Riding School Riders?

They also don't have to personally deal with the results of an injured horse - now only 4 months in and still 8 months plus before we'll know what the outcome is likely to be with ginger horse.

No getting up in the dark every morning to muck out, cold hose, equissage and walk in hand.
No having to go up every evening to do likewise.
No having to make the final decision if it doesn't work.


All this and no riding! :rolleyes:
 
rhino said:
They also don't have to personally deal with the results of an injured horse - now only 4 months in and still 8 months plus before we'll know what the outcome is likely to be with ginger horse.

No getting up in the dark every morning to muck out, cold hose, equissage and walk in hand.
No having to go up every evening to do likewise.
No having to make the final decision if it doesn't work.


All this and no riding! :rolleyes:
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No having to get to the stables by hook or by crook in waist high snow - when you live 15 mins away by car...
No having to arrange hay deliveries when there's a hay shortage/bad weather
No having to cram umpteen bags of feed/bedding in a Fiesta and wrecking the springs just to make sure you don't get caught out with bad weather
 
Sarah1 said:
:D

Neither do they get a call at silly o'clock to say their horse is colicing and then sit up with said animal til god knows what time, nor do they have to make the heart-wrenching decision to have a dear old friend PTS when they see all of the fight go out of them...:( or have to arrange for their new 4 year old to go to Newmarket to have a full work up for suspected back issues not knowing if this horse will be ridden again or will end up as a very large, pooping, lawn mower! I'm with you, RS riders don't know how lucky they are!

Also, tinselmoo, absolutely spot on, the longer you have horses the more your realise you didn't know all those years ago when you thoguht you knew it all! ;)
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Well, on the other hand, you could say that YOU are the lucky ones being in a position to own your own horses, would it not be fair to say that a lot of people (actually probably most) use RS because they either can't afford to own, don't have the property to own, are taking the first steps to learn to ride or maybe, just maybe, they understand they lack knowledge so aren't confident enough to care for their own? I reckon they'd give their right arms to have to sit up all night with their own horse or to have the chance to learn from owning!

As a general view of this thread;

Overall I think that a lot of people are generalising and far too judgemental of RS riders as a group! Just like everywhere else in life there will be good, bad and indifferent people and in this instance riders. That is human. They all have their reasons for doing what they do and probably have just as much fun in their own way as you or I or anyone, who are we to judge what is right or wrong for them without knowing their individual circumstances? I know a few schools where there are people who simply lack confidence but still enjoy the work they do within the school is that wrong? What gives us the right to say it is or isn't?
 
Not read all the thread, but I spent from 8 years old to 12 years old at a (good!) riding school and I honestly believe that I didn't learn to ride until I got my first pony.

I learnt the motions, yes, rising trot up down up down, saddle on, saddle off, brush, brush, muck out but only when I got my first pony did I start to learn deeper knowledge, getting used to him, his ways and him testing me - and boy, did he teach me some lessons!!!! ;)

I always find that 'owned horses' are far, far sharper and ready to teach as well as learn. I found at the RS I rode every pony the same way as I was taught - I now realise that doesn't always work.

Also at RS I was unable to progress at my own pace.

If I did it again, I'd have got out of the RS far sooner and stopped my mum throwing £13 a week away on a lesson with 11 other kids who said they could ride and couldn't do rising trot!
K x
 
Sarah1 said:
No having to get to the stables by hook or by crook in waist high snow - when you live 15 mins away by car...
No having to arrange hay deliveries when there's a hay shortage/bad weather
No having to cram umpteen bags of feed/bedding in a Fiesta and wrecking the springs just to make sure you don't get caught out with bad weather
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Remind me why we do it again? :confused: :D

VoR - a lot of us make huge sacrifices to keep a horse - no holidays, no new clothes, no going out, no 'luxuries' of any sort... As I said, at the moment I am doing this for essentially a 'pet'. Would I change anything though; not for the world :D
 
VoR said:
Well, on the other hand, you could say that YOU are the lucky ones being in a position to own your own horses, would it not be fair to say that a lot of people (actually probably most) use RS because they either can't afford to own, don't have the property to own, are taking the first steps to learn to ride or maybe, just maybe, they understand they lack knowledge so aren't confident enough to care for their own? I reckon they'd give their right arms to have to sit up all night with their own horse or to have the chance to learn from owning!

As a general view of this thread;

Overall I think that a lot of people are generalising and far too judgemental of RS riders as a group! Just like everywhere else in life there will be good, bad and indifferent people and in this instance riders. That is human. They all have their reasons for doing what they do and probably have just as much fun in their own way as you or I or anyone, who are we to judge what is right or wrong for them without knowing their individual circumstances? I know a few schools where there are people who simply lack confidence but still enjoy the work they do within the school is that wrong? What gives us the right to say it is or isn't?
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Read my previous posts - not saying RS riders don't know anything or don't ride well, I'm saying they learn more when they get their own horse. Fact.

Yes you may well think I'm lucky to have my own horse - I'm amazingly lucky to have one as good as I have got - but if you would 'give your right arm' to sit up with a sick horse then I find something hugely wrong with that statement - it's no fun, believe me and I hope you never experience it TBH.

ETS - I'd like to say that I don't think that RS aren't a good foundation to start your lifelong obesession with horses (as this is what it becomes for most!), I think it is just that, a foundation. Yes some people can't afford their own or don't have time for one full time and that's fine - if the RS works for them & they're happy then great. Do I think they'll ever know as much as someone who has owned a horse? Absolutely not.
 
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KellysHeroes said:
Not read all the thread, but I spent from 8 years old to 12 years old at a (good!) riding school and I honestly believe that I didn't learn to ride until I got my first pony.

I learnt the motions, yes, rising trot up down up down, saddle on, saddle off, brush, brush, muck out but only when I got my first pony did I start to learn deeper knowledge, getting used to him, his ways and him testing me - and boy, did he teach me some lessons!!!! ;)

I always find that 'owned horses' are far, far sharper and ready to teach as well as learn. I found at the RS I rode every pony the same way as I was taught - I now realise that doesn't always work.

Also at RS I was unable to progress at my own pace.

If I did it again, I'd have got out of the RS far sooner and stopped my mum throwing £13 a week away on a lesson with 11 other kids who said they could ride and couldn't do rising trot!
K x
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Thank you, this proves my (& a lot of other peoples) point beautifully :)
 
VoR said:
Well, on the other hand, you could say that YOU are the lucky ones being in a position to own your own horses, would it not be fair to say that a lot of people (actually probably most) use RS because they either can't afford to own, don't have the property to own, are taking the first steps to learn to ride or maybe, just maybe, they understand they lack knowledge so aren't confident enough to care for their own? I reckon they'd give their right arms to have to sit up all night with their own horse or to have the chance to learn from owning!
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Alas, presumably you were last in the queue when they were handing out a good sense of humour :rolleyes:
 
JFTD said:
Alas, presumably you were last in the queue when they were handing out a good sense of humour :rolleyes:
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And you were first in the queue for being bl**dy rude I assume? :rolleyes:

Funny how people get all precious when someone tries to add a bit of common-sense on some of these forums or I am I not allowed to give an opinion? :p
 
IMHO RS are more important than independent ownership because if I had never joined a RS I wouldn't be where I am (competing rather successfully and working with multiple horses).

While I agree that being in the RS isn't AT ALL like owning a horse - I also believe that you shouldn't own a horse if you've never been in a riding school:o. I personally spent 2 years of my life doing nothing but lunge lessons in the RS (lessons on a 20 meter circle working on nothing but transitions and my seat), I then progressed to the big arena and started jumping/dressage training, after another couple of years of riding plod-alongs who were to lazy to even canter my mother bought my my own horse (still have him and compete him in EM). The RS taught me what dedication and perseverance is, ownership taught me what horsemanship is - but I doubt I'd be any type of horsewoman without having the dedication and perseverance that the riding school hammered into me.

I also believe the RS is a good place to sort the serious riders from the people who are likely to quit. If you can stick a couple of years out in the riding school you deserve a horse IMHO

RS riders in general ARE less knowledgeable (it's not even debatable), but their is NOTHING wrong with that - after all, most of them are still learning. It would do us all good to remember that we all have to start somewhere
 
VoR said:
Well, on the other hand, you could say that YOU are the lucky ones being in a position to own your own horses, would it not be fair to say that a lot of people (actually probably most) use RS because they either can't afford to own, don't have the property to own, are taking the first steps to learn to ride or maybe, just maybe, they understand they lack knowledge so aren't confident enough to care for their own? I reckon they'd give their right arms to have to sit up all night with their own horse or to have the chance to learn from owning!

As a general view of this thread;

Overall I think that a lot of people are generalising and far too judgemental of RS riders as a group! Just like everywhere else in life there will be good, bad and indifferent people and in this instance riders. That is human. They all have their reasons for doing what they do and probably have just as much fun in their own way as you or I or anyone, who are we to judge what is right or wrong for them without knowing their individual circumstances? I know a few schools where there are people who simply lack confidence but still enjoy the work they do within the school is that wrong? What gives us the right to say it is or isn't?
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Nicely put VOR :) I've never had to stay up all night with one so I think some people must be a bit precious;)
 
VoR said:
And you were first in the queue for being bl**dy rude I assume? :rolleyes:

Funny how people get all precious when someone tries to add a bit of common-sense on some of these forums or I am I not allowed to give an opinion? :p
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What's common sense got to do with anything?! :D Us horse owners/riders are all maaaaaaaaaad don't you know! :D

*goes off to chat with the voices in my head*
 
Fellewell said:
I've never had to stay up all night with one so I think some people must be a bit precious;)
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I have, foal watch and a weird unexplained colic/tying up episode. Am I precious? Not in the slightest, but my horse is! ;) :rolleyes:

ETA forgot the midnight run to Liphook too :) Fun going to work at 8 the next morning!
 
rhino said:
I have, foal watch and a weird unexplained colic/tying up episode. Am I precious? Not in the slightest, but my horse is! ;) :rolleyes:

ETA forgot the midnight run to Liphook too :) Fun going to work at 8 the next morning!
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:) well said! Not nice is it?! :(
 
Sarah1 said:
:) well said! Not nice is it?! :(
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The Liphook outing would have been more fun had I not gone straight from the yard after a ride (a ride where following my friend on a gallop up a field I had some lovely, fresh cow **** kicked up in my face and hair! :eek: :eek:) No time to shower so I had to have the window open the whole way there and back. :rolleyes: :D
 
Sarah1 said:
Read my previous posts - not saying RS riders don't know anything or don't ride well, I'm saying they learn more when they get their own horse. Fact.

Yes you may well think I'm lucky to have my own horse - I'm amazingly lucky to have one as good as I have got - but if you would 'give your right arm' to sit up with a sick horse then I find something hugely wrong with that statement - it's no fun, believe me and I hope you never experience it TBH.

ETS - I'd like to say that I don't think that RS aren't a good foundation to start your lifelong obesession with horses (as this is what it becomes for most!), I think it is just that, a foundation. Yes some people can't afford their own or don't have time for one full time and that's fine - if the RS works for them & they're happy then great. Do I think they'll ever know as much as someone who has owned a horse? Absolutely not.
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Sarah1 - I think you've taken things a bit too much to heart, whilst I 'quoted' you this was to make it clear why I was saying what I was saying not a 'slight' and if the second bit was a concern to you, that was a general comment on the thread.........unless your conscience is playing on you?? ;)

I have stayed up all night with a colic 'victim' and nursed a rescued pony back from near death towards the point where he is now being backed. Tbh it was one of the most rewarding things I've ever done, regardless of the work involved.

As someone who only became interested in horses 8 years ago, I've learned a hell of a lot (much of it from riding schools!), had some hard times (including having to make the decision to PTS my first horse) and now own two (still not quite sure how that happened????), but I wouldn't change a single thing.........except perhaps having to do all them circles!!!! :D
 
I think riding schools do a very important job.

Coming from a non-horsey family I was in and out of different riding schools from the age of 7 till the age of about 18. Some remarkably better than others. I have since gone on to loan horses and make a success of myself riding and bringing on other people's horses. I have also completed an equine degree and have my BHS stage 1 and 2. I have never had the money or the oppurtunity to own my own horse, and without riding schools, would never even have sat on a horse.

Horse owners need to remember how lucky they are...
 
Its a massive generalisation to say that RS riders know less than horse owners, I know plenty and have seen plenty of private owners riding their super obese cobs in a narrow, ill fitting saddle, turning them out on good grass until lami hits, etc. Clearly they know more than a RS rider.
 
VoR said:
unless your conscience is playing on you?? ;)
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Not sure what you mean? :confused:

As someone who only became interested in horses 8 years ago, I've learned a hell of a lot (much of it from riding schools!), had some hard times (including having to make the decision to PTS my first horse) and now own two (still not quite sure how that happened????), but I wouldn't change a single thing.........except perhaps having to do all them circles!!!!
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But that's my point - you own your own horses? Can you honestly say that you learned more from the RS than you have from having your own and being the one ultimately responsible?

As I said RS are a good foundation (if you find a good one obviously) :)
 
rhino said:
The Liphook outing would have been more fun had I not gone straight from the yard after a ride (a ride where following my friend on a gallop up a field I had some lovely, fresh cow **** kicked up in my face and hair! :eek: :eek:) No time to shower so I had to have the window open the whole way there and back. :rolleyes: :D
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I'm sorry but this made me chuckle! :D
 
PonyIAmNotFood said:
Its a massive generalisation to say that RS riders know less than horse owners, I know plenty and have seen plenty of private owners riding their super obese cobs in a narrow, ill fitting saddle, turning them out on good grass until lami hits, etc. Clearly they know more than a RS rider.
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I have to admit this is actually an excellent point - as I said before I do know owners who talk the talk but can't walk the walk...

Do you think that most RS riders would know how to fit a saddle? As in how wide it would need to be, how much stuffing it needs, if it moves when ridden on? Etc etc etc.

I do honestly believe though, regardless of the point above, that most horse owners will know more than most RS riders, simply because owning a horse gives you experiences - good & bad - that money can't buy.
 
Alaadin said:
Horse owners need to remember how lucky they are...
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I do....usually at 6am in the snow/rain/dark getting up to muck 3 out before my 9-5 job......

Actually.....although I feel thankful that my job pays me well enough to be able to afford the horses.....it takes time, sacrifice and dedication rather than luck in order for me to have them.

Although as a young 'un I was a desperate 'work for rides' type so its something I've always done.

Yes.....I was dropped on my head as a child:D
 
PonyIAmNotFood said:
Its a massive generalisation to say that RS riders know less than horse owners, I know plenty and have seen plenty of private owners riding their super obese cobs in a narrow, ill fitting saddle, turning them out on good grass until lami hits, etc. Clearly they know more than a RS rider.
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But....where are these owners getting their info from? RS? Or are they leaving RS too early- having mastered rising trot and heading off into the world of horse ownership un-prepared?

I think everyoone should go to RS initially- if they are not lucky enough to be born into a horsey family......and if they feel that horse ownership is for them then some sort of owners course would be ideal.

I have seen novice RS riders buy a horse and keep it in cheap DIY livery and it all go totally tits up....partially because they don't know what they are doing ......and mainly because they don't know, that they don't know what they are doing.....
 
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