Is there a market for western training without a schoolmaster?

I

Imogen Rose

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 January 2012
Messages
266
Location
South Downs
Visit site
Hi all, I just wanted to get a genral view here so i dont waste my time!
I occasionaly give reigning lessons and train horses. Im aware that western riding is becoming more popular over here and that there is a growing market for western trainers.
Which brings me to my question; could i advertise myself as a trainer and give lessons even though i dont have a schoolmaster avaliable for people to have lessons on? Is this an expectation and would i be letting people down because they cant ride 'the finished product'?
Thanks for reading :)
 
Think you might have a problem giving lessons without a horse to give them on!!

Contact Suzi Andersen, she is sort of South Downs, and is one of the best western instructors I know..
 
Heck if you were near to me I'd have lessons.I don't want to ride on someones already trained horse I want to learn on my own equine if I wanted to ride a horse I'd've got one :D
 
Thanks for replying! I did think not having a schoolmaster would hold me back some... i guess im trying to decide if there are enough people riding western with thier own horses and would want reigning lessons?
I should probably just go for it, I wont know until i see what kind of response i get.
 
Whereabouts are you? Have two QH mares and would love a freelance instructor to give lessons on my own horse. My mare was broken by Shane Borland, she's bred for halter but is fast and agile and I'd love to dabble in reining!
 
Well, in the non-western teaching world there are loads of people who are teaching that can't offer a schoolmaster for people to learn on. So why would you be any different? You teach the rider and horse together, just as any BHS-style instructor would.
If you feel able to help people to train their horses to be ridden western then I think that would be a great advantage.
Do you just do reining? Or do you also do the more collected vaquero (cowboy dressage) style stuff?
 
Last edited:
I live near brighton in west sussex, so I can travel a reasonable distance in the south.
At first i would just do genral western riding with reigning; as this is what i feel most knowlegable about. I do regularly travel to america to learn more and the vaquero style is fantastic to watch, but I dont know enough to teach it- yet!
 
I think you may have greater interest if you made it a joint training package, horse and rider. :)

To simply teach reining on a horse accustomed to English will end up with a confused horse, and rider, I feel. Both must learn to walk before they run if you see what I mean:) You have to start at the very beginning, otherwise it would be like getting on a racehorse and expecting it to do an Intermediate dressage test.
 
Last edited:
There are a number of Western instructors around the country who operate on a freelance basis giving general Western riding lessons to people on their own horses. Not having a schoolmaster certainly shouldn't be a barrier when you are a good communicator.
But your part of the country is probably the most dense in terms of access to reining-specific coaches (look at the coaches and trainers list on the British Reining website), many of those do have access not only to a lessons horse but also to reining arenas (not that I am implying that there is no room for any more, you can get so used to using up many hours and miles getting to trainers it becomes almost 'normal', heaven forbid!!)
But it surely would be more challenging to convey to a newcomer what reining is about on a horse not designed or trained for the task or on an appropriate surface?
 
There are quite a lot of Western riders that I come across, so, like everyone in their chosen area of interest, I'd say yes.
My OH would love to learn.
 
Thankyou for your replies :)
Im obviously aware that every horse and rider pair are at a different level and have different strengths.It will be a few years yet before i have a schoolmaster avaliable; but I think from the response I have from here and other forums is that there are enough people trying out western on thier own horses for me to give it a go....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top