Riding lessons

[bz88]

Hello it’s me again I thought I’d start new thread, yesterday I’ve posted about broncing pony and I had tones of supportive responses, very grateful for them.
my daughter and her pony need constant at least once a week lessons. We do livery at yard where riding school is and my daughter did do group weekends lessons which tbh she doesn’t enjoy and I don’t think she’s getting much of them. Sometimes there’s four other riders with her sometimes there’s seven. I asked instructor to give her 1:1 lessons which she had when she’s off school but that’s not enough, ideally I’d like her to have consistent weekly 1:1 lessons. I asked instructor if she could teach her after school she said no, she’s finishing at 3 and wants to go home which I understand totally so I have another instructor who comes to out yard to teach and she agreed to give my daughter after school weekly lesson which is great. I don’t want to be talked about but r/s instructor left me with no choice.Am I doing the right thing? I have to do what’s best for my daughter and her pony.

 

[Birker2020]

Hello it’s me again I thought I’d start new thread, yesterday I’ve posted about broncing pony and I had tones of supportive responses, very grateful for them.
my daughter and her pony need constant at least once a week lessons. We do livery at yard where riding school is and my daughter did do group weekends lessons which tbh she doesn’t enjoy and I don’t think she’s getting much of them. Sometimes there’s four other riders with her sometimes there’s seven. I asked instructor to give her 1:1 lessons which she had when she’s off school but that’s not enough, ideally I’d like her to have consistent weekly 1:1 lessons. I asked instructor if she could teach her after school she said no, she’s finishing at 3 and wants to go home which I understand totally so I have another instructor who comes to out yard to teach and she agreed to give my daughter after school weekly lesson which is great. I don’t want to be talked about but r/s instructor left me with no choice.Am I doing the right thing? I have to do what’s best for my daughter and her pony.

Looking back about 40 years to when I used to have group lessons the whole ride would halt whilst the 'lead file only' trotted or cantered to the back of the ride and then it was the next persons turn and so on. So your not getting much value and the horses switch off along with the riders spending much of the lesson in halt!

So if you can afford it your daughter would get a lot more bang for your buck (pardon the pun) and would be constantly on the move if she had a 1:1 lesson.

I think that would be more productive and useful for certain.

 

[nagblagger]

Yes, you are a livery with your own horse, you gave the rs instructor the first opportunity to teach your daughter and she declined. Just thinking about your horses behaviour being at livery on a riding school, do they use her for lessons?

 

[Red-1]

Yes, she will improve much quicker with the right 1-1 trainer. Getting the right one can be tricky though!

 

[bz88]

Yes, you are a livery with your own horse, you gave the rs instructor the first opportunity to teach your daughter and she declined. Just thinking about your horses behaviour being at livery on a riding school, do they use her for lessons?

No they don’t use my horse. There’s livery yard(where we are) adjoined to riding school. My daughter use to be joining group lessons on our horse. Not her or pony enjoy group lessons, too much waiting around for your turn, other horses coming up to their back which causes my daughter to worry. Like member above said I gave r/s instructor 1st opportunity to teach my daughter 1:1 but she declined doing so on weekly basis.

 

[Abacus]

I saw your other thread but didn’t have much to add there, but I wouldn’t be putting the pony and more importantly daughter in the situation that triggers that behaviour. She’s doing well to keep her nerve and you don’t want her to lose it. Can you talk to the current instructor to explain this, and your reasoning for using someone else, and then go ahead. And ignore whatever anyone says. If the liveries and others around are unsupportive maybe it’s not the right yard.

 

[bz88]

Yes, she will improve much quicker with the right 1-1 trainer. Getting the right one can be tricky though!

I’ve got really good instructor, she’s coming to our yard to teach other lady as she couldn’t get consistent1:1 lessons with r/s instructor which is good instructor too.

 

[bz88]

I saw your other thread but didn’t have much to add there, but I wouldn’t be putting the pony and more importantly daughter in the situation that triggers that behaviour. She’s doing well to keep her nerve and you don’t want her to lose it. Can you talk to the current instructor to explain this, and your reasoning for using someone else, and then go ahead. And ignore whatever anyone says. If the liveries and others around are unsupportive maybe it’s not the right yard.

We are actually on waiting list for next door yard which has better facilities and you can get own instructor plus you aren’t obligated to buy hay from them which is another issue there. It’s a lovely child friendly yard where we are it’s just facilities are limited(one sand school which belongs to r/s) so riding is only permitted after 4, then it looks bad bringing own instructor to teach you in riding school arena and all that. We do have another school which just being topped up. It’s taking 3 months to begin topped up!

 

[w1bbler]

You are doing absolutely the right thing, 1:1 lessons are definitely better than a large group. Hopefully the instructor can also have a go on the pony to help establish if the issues are pain / lameness or if its more balance & core strength he needs.
A lunge lesson would also be great for your daughter to really concentrate on position & not using hands for balance.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Join the Pony Club and attend rallies, there you ll meet a variety of instructors whom you can arrange to come and teach your child. There will need to be flexibility whilst at livery at a riding school as you ll have to book and maybe pay extra for use of the arena but when you move to a straight livery yard there ought not to be such a problem.

 

[bz88]

Just to clarify, my daughter gets 1:1 lessons with r/s instructor but only when she’s off school for half term so it will be 1 lesson in 6 weeks which isn’t really enough. I did give her opportunity to teach her weekly on regular basis but that was declined. I’m going to speak to her today and clarify that again and if answer is no then I will inform her there and then that this leaves me with no option but to have instructor from outside coming to teach her regularly every week. I will still use r/s instructor for when my daughter is off school ect.

 

[Ouch05]

Your child you pony your choice. I know yards that do not allow different instructors but those that don't click with the yard one take their horses out for lessons instead. Agree joining the local pony club is an excellent way for your daughter to get lessons from different instructors and meet some great people.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Your doing the right thing you need weekly lessons and if that means going else where so be it, you have asked and had no joy so what choice do you have other than find someone who will teach her weekly.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Absolutely the right thing to do, you have given your instructor first refusal and so find someone than can come and teach

 

[Poppy+MrDarcy]

My daughter has 1:1 lessons once every other week (due to her instructor not having the time) and group lessons in the other weeks, she has hugely improved since having the 1:1s, I think it's a good idea what your doing Xx

 

[Parrotperson]

ok. I would say it really doesn't matter how good an instructor is if they're no good with children (and many aren't!) then you need to be prepared to find someone who is. As I said on the other thread get recommendations from the local Pony Club and join!! Your daughter will gain much from it.