merits of riding schools?

Bossdog

Bossdog

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Hi all

I have recently taking up riding after not having ridden since I was a child and I have joined a local but well regarded riding school. The trouble is I just don't feel like I can progress on their horses, I really need to work on my trot-canter transitions but how can you practice when the horse just can't be bothered? They are not keen on private lessons and they have skirted around the issue but I don't know where else to go. I really want to get to a point where I can confidently purchase a horse and I have no idea how to get there!! I was thinking about the intensive courses at YRC (have always fancied doing the BHS exams anyway), does anyone have any experience of them?

I knwo it's quite a vague question so basicallly I'm trying to find out how those who learnt to ride as adults have done so?!

Thanks

Jules xx
 
I totally understand your point. There's no point trying to learn on a horse that you are constantly having to keep moving.

I would just try a different riding school. I went to one in London recently just to pass the time and the horse I rode was amazing!

I would also recommend joining a Riding Club and getting to know more horsey people. Someone might take you under their wing and help you out in return for some mucking out!
 
Me, I had to ride the most stubborn mule you've ever met, heavy on the forehand...I could go on but a real nightmare. Anyhow rode this horse for over a years some weeks were good some bad, and eventually got put onto other horses which we typical school horses but an easier ride. Thing is my instructor told me if I can ride her I can ride anything, and to be honest in my own sphere of experience that is pretty much true.

Stick with it you need a slow plodder to build your experience/ confirdence and when you can get that horse going - you'll then be ready for whatever it is you want to do. Perhaps you need to put more time into the riding a lesson a week really isn't enough.

Oh I've only been riding for 3 years started when I was 31, still a long long way to go
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I know how you feel when you talk about riding school horses. I've been going to a riding school while I've been at uni- I already have my own horse so I may have been spoilt but I can see where you are coming from. Most of them just ignore any leg aids and have been taught that a big pony club kick is the aid for canter and still they attempt to run and fall round corners horrifically! Even the best rider wouldn't be able to reschool them in the space of an hour. Does your school have a schoolmaster you could have a lesson on? Alternatively you could go and visit some other local riding schools and watch the lessons. The quality of animal will definately differ between riding schools. I don't know where you are in lincolnshire but I did go to a good place in North Nottinghamshire- they seemed well schooled but then I only have ridden a couple of them!
 
I know there are really good riding schools out there, but sadly I haven't found them, even having individual lessons years ago I found that the basics were covered but there was no finesse and instructions to do something were not neccessarily accompanied by explaination. Children may learn by just being told to do something but I think adults need to reason out why they are doing things.

I have learned more one to one with private instructors on my own horses - but that is just my experience. Do you know any local horse owners who might be interested in share arrangement so that you can learn individually with a private instructor? It would take you a step closer to horse ownership too in terms of experieince.
 
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Perhaps you need to put more time into the riding a lesson a week really isn't enough.

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I completely agree with this but it's expensive!
One of my friends who is just starting out helps at a riding school on a Sunday in return for lessons. That way he gets to learn all about stable management as well as getting some riding.

I took it from your post that you already know the basics of riding and I think if you bought the right type of schoolmaster horse then you could work on the riding part quite well with some private lessons but learning how to look after one on your own is much harder and much more important.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!
 
How about trying to find a riding school where they train student for BHS exams, these centres usually have a wide variety of horses suited to riders of all levels???
 
Jules1982 has posted that she wants to improve her riding so she can buy a horse - a few extra lessons will still be cheaper than keeping a horse.
 
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Jules1982 has posted that she wants to improve her riding so she can buy a horse - a few extra lessons will still be cheaper than keeping a horse.

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I know that! Maybe didn't come across right... I meant for in the future when she feels her riding is better.
I just wanted to point out that riding is only half of it and she should also concentrate on stable management
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There are different types of riding school out there Jules. Like you I returned to riding as an adult having given up as a child and decided pretty quickly that I wanted to own a horse (childhood dream returned with a vengence).

I am now 10 years into horse ownership so you go for it girl.

Purely by luck rather than design when I returned I happened to pick a riding school which also happened to be a livery yard, breaking schooling yard and the owner competed on a professional level at dressage.

I started on the kick-on nags in the ordinary lessons but soon moved over to the owner for my lessons (a bit more expensive) and she selected either a school pony or a quieter one of her own depending on what she wanted to work on. I eventually moved up to her better horses and learned so much more than I would have. Afterall trying to learn lateral work when you dont know how to do it, on a horse that doesnt know how to do it is virtually impossible. It brought my riding on although I hit the deck more regularly
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I still have the same instructor and because she competes at GP level at dressage there is still loads to teach me.

I would also advise taking some horse care courses. I did some BHS preparation sessions at an Agricultural college near me (which had an equine section). They were invaluable and certainly prevented a few of the new owner panics that I might have suffered. I still had plenty but perhaps a few less.
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Riding school horses should be incredibly varied. I've ridden "dead to the leg" type plods, "dead in the mouth" beasties, sharp horses, spooky horses, horses that tend to buck, and incredibly amazing responsive animals that are like a dream - all at various riding schools.
Similarly, I have had rubbish instructors who shout a lot and make you ride round in lots of circles, I have also had instructors who are nice and hands on with your position, actually moving you into what you should be trying to do, those who hardly say a word yet you learn so much from.

What I'm trying to say is, if you're not enjoying it, if you don't feel that you're progressing or learning anything then you should move somewhere else/try a different instructor until you feel happy.
 
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. It brought my riding on although I hit the deck more regularly
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lol I bet you learned fast!
 
I sympathise completly and basically agree with what watcher said.

Riding schools have their place, but the problem is that the levels of teaching vary enormously as do the standards of animals. Sadly, most people don't realise how little they truely know until they get their own horse :|

That being said, there ARE schools out there that are fabulous! Talland of course springs to mind. As for the YRC... I dont have direct experience of it although I do know a woman who went there for private dressage lessons with Chris Bartle after losing her confidence somewhat and it seemed to work wonders for her. They also have a wide range of horses that they teach on.

If i was in your position, id give them a call and have a chat with them about what you're looking for.

Good luck
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a little off the topic but my friend and I were discussing this the other day. She was plonked on a shettie at the age of 4 and taught via hacking out. I was always on the LR, in a steril enviroment and a RS with ploddy horses and no hacking.
To this day i am a nervous rider. Whereas my friend can ride anything. My son is taught how my friend was and is already very confident.
I think you need to find a good balance. A RS that hacks out and has a good mixture of horses. the problem being that novices and more complicated horses don't go, but when you reach that level you need to find a RS that will accomodate your needs.
 
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How about trying to find a riding school where they train student for BHS exams, these centres usually have a wide variety of horses suited to riders of all levels???

[/ QUOTE ] I agree with this. I've owned horses for many, many years, but at one point had nothing that was actually rideable, so I invested in some lessons at the local riding school, which was also a BHS exam centre. They had an excellent range of horses and I got great value out of the lessons.
 
I used to teach in a riding school for several years, and we had plenty of 'dead to the leg' horses - and by goodness we couldn't have coped without them! At a riding school you get a lot of novice riders who do not have full control of their legs, so to a certain extent, the horses used for novice lessons have to become immune to it - otherwise the client would be on the floor before they even reached the track! On the other hand, we also had a good range of horses, from the 'doesn't bat an eyelid' through to experienced SJers and XC horses, ones that hunted, and usually a good dose of youngsters that the staff were breaking, bringing on etc.

That said, even the 'dead to the leg' horses knew their stuff - we had one gorgeous hairy monster who was a great weight carrier, and did a lot of hacking with complete novices, he was a fab horses that knew all the key words 'walk' 'trot' 'stop eating the hedge' etc, which made him a really fab beginner horse. He was often overlooked and rarely used for more experience riders as he was worth his weight in gold as a novice horse. One day, I rode him (yard politics meant that someone had fed every other horse knowing I was due to ride.....) and I thought 'what the heck' and took him into the school. Turns out he was a superstar in hiding, beautiful lateral work, fab transitions, but no one ever asked him to do them. I've found the same at other riding schools, the horses know their thing, but never get asked to work properly.

You say you need to work on your trot-canter transitions, what do you do as your warm up knowing you are going to be doing this? I find a lot of school horses sluggish going into canter, but if this was the aim of the lesson I would spend a good amount of time working on walk to trot transitions, and some halt to trot as well, get the horse using his back end, and switched on. When you have got a good halt-trot then try the canter transitions - I would avoid doing them in the 'AK corner' (basically the corners they always canter in) instead working off a 20m circle asking for the transition as you come back to the track (hope that makes sense)

In regards to the instructors, I would have a chat with the person who teaches you, explain what you feel you need to work on, and why it is a challange (in private, dismounted) She may tell you that she thinks you need to build up your leg muscles/ work on your position / establish sitting trot / work on a seat independant of your hands etc - I've had people fixate on canter, but really the key to them being comfortable in canter, or through the transitions was something to be worked on in a different pace / without stirrups etc.

Whilst I understand your frustration, I would try to persevere - you could go and canter on something very well schooled, and it would give you a good feel, but it wouldn't really help you ride a ploddy horse, they require different skills. Another thought, do you carry a long whip? Sometimes this helps, as you can re-enforce your leg aids without having to move your hands.
 
Totaly understand your problem. Every things seems to have been said though. Speak to your instructor, gain what you can out of riding 'plods', consider another school if things dont improve. I also second the recomendation to join ypur local RC, you could put an ad on their website or newsletter. There are peole crying out for a bit of help to keep their horses fit, Just be honest about your capabilities.

Why not consider doing an NVQ exam too. I am doing one at the ILPH - v interesting despite bing a horse owner for 6 years.
 
What about sharing a horse and having individual lessons. Alternatively visit some local livery yards and find out which instructors they use for individual lessons one of them may have their own horse that they can give you lessons on.
 
We run a unique riding school at home, we have 4 ponies and a couple of schoolmaster horses. All lessons are individual, all beginners start out on the lunge until they're balanced enough and have enough of a seat to steer and control the horse alone but will regularly go back on the lunge to improve the position/learn new things. The ponies/horses are all ex-competition and regularly schooled to keep them off the leg and keep some semblence of a mouth.

We're very popular as it seems this is such a rare thing to offer, plus we are far cheaper than most local riding schools!!
 
That sounds like an absolute dream
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I wish we could hack out from our riding school... but I understand why they don't do them, it being near some busy roads and all.
But the riding school I go to doesn't have any decent jumping horses anymore
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in the past 3 or 4 years I'd say I've jumped about 5 times. I wanna jump
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It's swings and roundabouts unfortunately with riding schools. And it's finding a good one that's the problem. All RSs will have the stereotypical horses that dont move etc but they have to otherwise where would a nervous novice start off?

The attitude of your RS regarding private lessons and improvement would worry me and I'd start looking around which is harder than it sounds I know. A good yard/set of instructors should want to help you improve especially if you're hoping to buy your own horse in whatever way suits YOU - you're the paying customer.

And it makes it 10 x easier when your instructor is on your wavelength, wants to help you improve in whatever way suits you etc.

I've been very lucky, infact spoilt in some ways by the RS I'm at. It's got good facilities, good horses and some very good instructors - I've been there 6 years now - I don't have the time or money for a horse of my own plus I'm not ready to have that commitment if I'm honest. So I've chosen to stay and keep learning from some very good horses. Horses range from 11hh ponies right up to ex-advanced competition horses. Plus I've had stable management lessons - one of my very first ones was to sit me in a tack room and an hour later I had every bit explained to me in detail. However it comes at a very big price; a couple of years ago I was riding twice, if not 3 times a week with a mixture of private and group lessons. I can't afford weekly group lessons now as the prices have shot up over the years. I've been unwell recently but before all that happened, I was riding on average once a month - you cant improve with that irregular a contact with horses. In the 6 years group lesson prices have doubled and private lesson prices have tripled - all for a variety of reasons.

It's such a shame as it's such a good RS but it's putting people off the minute they look at the price list - I know atleast 6 adults (I'm 20) who all have full time jobs etc who can't afford to ride as regularly as they really would like to.

Is there anywhere else slightly further away from you but is worth the trip? And for the practical/stable management side - have you thought about finding a share in the mean time?

Really hope you find something as I can honestly sympathise with how frustrating it is to find somewhere decent to ride without costing a fortune
 
I was lucky enough to be taught by Betty Skelton.....the school was pretty run down but she was an excellent instructor - very old school and I was suprised how much I remembered when I returned to riding.

It is hard to find a good school - well it is around London when I wanted to start riding again.....
 
Riding lessons are expensive but the potential owner should dispense with £200 a month, the reality is once they've got a horse it'll still cost more than this but this may act as a good acid test to see if they can actually afford one.
 
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