Jill Day - Dressage trainer

volatis

volatis

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www.volatis.co.uk
Does anyone have an experience of Jill Day as a trainer, any comments good or bad about her way of teaching would be great. I've heard of her in her ridden career, and she is teaching locally to us, so I was thinking I might try and go watch a lesson, and see if she might suit us
 
I had two lessons with Jill at a clinic earlier in the year. The improvement in Bailey in two days was amazing, although I found her very black and white approach quite tough- but then I am a bit soft! That said I would definately go back for another
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I had los of lessons with her but this was ermm 8 years ago now.

She 's very good but as the other poster mentions quite black and white, you certainly won't be allowed to be a passenger.
Eg not allowed to tap tap with the whip it must be one tap.

But she is very good and I really liked her, she's taughts all sorts of riders and horses so is good whether you're on a warm blood or not.

I must have liked her as it was an hour and half each way to get to hers for lessons.

She's also very good at Dressage to Music to. I think she also trains Sharon Hunt now?
 
How would she be with a 'difficult' horse (mentally and physically). he's a bit of a git but I am also not brave enough to pick a fight with him any more. I want someone who will push us, without pushing him over the edge. ie: will give me confidence, without being gung ho
 
Another vote for Jill, I used to train with her and found her just lovely, and very understanding of my short pony and me! I often stayed to watch her teach the 'proper' dressage horses and she'd give me the same treatment that they got, whereas a lot of trainers I've had would say, aaah, well, you're only doing BD for fun, you'll never qualify etc etc. Go for it, she's fantastic.
 
sounds perfect. As this horse has physical issues he needs the work to keep him supple, but he obviously remebers pain and has come mental issues from past training, and dressage is a 2nd career for him.
I've made progress but do need some help from the ground as when all you ride are babies and horses with issues, the rider gets into all sorts of bad habits!!

I'll try and get over to Laughton when she's teaching there and have a word with her. Thanks for all the feedback!
 
She managed to destroy our ponies confidence and totally confused her in one short lesson.

Pony needs to be ridden with tact not a black and white approach.

Would never go back. Has taken 6 months to get a relaxed canter again since Jill got hold of her mouth.

What suits one doesn't suit all but until you try you will never know.

Highly recommend Bev Brightman though.
 
Very suprised to read this as I've never seen Jill be rough or strong on the mouth.
I find her black and white approach easy for the horse and rider to understand and follow when at home.

However as you say, one person won't nec. suit all.
 
Very surprised at this, have watched Jill for many years as she has trained my friends daughter from ponies to young rider, she also works with quite a few pony riders in her region as well as adults and all types of horses, the one thing I have always liked about her is how fair she is on the horses and ponies, have never seen her be tough on a horse, very black and white with rider but always gives horse a chance.

She has taken TB's and WB's to grand prix level and has trained riders to grand prix and yes she does train Sharon Hunt in dressage, she does also work with Richard Maxwell and he certainly wouldn't be involved with her if she was destructive to the horse.

Volatis why dont you email her and tell her your problems she is really approachable and easy to talk to and I am sure she wont mind, you can get her email from her website www.jilldaydressage.co.uk and if she doesn't think she can help you she will advise you on where to go.
 
Thanks ddd. I actually thought it would be easier to speak to her in person, which is why I wanted to try and watch her training. A friend of mine is going to start having lessons on her youngster with her, so was going to watch that and try and speak to her briefly at the same time.
 
Another who has heard alot of good things about Jill (esp with horses/riders with problems)
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- was gonna get over to some clinics at Laughton myself once we have a lorry on the road - currently have a working old lorry with a rotton ramp and floor and a nice shiny replacement chassis waiting to swap to - coukld take some time.
 
Where abouts are you? you are welcome to come and watch Jill train at our yard, she comes every friday afternoon. It started off Jill training our rider on a hot Iberian, Jill was just brilliant...................now she trains my husband on his horse, a warmblood, and any problem horses that come in once they have started to accept submission.

Thistle I too am surprised that Jill damaged any confidence as I find watching her that she instills confidence, and although Jill may be black and white she is always about confidence, but does expect the rider to take responsibilty.

her mission statement which I think sums jill up fantastically is

"A good trainer is not one who thinks for you but the one that makes you think"

back to OP, please feel free to contact me if you want to come over, we are on the Essex/Suffolk border near Haverhill

Sam
 
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