New instructor is brilliant but..

C

CobsGalore

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 August 2012
Messages
2,298
Location
Buckinghamshire
Visit site
OK so had a new instructor out on Saturday who I really liked. She arrived and hopped straight on my horse, pointed out what I needed to be working on with him and got him working really nicely straight away.

I then jumped back on and she showed me how to replicate what she did to get him working nicely from behind and stretching over his topline. He went beautifully for me and felt lovely and light in front. Very pleased with how everything went.

But..

I schooled him again last night, and tried to remember everything she told me, but could I get him working like we did at the weekend.. could I hell! :mad:

She will be coming back in a couple of weeks, but I was hoping to get some practice in before then.. feeling a bit deflated and not sure what I did wrong last night :(
 
I have that same issue all the time. Lesson goes well - she gives us stuff to practice and when I try it on my own its ridiculous :)

However - the more you have lessons, the more you will start to ride in a way that gets your horse going naturally without having to think too much about what you are doing - so stick at it.
 
Start a training book .
I have one for each horse.
After every lesson I make notes of what we did , exercises that helped and how they where laid out .
What I needed to work on ?
And my thoughts about the session I do this in the lorry before I drive home.
I also use these books to make notes about each horse just things like tried such and such a snaffle did not like .
 
I'm not keen on instructors getting on first and setting the horse up as it leads to precisely the problem you have.
You need to be instructed in how to get the horse where you want him.

Maybe she did this as it was the first time she had met you both and was assessing the horse/you.
I'd be telling her next time that you wish to learn, not watch her do it for you.
 
This happens to me all the time. It does get better with time, the more lessons you have the more you start to ride in that way naturally and the easier it becomes to get your horse working that way.

Persevere, and I like the idea of making notes after your lesson about how things were done, it's very possible you are forgetting one little thing that makes all the difference.
 
quirky said:
I'm not keen on instructors getting on first and setting the horse up as it leads to precisely the problem you have.
You need to be instructed in how to get the horse where you want him.

Maybe she did this as it was the first time she had met you both and was assessing the horse/you.
I'd be telling her next time that you wish to learn, not watch her do it for you.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with this problem!

Yes I think she hopped on because it was the first time she met me and my horse, and next time I will probably ask that she doesn't so he isn't 'set up' for me
 
Goldenstar said:
Start a training book .
I have one for each horse.
After every lesson I make notes of what we did , exercises that helped and how they where laid out .
What I needed to work on ?
And my thoughts about the session I do this in the lorry before I drive home.
I also use these books to make notes about each horse just things like tried such and such a snaffle did not like .
Click to expand...

Good idea, thank you :)
 
quirky said:
I'm not keen on instructors getting on first and setting the horse up as it leads to precisely the problem you have.
You need to be instructed in how to get the horse where you want him.

Maybe she did this as it was the first time she had met you both and was assessing the horse/you.
I'd be telling her next time that you wish to learn, not watch her do it for you.
Click to expand...

One thing we were always taught when training for our instructors exams was that you need to get on the horse so that you can assess the horses way of going so that you can teach the rider without guess work.

OP - I know just how you feel as many years ago I had a lovely mare that I had lessons on - instructor rode the horse and the lesson went well - then the next day not so good. The reason being that the instructor hadn't given the horse a quick school when she rode her - but what she had given me was the knowledge and feel of what it should feel like and what it shouldn't feel like and I then knew the difference.

Many of us battle on schooling our horses and not getting anywhere because we don't know what it should feel like. I remember wanting to bring my young horse to lessons that I was taking preparing me for my Stage IV but the schools owner - a very high up in the BHS hierarchy said absolutely not - that until I knew what the movement should feel like on a schooled horse it would be wasting my time and money riding the youngster. She was very correct - experience the correct then learn to achieve it. Not the other way around.
 
quirky said:
I'm not keen on instructors getting on first and setting the horse up as it leads to precisely the problem you have.
You need to be instructed in how to get the horse where you want him.
Click to expand...


Completely agree. I used to teach at the same venue as another trainer and she was constantly getting on clients horses for no good reason at all. It annoyed me a lot as it simply made her students feel like failures and that they couldn't manage their horses without her stepping in. I'm not saying your new instructor made you feel this way OP but a good trainer should be able to explain to you, from the ground, how to work your horse without needing to prepare him/her beforehand. Teaching isn't just about being a good, knowledable rider. It's also about having the skill to translate this into words.
 
Orls said:
Completely agree. I used to teach at the same venue as another trainer and she was constantly getting on clients horses for no good reason at all. It annoyed me a lot as it simply made her students feel like failures and that they couldn't manage their horses without her stepping in. I'm not saying your new instructor made you feel this way OP but a good trainer should be able to explain to you, from the ground, how to work your horse without needing to prepare him/her beforehand. Teaching isn't just about being a good, knowledable rider. It's also about having the skill to translate this into words.
Click to expand...

That's not the way I felt about her at all. It was the first time she had met me or my horse and I don't think she would have 'understood' him had she not got on. She wasn't 'preparing' him, she was just getting to know him :)

This isn't about the instructor, I was very happy with her style of teaching and looking forward to her coming back. It is more about me wondering if anyone else has the same problem and how many lessons it takes before you 'get it' yourself!?
 
I think it's good if instructors have a quick go on client's horses. They will get a better idea of how the particular horse works, and what may help usual rider.

I took my pest horse to an instructor once, and it was amazing when she rode him... I could see exactly what he was capable of!
 
wench said:
I think it's good if instructors have a quick go on client's horses. They will get a better idea of how the particular horse works, and what may help usual rider.

I took my pest horse to an instructor once, and it was amazing when she rode him... I could see exactly what he was capable of!
Click to expand...

Yes I agree, I know what he can do now! It's also the first time I have seen him being ridden (except from when I tried him out) and I enjoyed watching him from the ground. :)
 
CobsGalore said:
It is more about me wondering if anyone else has the same problem and how many lessons it takes before you 'get it' yourself!?
Click to expand...

Ah, I get you! Well what about getting someone to film your lesson, so you can watch it back and see what you are doing and replicate it? That way you could also have the chance to hear your instructors advice again as it can be so difficult to remember exactly what you've been told when you're receiving so much information in a short space of time.
 
Orls said:
Ah, I get you! Well what about getting someone to film your lesson, so you can watch it back and see what you are doing and replicate it? That way you could also have the chance to hear your instructors advice again as it can be so difficult to remember exactly what you've been told when you're receiving so much information in a short space of time.
Click to expand...

Yes that's a great idea, I will get my friend to film the next one :)
 
I have the same problem. I mentioned this to my instructor at my last lesson and said I basically get frustrated that I can't get my horse to go the same way when we're riding alone compared to a lesson and she basically said never expect to be able to replicate it! She just said when you're on your own you are having to think about the tools you've been taught and apply them correctly. If something isn't working then strip it back to basics and run through the various things you should be doing (i.e. am i central? is the horse's neck central? do I have enough activity?)
 
You will get it but it will take time. for the future if you or anyone else have an instructor ride your horse its worth asking them to give a running commentary on what they are doing with their seat legs and hands so you get an idea of what work is being done that is getting the horse to go that way as there are a lot of things going on at the same time and its easy to miss the most important bits when you are watching especially as most people look at the horse and not the tiniest movement the rider makes
 
crabbymare said:
You will get it but it will take time. for the future if you or anyone else have an instructor ride your horse its worth asking them to give a running commentary on what they are doing with their seat legs and hands so you get an idea of what work is being done that is getting the horse to go that way as there are a lot of things going on at the same time and its easy to miss the most important bits when you are watching especially as most people look at the horse and not the tiniest movement the rider makes
Click to expand...

Yes she was telling me what she was doing and then I got on and she told me what to do....but now I can't do it! Feeling like a bit of a numpty! :o
 
I think it is great if they will get on as they can read the horse much better then.
I had a horse on loan who had very little brakes. My instructor got on and couldn't do a lot better. After battling for a while she got off and said " don't ever get this horse fitter !".
When our cob wasn't working well our dressage instructor got on and he gave her a hard time too. She was much more sympathetic after that.
 
I'd be asking for the whole lesson to be done with you in the saddle.

If the instructor rides first then the horse is 'set up' and ready for you, you won't learn how to set him up for yourself so no wonder you can't repeat it when schooling on your own.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top