Punching above my weight a bit! Isobel Wessels lesson

Roxylola

Roxylola

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So in a moment of madness at the weekend I booked myself and my lovely little cob I've been riding for the last couple of weeks on a dressage clinic. With Isobel Wessels! Now I've seen footage of her etc and I feel like I'm going to get tons out of this but I'm also having major "not good enough" vibes.

I'm currently super excited, I love to learn and it is a bit of a once in a lifetime chance but also quite anxious she's going to take one look at us and be like why are you even here? - my rational side then points out that I'm paying the same as everyone else...

He's a smart chap, and has come on in leaps and bounds in the last couple of weeks, his brain is just an absolute sponge but he is a solid sort with manners to burn a brill attitude but little formal schooling really and very much a work in progress. We haven't had any lessons with anyone at the moment and our schooling is in a 25m by 25m arena so I've got to be quite imaginative about moving around etc. This is partly why I've not bothered with any lessons at the yard yet and I've been on the look out for training etc at venues

On a positive note it is a private lesson so at least I won't have anything else to compare myself to and I'm going to get the chance to ride in a lovely big arena. And while it may be a bit boring for Isobel I intend to take as much as I possibly can from the experience.

Am I mad though folks? Is she just going to laugh at me? Personal experiences welcome (and yes I'm partly sharing just because I'm excited and all my non horsey friends are a bit like "meh great" or "how much?!?")
 
Don't be daft. Any decent trainer will be happy to teach anyone who wants to learn :)

I haven't been taught by Isobel but I have had a few lessons off some top riders. The first one was with Matt Ryan when I was eventing, that was before he retired and had a yard full of top horses. I won a one-off lesson with a horse magazine and had such a great time, i had to really psyche myself up to ask if he'd teach me again - I thought he wouldn't be interested in me and my horse bumbling around at the lower levels but of course he was, and we went fortnightly until I gave up competing. He teaches a lot of RC now so just shows how daft I was.

Similar levels of self doubt when I had a one-off lesson with CDJ, ohmigod I didn't think I was worthy and I was so anxious about it beforehand but it was *the best* lesson I've ever had in my life, no exaggeration (I'd have loved more but we really truly aren't worthy :p)

Good trainers aren't snobby about who they teach. Where i go now, many of their clients are on zillion pound amazing WBs, but equally they are happy to teach me on my freebie welsh and racehorse. All that matters is that you want to learn and improve :)
 
When I was about 13 I had regular lessons on a 13hh 20 plus year old riding school pony (who we later bought and kept til she died aged 39) with Yogi Breisner. I was a very average kid on a nice but normal pony and he taught he in the same way he taught everyone else. A good trainer is a good trainer (caveat being a good rider is not always a good trainer)
 
I was the same as you about going to Arthur kottas for lessons, felt so out of my depth riding in front of him and a paying audience ... but... it was amazing! I wouldn’t be shy to do it again everyone was so kind and positive and he was so kind and put a lot of effort into my lesson (even tho I’m a far cry from his usual standard o imagine ;) ) when you get these chances grab them and enjoy !
 
OP go for it, I hope you have a great time and come away with a buzzing brain :)
I've had only a few lessons in recent years with names, and all bar one were bloody lovely. As one pointed out, I was keen to come, listened and implemented, so their time was fruitful.

I'm very much the opposite of being in a 1st flush of youth, far from it - as am quite creaky but I still get a good buzz from improvements :)
 
You will have a great time! Isobel is lovely, I was a guinea pig rider for her once at a judge training day, and she was fantastic. I echo what everyone else has said, a good trainer doesnt care what your horse is like etc, they care that you turn up, listen and try your best, no more than that, so go and have a brilliant time.
 
I used to watch Isobel’s lessons regularly... she taught my YO as well as a friend..she is amazing! I have so much respect for her opinion, she taught me something every time I watched someone else’s lesson 😊😊

ETA - to give you a sense of perspective, I lived in a mobile home on my YO yard.. I generally watched the lessons opened mouthed through the window of my mobile home... it was still amazing! I’m not proud 😄
 
I used to have lessons with her, she lived very near me so I did a few hours per week on the yard, was lucky enough to be able to watch her schooling and went to a few comps as groom.

The lessons were great, she was very clear about what she wanted, gave praise when it was due, her tips on test riding are still ingrained today and used when I teach, she was at that time training with CH so often talked about his ideas, the only negative was she is very quietly spoken, she would not raise her voice to be heard so the rider needs to be well tuned in which took a while to get the hang of and on the odd occasion I asked her to repeat something, she never minded as she knew she was quiet.

You will take something out of it whatever level you are riding at, she will not come out feeling you are not good enough as she usually found something positive to work on fairly quickly and builds on that rather than finding your weaknesses and taking you apart.
 
I used to have lessons with her. Like all the best trainers, she's very keen on getting the basics right - getting the correct way of going. Good training is the same, regardless of the flashiness of the horse!

Have fun! Get someone to video you then you can review your lesson when you get home.
 
I've been really lucky over the years - we used to have all sorts on where I worked and I've rubbed shoulders with some real stars I was just a bit oblivious to it at the time as I was just working and doing my thing so popping brews down and having a quick chinwag with people like Clive Halsall or Ian Woodhead was par for the course I just forgot they were superstars lol. We weren't a flash yard really, just had lots going on!
Tristar he's super - I keep asking questions of him and he just goes hmm, ok I can do that. He's done a fair bit of driving and the first time I rode him he was just convinced he couldn't bend at all, after 2 weeks he's doing pirouettes and shoulder in - they aren't established, but they are there! I'm having so much fun with him
Lev, who cares where you are watching from if you have front row seats like that!
Claret - I really am lucky with this it happened to fall on a day that I had just randomly booked as holiday from work ages ago - I'd never have been able to go normally.
BP, I'll make sure I have my ears well switched on - although I know a lot of people use headsets now
Spacefaer, it's all about the foundations for sure.
I think it helps that I know we aren't great yet (not fishing we literally aren't) I want to work on the basics I'm not going expecting to come out doing tempis I'll be happy with a proper canter transition and some stuff to work on at home. The times I've seen trainers get a bit fed up is generally when people go expecting the trainer to be wowed by their expensive import that they won't admit they can't ride one side of and has no established rhythm in any pace!
 
Good luck!

If it makes you feel any better I once went to a Caroline Moore clinic (as in the one who trains Ros Canter) I didn't even have my own horse, I was on a riding school one! She was actually very complimentary about the horse, I learned loads and went back a couple more times.
 
Ha, Kat I was just thinking the same. Did a camp on Oct with ros canter and Caroline Moore. Remembered when booking it that it was bonkers as I was too low a level, but what an opportunity. Had a fab time, and the Ros lessons in particular were brilliant.

Love this sport, there really aren’t many where you get to train with world class talent, even if you are a bumbling amateur I.e. me!

Looking forward to your write up OP!
 
What an opportunity! This is so exciting, you really shouldn't feel like you're not good enough.

I have regular lessons with Bill Levett on my boy and it has done us a world of good. Like you, I was a blend of nervous and excited but really needed to overcome a few niggles that I couldn't manage myself. Within the first 20mins of the first lesson / time he saw us he'd helped me address them. Whenever I have a lesson now it's so much fun!

It doesn't matter if you're an international rider or complete novice, as long as you listen and want to learn, and are coachable (very important) you'll be fine.

Can't wait to hear how you get on!
 
Well, first of all the venue was lovely and could not have been more friendly and pleasant. Absolutely beautiful place.
Isobel was lovely, so enthusiastic and involved the whole time. We are nowhere near ready to have justified today but I did not for one second feel like I was wasting her time or anything. She was super, and even complimented my stick stickability when her assistance with the canter transition gave us a bit of extra athleticism lol.
I had a fantastic time. Much of what we did supported what I've been doing already but I also know now I can ask about more. And I need to sit on my backside, not wriggle and teach poor Charlie what a proper canter aid looks like.
All in all 100% worth it and I'd love to go again in 12 months when we've got a bit more mileage.
I realised today that we have literally been together just over 5 weeks!
 
So, a bit more than a week on and holy sh1t has the super cob upped his game or what!
I've been much more disciplined about getting what I ask for whereas before I would accept some sort of semblance. The canter work is getting stronger and stronger, I'm no longer riding him like he's a baby horse and he's totally on board.
It was on the day money well spent but it seems to have totally marked a change in our way of going and attitude.
 
Roxylola said:
So, a bit more than a week on and holy sh1t has the super cob upped his game or what!
I've been much more disciplined about getting what I ask for whereas before I would accept some sort of semblance. The canter work is getting stronger and stronger, I'm no longer riding him like he's a baby horse and he's totally on board.
It was on the day money well spent but it seems to have totally marked a change in our way of going and attitude.
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Its brilliant when that happens. I had a lesson like that last weekend and its changed everything dramatically for us. Its an amazing feeling when you ask more and get it!
 
Bernster said:
Ha, Kat I was just thinking the same. Did a camp on Oct with ros canter and Caroline Moore. Remembered when booking it that it was bonkers as I was too low a level, but what an opportunity. Had a fab time, and the Ros lessons in particular were brilliant.

Love this sport, there really aren’t many where you get to train with world class talent, even if you are a bumbling amateur I.e. me!

Looking forward to your write up OP!
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Hi I sent you a pm
 
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