Progression Advice Needed

[Footloose]

Hi Everyone,

Whilst we are subscribers to H&H, we're new to the forums but thought this would be the best place to come for some much needed advice!..

In brief, my 12yr old son is a confident and competent rider but now really needs to progress. He'd had a year or more of group lessons (but the school wasn't great and he wasn't really progressing) so he's been having private lessons on a friends 15h tb and has come on leaps and bounds. He eats, sleeps & breaths riding and really wants to progress and compete. I just don't know how to help him and could do with some advice. What is the best way for him to gain exposure to all disciplines (eventing, show jumping, dressage etc) so that he can see where is interest lies and what he would like to focus on and generally just how do I help him progress and get more involved?

Am I best to get him involved with a good school and continue his lessons and perhaps start him with some of the BHS training courses or, look at buying/loaning a horse that he can work with? - I myself would quite like to get back into owning/riding, although purely on a recreational level, so I thought this may be a good option?

I really think he has the potential to go far, I just don't know where to start in setting him on the right track!

 

[nix123]

If you are in a position to be able to afford a horse and everything that goes with owning one, and your serious about riding yourself then i would seriously think about getting one for you both to share. Maybe get one on loan first to see how things work out, then if needs be maybe think about buying one. This would enable you both to do the things you want to and your son can carry on having lessons. You could also have a look at where the nearest Riding club or Pony Club is for your lad to join. Riding clubs tend to do show jumping, gymkanna, hunter trials and dressage. This will give your lad a chance to have a go. You can google your closest cross country course and take him there too. Pony club is a bit like guides/scouts for kids with ponies and horses. They get to do badges and have camps where they take their ponies with them too. But i think before you do any of that have a word with his instructor and his/her advice on the matter first.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I would recommend finding a really good RS where he can get a breadth of experience of riding different horses and trying different things. Every horse has something to teach its rider (even the most experienced/professional of us), so if a young rider goes down the route of advancing on one horse, when that horse is no longer available for whatever reason, it can come as a huge shock that the next one is not the same and needs dealing with differently. Whereas someone who has the grounding of a breadth of horses is much better placed to go far on a variety of horses - vital if your son is likely to want to make a career out of horses.