Private lesson for a new beginner

paddy555

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The trainer won't have a clue as yet as to how you are able to lose the ego and empty your mind. I 'liked' the above comment as I too feel the trainer is on a loser, as you are going in with your own fixed ideas, that may take several sessions to loosen.

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I think Grajo is going to find a huge difference between an extremely well oiled and well trained Argentinian polo pony and an English beginner's riding school horse.
If I was an adult beginner (but had the knowledge I have now which of course I wouldn't have) there is no way I would go for lessons at a general riding school. I would find a classical establishment and learn on a machine and then on schoolmasters. Not because I want to ride in that style but because one would get there a lot quicker and become lighter and more skilled.

Grajo, Red raises some good points about riding ie someone wants to get on a horse and have a good belt around or they want to learn the "art" of riding. They are different things. (neither is right or wrong)

What are you hopes? Are you aiming for your own horse? just something to do once a week. Where do you see yourself going?

after reading post no. 14 I googled Widley and looked at their horses. I do wonder if teapot is right but of course it depends on what you are aiming for.
 
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Casey76

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with horses there are no hard and fast rules. You can’t say ‘today I’m going to learn x,y,z’ and be it set in concrete. It’s much more fluid, ‘today I’m working towards x,y,z’ because everytime you approach a horse you have to assess the situation and make a decision on how to achieve that. With time it becomes instinctual, but as a beginner conscious decisions need to be made.

In a first lesson I might expect instruction on how to mount, some time on making yourself comfortable in the saddle (the instructor may touch you here, to place your leg/feet in the right place, and guide you into a neutral pelvic seat). Some instruction on how leg aids should feel (squeeze or press with the calf- not heel, and certainly no ‘kick’), how to hold the rein and how to adjust the length of rein.

Then on a lead rein or lunge line I may expect some seat exercises with no reins, to help you start getting the feel of how the horse moves. And that’s it basically.

Your beginning lessons should be ‘boring’ and technical, because this is the basics. If you are trotting and cantering in your first lesson and yes, I’ve seen this happen), then you’re probably in the wrong place.
 

blitznbobs

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Horses are great at teaching you NOT to plan eg yesterday I had *planned * on working on my cobs canter transitions especially the downwards ones cos they are a bit messy... what we actually did was work on going past the scary gate (which has never been scary before) with out losing our poo...human humility training every time...
 

sport horse

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I think Grajo is going to find a huge difference between an extremely well oiled and well trained Argentinian polo pony and an English beginner's riding school horse.
If I was an adult beginner (but had the knowledge I have now which of course I wouldn't have) there is no way I would go for lessons at a general riding school. I would find a classical establishment and learn on a machine and then on schoolmasters. Not because I want to ride in that style but because one would get there a lot quicker and become lighter and more skilled.

Grajo, Red raises some good points about riding ie someone wants to get on a horse and have a good belt around or they want to learn the "art" of riding. They are different things. (neither is right or wrong)

What are you hopes? Are you aiming for your own horse? just something to do once a week. Where do you see yourself going?

after reading post no. 14 I googled Widley and looked at their horses. I do wonder if teapot is right but of course it depends on what you are aiming for.


I doubt that any clasical establishemnt will be willing to teach a beginner. They will have well trained sensitive horses that will not take kindly to a begiiner bouncing around on top, unable to do rising trot and unable to have an independent seat and hands. You have to start at a riding school that has horses/ponies that will tolerate such shortcomings. Once you have mastered the basics then yes, move on to somewhere with better horses.
 

Snowfilly

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I doubt that any clasical establishemnt will be willing to teach a beginner. They will have well trained sensitive horses that will not take kindly to a begiiner bouncing around on top, unable to do rising trot and unable to have an independent seat and hands. You have to start at a riding school that has horses/ponies that will tolerate such shortcomings. Once you have mastered the basics then yes, move on to somewhere with better horses.

A few classical trainers I’ve known say it’s better to teach someone from scratch because they don’t get any bad habits. Lunge lessons and lots of walking, the rider shouldn’t bounce because they won’t be trotting until they’ve got a balanced seat and ideally shouldn’t have reins at all for a while.
 

Wishfilly

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A few classical trainers I’ve known say it’s better to teach someone from scratch because they don’t get any bad habits. Lunge lessons and lots of walking, the rider shouldn’t bounce because they won’t be trotting until they’ve got a balanced seat and ideally shouldn’t have reins at all for a while.

The converse to this is that unfortunately a lot of adult beginners won't have the patience for this- but I do think it is probably the best way to teach someone to ride from scratch!
 

paddy555

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I doubt that any clasical establishemnt will be willing to teach a beginner. They will have well trained sensitive horses that will not take kindly to a begiiner bouncing around on top, unable to do rising trot and unable to have an independent seat and hands. You have to start at a riding school that has horses/ponies that will tolerate such shortcomings. Once you have mastered the basics then yes, move on to somewhere with better horses.

doesn't seem very logical that you learn to kick and pull and then have to unlearn it :D

as for trotting I thought that was what mechanical horses were for.
 

sport horse

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doesn't seem very logical that you learn to kick and pull and then have to unlearn it :D

as for trotting I thought that was what mechanical horses were for.

Where did I say they would learn to kick and pull?

All beginners lose balance and do not have hand and seat independence. In losing balance it is inevitable that they will probably use the reins to regain balance. No it is not nice but pretty inevitable, even if they have spent hours walking or on a mechanical horse it will still happen. Best to do it on a more placid/forgiving type of horse than a highly trained classical sport horse.
 

New2this

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I would not have put it quite like this, but I understand where Lois Lame is coming from and will try to explain, so you don't view it as an attack.

In many things, you can 'push through' to master something. Put effort in, try harder, etc. With horses though, it is a different kind of skill. There is a third being in there with you and the trainer. One who does not communicate with words. One where 'trying hard' is actually a drawback, and 'allowing' things to happen is much more productive, having set things up so the right thing can happen. It is where the line between riders who want to get on and go fast is drawn from those who want to get into the art of riding as opposed to the mechanics. The art of riding includes many things, including; emptying your mind; lowering your tensions and losing the ego so you can feel the horse's thoughts, through their energy levels, their tensions, their breathing.

It is what makes it fascinating to me.

I love ❤️ This post. This is completely what draws me to horses. I’ll add.... I tried therapy for a number of years with different therapists. All futile. But give me an hour with a horse.... my mind relaxes. My anxiety leaves my body. It feels like a miracle.

I bought a horse a few months ago. It all seemed to go horribly wrong really fast (totally different thread that I am frightened to post as seller ended up being.... difficult). In the last week, we seem to have turned a corner. Physio out today - said he seemed like a different horse. I don’t want to jinx it.... but I felt so happy. Like I’m fixing him and he is fixing me.

Being with my horse.... it’s so much more than learning to ride. It is learning to quiet my thoughts. Learning to bend my will to his and ask him to bend to me. It is learning to trust myself and trust him. The galloping on the beach or jumping a course is one thing - exhilarating. But the quiet bond building and helping each other. That is what makes horse riding curative for me.
 

canteron

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Oh my granddaughter asked the teacher on the first lesson ‘when do I get to hit the horse and gallop?’ I nearly died, trainer giggled and said ‘we don’t do that here’ and my husband realised she had been watching old western movies ?.

But seriously, if you want the teacher to spend a (useless) hour preparing you have to pay them double, better the spend their paid time teaching what they see!!
 

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Some of you already know who I am - that I've introduced myself a little over 2 weeks ago. As you know I've had my assessment day and also had my 30 minutes "Walkout" day last Tuesday.

I've booked for my 1st "real" private lesson for this Wednesday (as far as I've reserved the slot), but I do not know what to expect from the very 1st lesson at Portsmouth's Fort Widley Equestrian Centre. You see I haven't receive anything about my lessons - no lesson plan, no nothing. I had the feeling that they haven't prepared for my forthcoming lessons. Is that normal? I do not want to be asked like "What do you want to learn?"
Unlike some of the answers you’ve received I in fact do give a basic lesson plan when I meet a new client, I am a qualified BHS I and FEI coach living abroad. I explain on the phone what they can expect in the lesson and they can tell me if they have any concerns. This gives me an idea of the type of person I will be teaching so I can adapt my teaching technique to suit their personality. I have been taught by the best in the world in various countries so have adopted a little bit of all of them I suppose. Anyway I find this approach puts a new client at ease and doesn’t make them think they are turning up to a Army drill session where they have no input. At the end of the day it’s your money therefore your lesson and I adapt my methods accordingly so you get the best out of the lesson.
 

mini_b

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[
Unlike some of the answers you’ve received I in fact do give a basic lesson plan when I meet a new client, I am a qualified BHS I and FEI coach living abroad. I explain on the phone what they can expect in the lesson and they can tell me if they have any concerns. This gives me an idea of the type of person I will be teaching so I can adapt my teaching technique to suit their personality. I have been taught by the best in the world in various countries so have adopted a little bit of all of them I suppose. Anyway I find this approach puts a new client at ease and doesn’t make them think they are turning up to a Army drill session where they have no input. At the end of the day it’s your money therefore your lesson and I adapt my methods accordingly so you get the best out of the lesson.

I completely understand wanting to get how your client will learn best.
But does this work on true beginners who don’t know the front end from the back end?

I can see this working on established novices that know what they need to work on. But on total beginners? sort of flies in the face of the competence model.

but... I’m not a riding coach nor am I good at explaining to others how to do things. I am genuinely curious!
 

mini_b

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very hooked :))) 3 private lessons so far and 3 different instructors (Clare, Becky & Courtney) - and am happy with all of them despite of my deafness :)

4th lesson on Tuesday. Wonder if there will be 4th different instructor lol.

super pleased to hear you are enjoying it.
once you are a bit more competent get booked on a hack out in the countryside on a nice safe horse. It’s brilliant and hacking is a good way to develop your “real world” riding
 

Winters100

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Just remember I did Polo Experience Day 6 years ago in Argentina (on my 1st ever sat) where the horse RAN!! I did not have any problems with it and with my balance. I know horse riding isn't the same as on polo horse. Horses are bigger than Argentine pony by 1-2 hands!

The thing is though that the ponies used for beginners in polo are push button, and also do not trot under saddle. Pretty much anyone could manage.

A lesson plan would be pointless as it totally depends on how things go on the day.

Just go along and see how you like it - have fun.
 

teapot

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very hooked :))) 3 private lessons so far and 3 different instructors (Clare, Becky & Courtney) - and am happy with all of them despite of my deafness :)

4th lesson on Tuesday. Wonder if there will be 4th different instructor lol.

Sounds good but is there any chance you could have the same instructor for your first load of lessons? It'll aid your progress and with that many people involved, they will at some point start saying different things!
 

Grajo

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At last Fort Widley Equestrian Centre can now offer £10 for 1.2 hour doing Stable Management (couldn't do it before because of COVID regulations). Hopefully I will start doing it in September, preferably on the same day as my riding lessons - preferably BEFORE - rather than after.

I am hoping to complete BHS Stage 1 & 2 by this time next year
 
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