[69117]
Well-Known Member
SO.....
I adore teaching, and teach a wiiiide range of riders from complete beginners to more serious competition riders (not super duper top competition riders...I'm too much of a wimp!), and never seem to have a problem thinking of things to teach them, BUT....
I have been teaching at my local Riding for the Disabled centre for three years, and 90% of our riders are still the same people that I was teaching when I qualified. My difficulty is that I have half an hour (which invariably turns into 15 minutes because someone is always late and there's a serious amount of faffing about) in which to teach them something, and the range of riders is so incredibly wide. I have one ride of four, who should really be learning to leg yield etc., who ride for emotional rather than physical therapy, but then the rest of the rides range from people who literally just want to sit on the horse and walk around the school a few times, to those who would genuinely like to learn to ride, but are in a lesson with those who just want to walk around on the lead rein, so I need to involve everyone.
I have played all the games in the book, and have had much more positive feedback from riders and their parents when I've taught things such as steering with no reins, basic movements and etiquette around the school etc. but I'm all out of ideas.
I was also shocked to see that when I completely removed the leaders and helpers from our " advanced " ride last week, they literally couldn't get their horses to walk large around the school... what happened?!
Any ideas? Serious amounts of chocolate and pimms for anyone who got this far!
xx
I adore teaching, and teach a wiiiide range of riders from complete beginners to more serious competition riders (not super duper top competition riders...I'm too much of a wimp!), and never seem to have a problem thinking of things to teach them, BUT....
I have been teaching at my local Riding for the Disabled centre for three years, and 90% of our riders are still the same people that I was teaching when I qualified. My difficulty is that I have half an hour (which invariably turns into 15 minutes because someone is always late and there's a serious amount of faffing about) in which to teach them something, and the range of riders is so incredibly wide. I have one ride of four, who should really be learning to leg yield etc., who ride for emotional rather than physical therapy, but then the rest of the rides range from people who literally just want to sit on the horse and walk around the school a few times, to those who would genuinely like to learn to ride, but are in a lesson with those who just want to walk around on the lead rein, so I need to involve everyone.
I have played all the games in the book, and have had much more positive feedback from riders and their parents when I've taught things such as steering with no reins, basic movements and etiquette around the school etc. but I'm all out of ideas.
I was also shocked to see that when I completely removed the leaders and helpers from our " advanced " ride last week, they literally couldn't get their horses to walk large around the school... what happened?!
Any ideas? Serious amounts of chocolate and pimms for anyone who got this far!
xx