await more experienced ones with interest! Hope you're enjoying your lessons and riding so far

 

[silverunicorn]

Not all RS horses have to be kicked along. My current RS horses are really forward and responsive.

 

[DarcyPercy]

Thanks both!


That’s reassuring to hear Circe, thank you. It’s hard to imagine what a forward horse is like, considering the chilled nature of the cobs I’m on at the moment. Don’t get me wrong, I love riding them and particularly enjoy working with the one whose pretty responsive to voice but they do require a good strong leg signal or two to get moving.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Not all riding schools are equal. If possible go to really good riding centre where the horses are well trained and responsive. Don't be put off because they seem to cater for advanced riders and competitors. They will be equally very happy to train beginners too and you'll have a better start.

 

[Circe2]

Having mulled this one over a little longer whilst tidying the kitchen (rare occurrence!), I wonder if one solution to this is asking your instructor - if you know you’ve been given one of the usual ploddier suspects for the day - if you can borrow a dressage (‘schooling’) whip for the lesson (ie a long whip with a little piece of string dangling at the end). This is going by the assumption that you’re a relatively competent novice, who’s got their hands/bouncing under control and want to look at fine-tuning their seat.

My reasoning (before anyone thinks I’m for giving poor RC horses a smack!) is as follows:
You will not learn to balance or transition between gaits well if you are constantly destabilised by moving your legs significantly. It’s very difficult to kick hard, repeatedly, without leaning forward, and then when the horse listens, to (in accordance with the momentum) move your seat and hands backwards, ie signalling the completely wrong thing (worst case, accidentally pulling on the reins - even slightly). To save yourself the trouble, and ensure you actually get to experience what it’s like riding in a correct (ie relatively still) position, just wave the whip - most horses will do as told on the first ask, if combined with the correct amount of leg aid (ie asking only once, but confidently).

The other option is to get your instructor to put the horse on a lunge line, and for him/her to enforce the aids with his/her whip - so you just have to worry about your seat and sitting the transitions correctly. Personally, I’m a huge fan of being on the lunge (having always had German and Austrian instructors, who are very keen on the method). Sessions without reins, or without stirrups, or without either (!) on the lunge are absolutely amazing for your seat - and you don’t have to worry about expending all that energy on making them go. My first two years of schooling (granted, a long time ago - but I still swear by the method, and would encourage anyone to do this) were spent entirely on the lunge, and without stirrups. I assume you’re not a masochist (so might not want to emulate), but it did work wonders for core strength and balance - and I still enjoy doing it now and then with my current instructor. Hard work, but once you learn, you’ve got a seat of steel and stirrups are just an accessory! ?

To conclude, I absolutely think you should have a chat with your instructor about what you want to achieve - and if possible, having lessons a) on your own and b) on the lunge. And if not possible.. the schooling whip will have to do.

 

[DarcyPercy]

Fantastic, thank you! I’ll chat to them about lunging this week as they haven’t brought this in yet and look at using my schooling whip more in Transitions rather than solely to keep them in a particular gait when I’m already there. I’ll also explore alternative schools in the area to look at option in case that’s a good move!

 

[Wishfilly]

It's hard to answer this question without knowing how long you've been riding for and if the school has any slightly more forward going horses that would be suitable for you to try.

There are riding schools out there with lovely, well schooled and forwards horses, and who will teach you properly from the start. They may not be obvious from the outside, so I would consider trying a few and seeing if there is anywhere you feel might offer you a better standard of tuition and/or horse to ride! If you find somewhere that can teach you well, and has lots of different types of horses for you to ride, you may actually end up in a better position than someone who has been a "one horse" rider for the same amount of time as you.

In my opinion, anywhere that is teaching you to "kick the sides out of" a horse isn't teaching you correctly, if I'm understanding this properly. In general, riders with really effective leg aids won't "flap" or take them off the horse, but they do know exactly when to "squeeze" the horse for maximum effectiveness. It's also important to be taught how to give with your hands, so you're not riding with the hand brake on!

I agree lunge lessons can be great for improving your position and confidence too! The more balanced you are, the easier it will be for your horse/pony to move forwards, so this may really help. In general, you'll progress much faster in private lessons, although learning in a group is nice too.

If you haven't already, I'd also suggest trying to get out hacking- partly because it's a lot of fun, but also because horses are often more forwards out hacking, and they have someone to follow, and it will help you get the feel of riding something a bit more forwards!

 

[Circe2]

Wishfully

It's hard to answer this question without knowing how long you've been riding for and if the school has any slightly more forward going horses that would be suitable for you to try.

There are riding schools out there with lovely, well schooled and forwards horses, and who will teach you properly from the start. They may not be obvious from the outside, so I would consider trying a few and seeing if there is anywhere you feel might offer you a better standard of tuition and/or horse to ride! If you find somewhere that can teach you well, and has lots of different types of horses for you to ride, you may actually end up in a better position than someone who has been a "one horse" rider for the same amount of time as you.

In my opinion, anywhere that is teaching you to "kick the sides out of" a horse isn't teaching you correctly, if I'm understanding this properly. In general, riders with really effective leg aids won't "flap" or take them off the horse, but they do know exactly when to "squeeze" the horse for maximum effectiveness. It's also important to be taught how to give with your hands, so you're not riding with the hand brake on!

I agree lunge lessons can be great for improving your position and confidence too! The more balanced you are, the easier it will be for your horse/pony to move forwards, so this may really help. In general, you'll progress much faster in private lessons, although learning in a group is nice too.

If you haven't already, I'd also suggest trying to get out hacking- partly because it's a lot of fun, but also because horses are often more forwards out hacking, and they have someone to follow, and it will help you get the feel of riding something a bit more forwards!

The hacking suggestion is brilliant and I would second that! Nothing to boost your confidence like managing to keep an excited horse under control, as opposed to constantly having to motivate it. Trotting/canter poles can also have this effect, though a lot of horses tend to get just a tad too excited at the mere sight (haha).

It’s really the dealing with a variety of situations, moods and movements that will help you become a better rider all-round!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If your instructor tells you to 'kick' to change gait, look for a new RS, if they say 'push' or something similar, stay with them for now at least.

 

[Wishfilly]

Wishfully


The hacking suggestion is brilliant and I would second that! Nothing to boost your confidence like managing to keep an excited horse under control, as opposed to constantly having to motivate it. Trotting/canter poles can also have this effect, though a lot of horses tend to get just a tad too excited at the mere sight (haha).

It’s really the dealing with a variety of situations, moods and movements that will help you become a better rider all-round!

For sure- I also think hacking is great for rider balance and learning how to avoid impeding the horse with your body. It also can feel lower pressure than lessons in the school, which is great for helping people relax.

I know it's very difficult in some areas, but I really think getting out hacking as soon as is safe/possible does people's riding a lot of favours!

 

[DarcyPercy]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for these responses - some really great ideas. Currently not able to hack out due to COVID regulations but v. much hoping to do so when I can.

I'll speak to my instructor about lunging and also using poles. I'm going to consciously work on about keeping my hands still and not accidentally pulling on the horse through the bit and also keeping my leg on to 'push' through the horse, rather than any flapping with the leg. I'm lucky that I have private lessons so should hopefully be able to use these points pretty easily .

Thanks again!

 

[Wishfilly]

Hi all,

Thanks so much for these responses - some really great ideas. Currently not able to hack out due to COVID regulations but v. much hoping to do so when I can.

I'll speak to my instructor about lunging and also using poles. I'm going to consciously work on about keeping my hands still and not accidentally pulling on the horse through the bit and also keeping my leg on to 'push' through the horse, rather than any flapping with the leg. I'm lucky that I have private lessons so should hopefully be able to use these points pretty easily .

Thanks again!

It's a shame you're not able to hack out- but hopefully you will be allowed to soon!

In terms of hands, it's not necessarily about keeping them still- in walk and canter especially, the horse has a natural head movement, which your hands should be following. Having some lunge lessons will really help, though, as you'll be able to ride without using the reins and make sure you're not relying on your hands for balance.

Learning to use your legs effectively is also really important- and again, working on the lunge can help you develop feel, which helps you know exactly when to use your legs.

But it's all a process and you will learn over time, so don't worry about not being good enough or having to make huge changes right now. I do think it helps to learn as well as you can right from the start, but equally, no-one is perfect at the start of their riding journey (or at any other stage of it)!

 

[Rumtytum]

I have private lessons too and along with the suggestions above I found videoing on my phone really helped. My instructor takes vids of me, and if I ask she’ll hop on and I’ll video her. Then watch them over and over when I get home! I’ve ridden many horses at the RS but have settled with ‘my’ boy and, as I’ve improved, he has become much more responsive ?

 

[Misty 2020]

Most horses in a riding school has to be a kick along because there is novice riders. Realistically forward horse aren’t suitable for a riding school because they could bolt off and a novice rider would not be able to stop the horse. There is some forward horses in some riding schools but they aren’t really forward . My own is actually really lazy. I don’t actually how you could not get into that habit maybe you should talk to your riding instructor a see does she have any suggestions.

 

[9tails]

I can assure you, if you've been riding the ones that need encouragement to move, you'll not have to break the habit on a more forward horse. You'll sit there like a queen and enjoy the ride. My legs are always on my forward horse, not nudging and definitely not kicking but just draped around her. For backward horses, my legs were off otherwise they totally ignored any signals and needed an obvious reminder.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

I’ve recently started riding again at a fabulous riding school. When I learned to ride as a child (decades ago) it was all ‘kick to go, pull to stop’. But the riding school I’m at now has some lovely horses who aren’t sour from constantly being used in beginner lessons. My favourite horse to ride is a cob who only needs a slight squeeze to get going. In my last lesson I had a wily old thing who wasn’t so responsive so if he ignored a squeeze I tapped him with the schooling whip. And there’s another horse who’s used a lot for RDA lessons who responds best to voice commands.

The fact that you’re aware of a potential problem means you almost certainly won’t be ‘that’ riding school client. And having watched a lot of riders on their own horses (my daughter has her own) kick and pull is certainly not just the preserve of riding school riders!

 

[EllenJay]

Riding school horses are very used to ineffective leg nagging. If, as you are, aware that you are falling into this trap, concentrate on using your legs effectively. What I mean by this, instead of general flapping with your legs, concentrate on making each forward ask mean something. If you ask for forward and don’t get a response immediately, then ask harder.
It’s a strange fact, that the less forward going your horse is the less often you should ask for forward. They get numb to the constant “ask”. You need to aim for “ask once and get a response”. Also, don’t be afraid of following up with a flick of your schooling whip - if you are not sure how to use this ask your instructor.
Also be aware that if you are asking for forward you are not blocking them, either by your hands or body.

 

[numptynovice]

In my experience as a riding school rider you will find that as you improve and your aids become more effective, those plodding horses can actually become a lot more responsive. Many a riding school horse I thought was slow and lazy would be a completely different horse when ridden by the more advanced riders. I’m finding them more forward and responsive the more I improve and am able to ride them forwards correctly.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Most horses in a riding school has to be a kick along because there is novice riders. Realistically forward horse aren’t suitable for a riding school because they could bolt off and a novice rider would not be able to stop the horse. There is some forward horses in some riding schools but they aren’t really forward . My own is actually really lazy. I don’t actually how you could not get into that habit maybe you should talk to your riding instructor a see does she have any suggestions.

this is not actually the case. When I first learned to ride (many, many years ago) the proprietors hunted regularly and their children had show ponies. All the equines were used in the RS, obviously there were ponies suitable for complete beginners but no-one was expected to ride them forever. As soon as we were capable we were allowed to ride more challenging equines.
And, in normal times, I volunteer with a RDA group which is based at a RS. The ponies/ horses there, over the years ,have been used for RDA, RS, hunting, showing, team chasing and just about anything else that you can think of. The RS owners' children and grandchildren learned to ride on the Shetlands and then progressed to bigger animals. Again some animals are better suited to complete beginners than others but just about all of them have been pressed into service for RDA but that doesn't make them ploddy, it makes them versatile.

 

[HazuraJane]

"Ask, tell, demand."

 

[Keith_Beef]

Having mulled this one over a little longer whilst tidying the kitchen (rare occurrence!), I wonder if one solution to this is asking your instructor - if you know you’ve been given one of the usual ploddier suspects for the day - if you can borrow a dressage (‘schooling’) whip for the lesson (ie a long whip with a little piece of string dangling at the end). This is going by the assumption that you’re a relatively competent novice, who’s got their hands/bouncing under control and want to look at fine-tuning their seat.

Another vote for a schooling whip, and also for doing lots of transitions and figures at the beginning of lessons.

I started riding as an adult, back in about 2013. Where I ride there are a couple of horses that can be difficult to get going, because they have learnt that novice riders don't have the technique and knowledge to get them going.

The bay gelding used to be difficult for me, refusing to go from walk to trot or trot to canter, until the instructor lent me a schooling whip. This is long enough to reach back and tap the horse's flank just behind your leg without your needing to let go of the reins, just a couple of light taps to remind him what the legs are asking him to do.

So when the gelding refused to move up a gear I gave him those two light taps, and off he went, just as I wanted. Since that, I don't even need to touch him with the whip: whenever he is a bit slow to respond, I just move the whip forwards a little, so he can see it, and he behaves just as he should.

Another one, a grey mare, is a bit small for me so I've only ridden her once. A girl of about 16 was having a really difficult time trying to get this mare to move. Even getting her to walk was hard, trot was just about possible, but asking for a canter would result in the mare dropping back to a walk then to a stop.

The girl tried kicking and whacking with a crop, until the instructor told her to stop: the horse clearly wasn't responding, and the girl was just beating it for no reason. The instructor told the girl to get off the mare and asked me if I'd get on and wake her up a bit...

I've seen other instructors deal with this horse by getting on her and being a bit more firm with leg contact, but not kicking her with the heels, and using a crop to give that tap behind the leg.

So I did tried what I'd seen the instructors do and it worked exactly how I'd seen. That little mare picked up a walk, trot, canter immediately, so I took her three times round on the left rein, three on the right rein, I did a few transitions from trot to stand, stand to walk, walk to stand, stand to trot.

This is what our instructors have us to at the beginning of a lesson during warm up: lots of transitions and figures and changes of rein to make sure that the horse knows that it is the rider who decides and the horse obeys.

When I gave this mare back to the girl, it was like a different horse: obedient, alert, a joy to ride.

 

[ecb89]

As an ex riding school learner my biggest bit of advice would be to learn to ride off the outside rein. I have so many issues now due to not being taught this

 

[Rumtytum]

As an ex riding school learner my biggest bit of advice would be to learn to ride off the outside rein. I have so many issues now due to not being taught this

Oh The Outside Rein.... Took me a long time to understand and even now I don’t always get it right, but at least I understand its importance.

 

[Keith_Beef]

As an ex riding school learner my biggest bit of advice would be to learn to ride off the outside rein. I have so many issues now due to not being taught this

Can you explain a bit what this means?

 

[Rumtytum]

Can you explain a bit what this means?

https://www.successful-horse-training-and-care.com/what-the-outside-rein-is-for.html#

 

[JulesRules]

As others have said, the simple answer to this is to go to a good riding school who will teach correctly from the start.

If you say where you are, people might be able to suggest somewhere.

Also, you could do some reading or find a good you tube channel to help. Sylvia Loch has books that are suitable for all levels and which have clear descriptions. Another one to look at is Mart Wanless Ride with your mind. I'm sure others can suggest books or resources too.