Moving up to novice without instructor?

U

UKa

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 September 2004
Messages
961
Location
Herts
community.webshots.com
Hi, me and my horse have been doing prelim dressage for a good while now and last year I was told we would be ready to try some novice. I am keen on a challenge but shame is that I can never really afford lessons and also need to find a new instructor as old one moved away is it realistic to move up a level without instructor help? I have been riding for over 30 years and did ride at novice level in the past but a long time ago now. What could I do to ensure we don't embarrass ourselves?
 
If you can't afford an instructor, then you could get a knowledgeable friend to watch you and ask for their advice. Otherwise, get someone to video you riding and see what you can / need to change.

Actually riding a novice test, there are several things you could do - again video yourself riding the test, preferably from the judges view point, so you can see what they would see. I also use Youtube quite a lot to find videos of tests that have received good scores and watch how they ride the test.

After that, I think it would be a case of having a go! If you have been doing well at prelim, including the higher prelim tests, you should have an idea of what the judges will be looking for, particularly in the lower novice tests. Use your comments from your last tests is always a helpful starting point. :)
 
Cool thanks. The videos sound great. May start hanging around at some shows to watch a few riders at novice to get an idea. See where we get to. Hopefully can fit in a lesson at some stage too :-)
 
Could you forego competing a couple of times to have a lesson? I find a lesson every now and again is great for motivating me :)
 
To be honest, if you are enjoying yourself, then it doesn't matter too much! I suffer from dreadful nerves in the run up to every show, but I always enjoy the riding part of it. Every outing is a lesson in itself I think! :)
 
Another way of looking at it. Just go do a novice. If it's goes OK you have your answer, if not then you will have gained idea of what you need to work on. The is no penalty for doing a less that stunning test.
 
I think I like that advice and just go for it. My next outing will have the novice 24 that seems achieveable maybe need work on the medium strides otherwise looks good. For me and my girl it always depends on so many factors anyway sometimes she and I just won't relax and on other days we are doing well. I recently did my worst ever prelim test shortly after having got my best score :-) I like using the score sheets to work on myself and feeds from lessons of a while ago...thanks at the moment I feel motivated to try :-)
 
If you can afford to compete, you can afford lessons. It's just up to you whether you sacrifice a few outings for the benefit of you and your horse's training.
 
My gelding has yet to achieve a decent med trot in the ring which to us, is the hardest part of novice!! but we're now doing elems... :p Have a look at the sheets, do you feel confident riding those movements? If so, go for it & see what you get. Only you will be bothered about your score at the end of the day, and it's not like you're jumping from prelim to GP!
I've been in the position in the past of not really being able to have many lessons, but still doing the odd comp. You can still learn from your sheets, you can video yourself or ask a friend to video bits if poss (they don't even have to be all that horsey to do that!) & watch them back, be critical of yourself. Sites like HorseHero are relatively cheap to subscribe to but give lots of advice so you can learn from them too. Maybe even try writing at a comp? See what the judges have to say.
And when you can have a lesson... do!!! :D I like competing but I enjoy lessons more. Then again, I enjoy having the challenge of comps to work towards in my lessons! :)
 
MileAMinute said:
If you can afford to compete, you can afford lessons. It's just up to you whether you sacrifice a few outings for the benefit of you and your horse's training.
Click to expand...

I know this seems a bit harsh but this is very true - if you can afford the cost of entry, cost of fuel etc then you can afford some lessons. You dont have to go to a grand prix rider, just someone local that knows what they are doing. I have a wonderful trainer who is a BYRDS rider, he's only 18 but one of the best riders I've ever seen and is a wonderful trainer as well, his approach and the way he explains things are excellent. And he's £20 for an hour!

Yes there are trainers who ride at a high level that will charge £45+ (some over £100!) but there are alternative options, and often young riders who are starting out in coaching will be a lot cheaper but that doesnt mean not as good! Do your research, ask around on local FB horsey groups for suggestions and start contacting some people. If they can come to you then you dont have to pay fuel, try and find someone that wont charge mileage to you as well.

Talking of my trainer, he took a full year out of competing (he was at Medium when he took the year out) to work on his riding and improve himself. Since he did that he has now made it to PSG in record time and came second in BYRDS rider of the year competition. There is a lot to be said for stopping competing for a while and investing in lessons, I know competing is fun and the feedback from judges is great but nothing is going to get your scores to improve more than lessons with a trainer.

Lessons can become as addictive as competing if you find a good trainer - I look forward to my lessons more than I look forward to competing! The feeling you get when something clicks or you make a big improvement/break-through is wonderful, far better than a red rosette! You can also do test riding clinics so they may be worth looking out for in your local area, that way you get warmed up by a trainer, go in and do the test and have it marked by a judge, then have the chance to talk through your sheet with the judge. Those are great ways of trying out a new level and getting some brilliant feedback from a judge and a trainer.

Dont ever undervalue lessons, I'd say if you had 3 months of lessons either weekly or every fortnight you'd notice a massive difference and will be getting significantly better scores. If you really cant bring yourself to stop competing altogether, why not balance it out with 1 competition and 1 lesson per month?
 
I competed up to Elem without any lessons. To decent effect too tbh, for what I was wanting to achieve which was to have fun and do well locally. My ponies are based at home and parents basically livery them for me so it's not quite as simple as if you can afford to compete you can afford to have lessons. I can't get lifts for lessons (only 2 years ago passed trailer test) and they don't like strangers coming to the yard. Now time is my limiting factor as I live an hour away. My driving pony and I managed mid 60s BD Elem and high 60s unaff qualifying for trailblazers nationals. We weren't going to go to the olympics off the back of our performances but there's only so much an instructor would have improved- maybe a couple of % at most, and if anything would have added to the stress and reduced the fun!
 
Aw, thanks that's lovely advice. I am not really competing much either - money, transport and time restrict me to around 3 times a year of a day out. Lessons I usually have around the same amount so aware that I can't expect much and am only very much a self-made woman. Don't do shows for rosettes although it is nice to get them but I go competing to have a nice day out with my horse as I am otherwise restricted to my yard. Then I do get a little ambutious and want to advance myself but am fully aware that if I had had lessons all along I could be a lot further than I am. But then the cost of merely keeping her goes up all the time (she now has cushings and needs prascend daily) so she is main priority of spend...Was chuffed that instructor had seen progress which was mainly down to few really good lessons and the rest me persevering on my own :-) I will ask for a nice birthday treat to get a good lesson but may still just go out for a rare day xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top