Riding School Riders?

[ester]

Charlie I think a lot of us would have loved a RS like yours locally! As it is when I was a kid there were a few locally, by the time I was 12 there was one within reasonable travelling distance. It has picked up again now and there are a few more so you could have a choice.

 

[paddi22]

I find the attitude about riding school riders disgusting to be honest. I run a riding school. We teach our clients how to ride the horse correctly both on the flat and over fences. Granted, there are some that will never be more than average but then thats the case whether you ride school horses or own your own.
We run shows here throughout the year, most of our clients competing on our horses ride far better than the people that come along on their own horses, and a lot of the times our clients beat the outsiders!

Beautiful horses and lovely riders in those pics!

BUT! You can't compare riding school riders competing in a home show against those bringing in horses from outside i don't think. I've seen riding school horses at home shows and they are so relaxed as they are
a. at home in a school they know
b. surrounded by other ponies they know
c. going into an arena they know
d. going over fences they have jumped a million times, so no scary or unexpected fillers etc

if you took those riders and ponies out to a new ground the reaction of both horse and rider would be completely different probably.

 

[marley and danni]

i kind of dont agree with the above post my horse (i know hes nor RS horse but...) we had a show on our own yard last year and he was exactly the same if not worse than when we go to a locol show!!!

....

but i kind of agree to an extent if they have been there a long time.... but i think it depends on the temprement of the horse too!

 

[dunkley]

I find the attitude about riding school riders disgusting to be honest. I run a riding school. We teach our clients how to ride the horse correctly both on the flat and over fences. Granted, there are some that will never be more than average but then thats the case whether you ride school horses or own your own.
We run shows here throughout the year, most of our clients competing on our horses ride far better than the people that come along on their own horses, and a lot of the times our clients beat the outsiders!

Those of you that didn't learn at a riding school, how did you learn or were you fortunate enough to fall out of the womb being an amaing horse person??!!
There are many people that are simply not in a position to be a horse owner, without riding schools where would they learn?

As for the horse care side of things, most of our clients, under supervison( insurance I'm afraid) are encourgaged to be involved with the day to day care of the horses, in fact, a number of our clients have passed their BHS Stage 2 and are aiming for their Stage 3.

I think its unfair to tar all clients and all riding schools with the same brush!

These our our 'riding school clients' on our 'riding school horses:'

As you can see, not all schools are bad!!
I learnt to ride at this riding school when I was a child. I have continued riding there throughout my years and with my only training being from this riding school I have obtained my BHS Senior Coach and Stable Managers qualification with my Senior Equitation exam in May this year.

as from knowing who is from a riding school from the way they post...rubbish! I am actually more shocked by some of the people who post questions that are actually horse owners!

And ^^^^^^ this is what a riding school should be like

 

[CatStew]

I find the attitude about riding school riders disgusting to be honest. I run a riding school. We teach our clients how to ride the horse correctly both on the flat and over fences. Granted, there are some that will never be more than average but then thats the case whether you ride school horses or own your own.
We run shows here throughout the year, most of our clients competing on our horses ride far better than the people that come along on their own horses, and a lot of the times our clients beat the outsiders!

Those of you that didn't learn at a riding school, how did you learn or were you fortunate enough to fall out of the womb being an amaing horse person??!!
There are many people that are simply not in a position to be a horse owner, without riding schools where would they learn?

As for the horse care side of things, most of our clients, under supervison( insurance I'm afraid) are encourgaged to be involved with the day to day care of the horses, in fact, a number of our clients have passed their BHS Stage 2 and are aiming for their Stage 3.

I think its unfair to tar all clients and all riding schools with the same brush!

These our our 'riding school clients' on our 'riding school horses:'

As you can see, not all schools are bad!!
I learnt to ride at this riding school when I was a child. I have continued riding there throughout my years and with my only training being from this riding school I have obtained my BHS Senior Coach and Stable Managers qualification with my Senior Equitation exam in May this year.

as from knowing who is from a riding school from the way they post...rubbish! I am actually more shocked by some of the people who post questions that are actually horse owners!

I completely agree with this. Everybody has to start learning somewhere, and unless born into horses and riding, I should imagine that the majority of riders initnially learned in a riding school. (Lovely horses too btw! )

Although as a child and teenager my mum was 'horsey' and had ponies on loan, she gave up riding when she married my dad and I was born. I come from a farming family, and I'd wanted riding lessons for as long as I could remember, but due to financial reasons, I wasn't able to have regular lessons. From when I was about 8 year old, my mum and dad would on occasion hire a pony from a local riding school and lead me out on a hack. My mum taught me the correct position, and how to rise to the trot, but I needed to have regular lessons in order for me to progress.

When I was 10, our circumstances changed and my parents were able to afford for me to have an hours riding lesson each week - riding lessons were actually my 10th birthday present! Shortly after I had started said riding lessons my mum took up riding again and we would have lessons together. When I was 15 we had our first share horse, and from the ages of 16 - 20 I went to college and studied 'Equine Studies and Estate Skills' - I've learned that equestrian colleges are another debatable subject. Once I left college I found employment working with hunters. Our share horse retired, so we found another horse and initnially had her on loan. She had been round the mill a bit and was very sharp to ride (and still is). We eventually bought her, and more recently I've bought a 4 year old Section D.

Although due to health reasons I am unable to work with horses any more, if it hadn't been for the first riding schools I attended and college, I wouldn't have had an opportunity to work with horses, and now own two beautiful (albeit slightly nuts ) horses.

 

[PolarSkye]

Beautiful horses and lovely riders in those pics!

BUT! You can't compare riding school riders competing in a home show against those bringing in horses from outside i don't think. I've seen riding school horses at home shows and they are so relaxed as they are
a. at home in a school they know
b. surrounded by other ponies they know
c. going into an arena they know
d. going over fences they have jumped a million times, so no scary or unexpected fillers etc

if you took those riders and ponies out to a new ground the reaction of both horse and rider would be completely different probably.

I'm sorry but once again a blanket statement with which I disagree. This past summer my former RS took a bunch of the ponies and horses to a local show for the first time EVER - every single one of them behaved beautifully, as did the riders. A couple of the horses got a little overexcited in the jumping but the riders handled it beautifully . . . (to be fair there were giant bouncy castles just outside the arena). They did everything - showing (including handy pony), dressage and jumping. Some got rosettes (much to the disgust of the local pony club who clearly thought they "owned" the show), some didn't - but all had a great time in a totally different atmosphere and environment. They coped with busy warm-up rings with strange horses, loud tannoys, flags, bouncy castles and other fairground rides, dogs everywhere, baby buggies, fillers/wings and fence/ring dressing - none of which they encounter at the school.

P

 

[Kat]

I do think riding school horses/ponies are the unsung heros/heroines of the horse world and I think there should be a big prestigious class or award for the riding school horse/pony of the year.

Very true, they are true saints, very clever and often the best teachers of all. I can think of a few that deserve medals for being able to deal with a lead rein beginner and then switch to jumping a course of 3ft fences or doing flying changes/half pass in the same day and leave all their clients smiling!

People seem to be missing the biggest difference between riding at a RS and owning your own...........Time in the saddle!
To become a good (hate that term) rider you need two things, quality instruction and time in the saddle.
RS riders may well get the instruction but just dont get enough time in the saddle. Horse owners may well get the time in saddle but often lack regular quality instruction.
Put the two together and a rider can really start to develop.

I think that is true, although I can think of private owners who don't have more hours in the saddle than riding school clients. I never managed more than 2 hours a week, although my husband used to do 3 or more a week at one time, and if you are studying for exams you often do more. Plus you tend to really make it count if you are a riding school client, you tend to be very focused as you know it is your only chance and you are paying a lot of money. Also you are under instruction most of the time expected to have a plan and assess your horse etc rather than just pootling about. I know of people who own their own horses and just hack three times a week and that is it, having lessons is much better quality experience. Obviously it isn't enough on its own though.

Obviously the less hours in the saddle the slower progress will be but I do think that you can make excellent progress as a riding school client if you are at the right riding school.

I find the attitude about riding school riders disgusting to be honest. I run a riding school. We teach our clients how to ride the horse correctly both on the flat and over fences. Granted, there are some that will never be more than average but then thats the case whether you ride school horses or own your own.
We run shows here throughout the year, most of our clients competing on our horses ride far better than the people that come along on their own horses, and a lot of the times our clients beat the outsiders!

Those of you that didn't learn at a riding school, how did you learn or were you fortunate enough to fall out of the womb being an amaing horse person??!!
There are many people that are simply not in a position to be a horse owner, without riding schools where would they learn?

As for the horse care side of things, most of our clients, under supervison( insurance I'm afraid) are encourgaged to be involved with the day to day care of the horses, in fact, a number of our clients have passed their BHS Stage 2 and are aiming for their Stage 3.

I think its unfair to tar all clients and all riding schools with the same brush!

These our our 'riding school clients' on our 'riding school horses:'

As you can see, not all schools are bad!!
I learnt to ride at this riding school when I was a child. I have continued riding there throughout my years and with my only training being from this riding school I have obtained my BHS Senior Coach and Stable Managers qualification with my Senior Equitation exam in May this year.

as from knowing who is from a riding school from the way they post...rubbish! I am actually more shocked by some of the people who post questions that are actually horse owners!

Thank you thank you thank you thank you for coming on and posting!

Charlie76's riding school is just the sort of place we should be praising to the high heavens. We should be letting everyone know that these places exist and encouraging clients of the rough riding schools know that this is what they could get for their money, not dragging them all down to the level of the worst.

I rode for about 8 years at a place like Charlie's where you could compete on the horses, where the instructors were good and they expected you to RIDE. My riding came on faster than it has done at any other time. In fact when I changed groups and started being taught by a BHSI whose approach was that we warmed up and assessed the horse then came up with a plan which we discussed with her and then we put the plan into action before a debrief at the end my riding totally went up a level.

By the time I was 16 I was entirely capable of looking after my own horse and riding it competently. I'd done all of the BHS progressive tests in riding and stable management, I could walk trot and canter, control the horse hacking, ride a horse that wasn't straight forward, jump a decent fence or a course etc. I'd been riding for most of my life in what was probably a typical riding school in the 80s/90s. Had I bought a horse then I would probably have become an eternal happy hacker and while I may have done some low level competitions and had some lessons I don't think I ever would have discovered REAL riding and everything the sport has to offer. I hadn't a clue really about schooling or riding correctly on a contact or improving the horse, I certainly wouldn't have thought about trying dressage. Lots of my contemporaries bought horses and bumbled about with them and I was envious, but now I'm glad that I didn't. I came back to riding after a bit of a break for uni and tried a new riding school, and it was the best thing I could have done for my riding. I know if I'd bought a horse before I wouldn't be riding at the level I am now (and I hope I've still got lots of room for improvement).

I hope that explains what some of us are trying to say a bit better. There are big advantages to staying in a riding school longer than you need to and it can make you a much more rounded rider.

I think the CR types find it harder to "get" because they have lessons and train and try to improve all the time, but not all horse owners are like that. Plenty don't have lessons for YEARS on end.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

It is usually fairly easy to spot RS riders on here, from their posts.
Which says it all really.

Of course this could just be because of a lack of experience, which can only come from being involved with horses for years and years, in whatever capacity. Most RS riders do not have much experience.

I agree with this

However, I would like someone to explain what they mean by "I can tell a RS rider by their posts" . . . ?

P

As I was the first person to say this, I thought I'd better explain. You will note that actually I did not mention riding, I can't tell from what people write how effective/stylish their riding is, although I do sometimes cringe at some of the things people need to ask about (and some of the replies).

If you read OP's posts you will soon understand that she rides on one day each week, does some stable/yard chores and will defend her RS to criticism. She does not have the experience to compare this RS to others, or to spot the things which they could improve upon, although those of us with more experience can pick up on things in her photos with very little trouble. She is not alone.
It is very easy to tell which posters do not have much experience, from the questions they ask/replies they give. Yes, some of those people do own their own horse and maybe should have stayed longer at a good RS.
I agree that a good RS is a very good start to riding/horse-ownership but unfortunaetly there are some very poor ones out there, if only they were all like C76's RS.

I started riding at an excellent RS, which I think I described in another thread. It was a very long time ago (40 yrs), the owner is still a very well-respected BSPS judge, was a PC instructor when some well-known families of equestrians were attending the local PC. Sister and I (and many others) were given a very good grounding in riding and an introduction to stable management. But sis and I soon found that it is very different owning your own horse and being responsible for its every need. As others have said, nothing that a once-a-week RS rider does to a horse will have a great effect upon it, because before that person comes back it will have been ridden and handled by several other people.
And, although I'm sure that a good RS has quality horses, they are most likely to be well-schooled and not 'quirky', the same cannot be said for many privately owned horses, which many ex-RS riders find themselves ill-equipped to deal with.

 

[Fellewell]

What a shame so many first time owners have their heads stuck up their bottoms.
Riding schools are lovely happy places with lots of excited people living their dreams in a safe, stress free environment.
Don't get started with the 'owners have all the knowledge' baloney. Check out this board for evidence to the contrary
And as for the 'we can tell a riding school trained rider' I doubt that. The only difference that is noticeable in a rider is one who learned as a child or one who learned as an adult. It's subtle but the difference is there. Get over yourselves.

 

[charlie76]

Ours do go out to other venues to compete, school and hunt. They also , last year, were boxed up and were taken on a D of E bronze expedition. They behave the same as they do at home. Most of our horses have either been competition horses or have been schooled well from the start by our staff. Sometimes we take on the more challenging horses, again, we re school them.
We also allow the clients, as they progress, to purchase their horses. Some we stipulate that thet have to stay on livery with us for the next 6 months so they can have help to become horse owners rather than simply abandoning them!
We also offer a loan scheme where they take on a horse as their own and get a feel of horse ownership with the back up of our staff looking out for them!

 

[rhino]

What a shame so many first time owners have their heads stuck up their bottoms.
Riding schools are lovely happy places with lots of excited people living their dreams in a safe, stress free environment.
Get over yourselves.

So it's perfectly ok for you to generalise about your experience of people who started riding as children vs adults but not for other people to generalise about their experiences of riding school vs owning horses? Hypocritical much? Just out of interest, how do you recognise these people?

Some riding schools are as you described above. Many aren't. Some are downright dangerous.

I also have no idea who the 'first time owners' you refer to are?! I think you will find that many of the posters on here have a great deal of experience. I wish people would actually read the posts which have been written rather than jumping to conclusions and launching into the defensive. Nobody here has dismissed the importance of riding schools in developing as an all round rider.

 

[eahotson]

Ours do go out to other venues to compete, school and hunt. They also , last year, were boxed up and were taken on a D of E bronze expedition. They behave the same as they do at home. Most of our horses have either been competition horses or have been schooled well from the start by our staff. Sometimes we take on the more challenging horses, again, we re school them.
We also allow the clients, as they progress, to purchase their horses. Some we stipulate that thet have to stay on livery with us for the next 6 months so they can have help to become horse owners rather than simply abandoning them!
We also offer a loan scheme where they take on a horse as their own and get a feel of horse ownership with the back up of our staff looking out for them!

Yours sounds like a super riding school.

 

[maresmaid]

I think that the problem with learning to "ride" at a riding school has very little to do with the instructors or the schools themselves. Whichever way you look at it riding school horses have to be "safe" within reason. In order to earn their keep, each horse needs to be able to carry riders of varying abilities, and I am sure that riding school owners are very aware of the risks of legal action if their clients have a serious injury, and pick their horses very carefully for this reason. The school used by the OP sounds like it is trying hard to give it's pupils as good a grounding in horse management and riding as it is able to, BUT horse riding is not a "safe" activity and I believe that there are many experiences that riders face which simply cannot be replicated on a riding school horse, and non of us ever really get much of a taste of these things until we have our own horse and commit to riding and handling it in any situation that might arise - we have to deal with whatever the horse throws at us day in and day out.

There will be many posts on here from riders whose horses behaviour is far from perfect and all these people are in various stages on their equestrian journey, gathering bit by bit, the experience which gradually moves them away from the Novice Rider tag towards the Experienced Rider label. I think that riders who have only ever ridden in riding school or trekking centre situations do not really get any concept of the limitations of their own ability until they start to ride the horses that riding schools wouldn't use for their lessons. Yes riding schools can make a very good job of teaching you to RIDE - as in press all the right buttons, stay in balance, and travel in the pace and direction you want to go, but HORSEMANSHIP is something you can only learn from the horses you spend time with on a day to day basis and as it takes hours and days and weeks and months and years and a lifetime to recognise and gather horsemanship skills, it cannot be acheived on a Saturday morning once a week, and I do think the one single thing that identifies a NOVICE rider to a rider who is starting to, or has already gained more experience of horses in the "real" world is the fact that the Novice rider from a riding school really has no idea of just how much more they need to learn to become a truly competant HORSEMAN.

Real life riders start to learn about

How to deal with a horse that is been kept in the stable for 3 weeks because of the snow and need excersising, without the rider ending up in casualty.

How changing the bit on a horse that can't be stopped, is not always the right answer.

When and how to identify if a horses "bad" behaviour is due to bad training, bad manners or pain.

What to feed, when to feed, and how much work to give to match.

How to catch a horse that doesn't want to be caught, load a horse that doesn't want to load, clip, shoe, inject a horse that doesn't want to be clipped, shod or injected.

How to identify when a horses back, teeth, saddle need checking.

Be sensitive enough to know if a horse is very slightly lame / stiff and be able to take appropriate action.

The list goes on and on and for every item I add that I can competantly deal with, I know there will still be several more that someone else will add that i am yet to come accross myself - It is not so much what we KNOW that makes us HORSEMEN (and women!) it's what we recognise that we DONT know - and this is the bit that so many riders from riding schools are simply unaware of - until they get their own horse!

 

[Sarah1]

I think that the problem with learning to "ride" at a riding school has very little to do with the instructors or the schools themselves. Whichever way you look at it riding school horses have to be "safe" within reason. In order to earn their keep, each horse needs to ba able to carry riders of varying abilities, and I am sure that riding school owners are very aware of the risks of legal action if their clients have a serious injury, and pick their horses very carefully for this reason. The school used by the OP sounds like it is trying hard to give it's pupils as good a grounding in horse management and riding as it is able to, BUT horse riding is not a "safe" activity and I believe that the are many experiences that riders face which simply cannot be replicated on a riding school horse, and non of us ever really get much of a taste of these things until we have our own horse and commit to riding and handling it in any situation that might arise - we have to deal with whatever the horse throws at us day in and day out.

There will be many posts on here from riders whose horses behaviour is far from perfect and all these people are in various stages on their equestrian journey, gathering bit by bit, the experience which gradually moves them away from the Novice Rider tag towards the Experienced Rider label. I think that Riders who have only ever ridden in Riding School or trekking centre situations do not really get any concept of the linitations of their own ability until they start to ride the horses that riding schools wouldn't use for their lessons. Yes riding schools can make a very good job of teaching you to RIDE - as in press all the right buttons, stay in balance, and travel in the pace and direction you want to go, but HORSEMANSHIP is something you can only learn from the horses you spend time with on a day to day basis and as it takes hours and days and weeks and months and years and a lifetime to recognise and gather horsemanship skills, it cannot be acheived on a Saturday morning once a week, and I do think the one single thing that identifies a NOVICE rider to a rider who is starting to, or has already gained more experience of horses in the "real" world is the fact that the Novice rider from a riding school really has no idea of just how much more they need to learn to become a truly competant HORSEMAN.

Real life riders start to learn about

How to deal with a horse that is been kept in the stable for 3 weeks because of the snow and need excersising, without the rider ending up in casualty.

How changing the bit on a horse that can't be stopped, is not always the right answer.

When and how to identify if a horses "bad" behaviour is due to bad training, bad manners or pain.

What to feed, when to feed, and how much work to give to match.

How to catch a horse that doesn't want to be caught, load a horse that doesn't want to load, clip, shoe, inject a horse that doesn't want to be clipped, shod or injected.

How to identify when a horses back, teeth, saddle need checking.

Be sensitive enough to know if a horse is very slightly lame / stiff and be able to take appropriate action.

The list goes on and on and for every item I add that I can competantly deal with, I know there will still be several more that someone else will add that i am yet to come accross myself - It is not so much what we KNOW that makes us HORSEMEN (and women!) it's what we recognise that we DONT know - and this is the bit that so many riders from riding schools are simply unaware of - until they get their own horse!

How very nicely put!

 

[Amaranta]

So it's perfectly ok for you to generalise about your experience of people who started riding as children vs adults but not for other people to generalise about their experiences of riding school vs owning horses? Hypocritical much? Just out of interest, how do you recognise these people?

Some riding schools are as you described above. Many aren't. Some are downright dangerous.

I also have no idea who the 'first time owners' you refer to are?! I think you will find that many of the posters on here have a great deal of experience. I wish people would actually read the posts which have been written rather than jumping to conclusions and launching into the defensive. Nobody here has dismissed the importance of riding schools in developing as an all round rider.

Bloomin well said - some people are getting very het up over things that have just not been said!

Of course we all had to learn somewhere (in my case it was a very long time ago ) but it is an unassailable fact that a RS/Just out of RS rider has not got the experience to deal with the problems that can face you when not riding a RS horse/pony, neither have they any idea of how to school, they have always had someone there to tell them what to do. There are some exceptions to this very general rule, but they are just that exceptions.

I am NOT knocking RS riders or RS, although I wish there were more like C76s, may have saved me the money of owning for all these years

 

[Amaranta]

I think that the problem with learning to "ride" at a riding school has very little to do with the instructors or the schools themselves. Whichever way you look at it riding school horses have to be "safe" within reason. In order to earn their keep, each horse needs to be able to carry riders of varying abilities, and I am sure that riding school owners are very aware of the risks of legal action if their clients have a serious injury, and pick their horses very carefully for this reason. The school used by the OP sounds like it is trying hard to give it's pupils as good a grounding in horse management and riding as it is able to, BUT horse riding is not a "safe" activity and I believe that there are many experiences that riders face which simply cannot be replicated on a riding school horse, and non of us ever really get much of a taste of these things until we have our own horse and commit to riding and handling it in any situation that might arise - we have to deal with whatever the horse throws at us day in and day out.

There will be many posts on here from riders whose horses behaviour is far from perfect and all these people are in various stages on their equestrian journey, gathering bit by bit, the experience which gradually moves them away from the Novice Rider tag towards the Experienced Rider label. I think that riders who have only ever ridden in riding school or trekking centre situations do not really get any concept of the limitations of their own ability until they start to ride the horses that riding schools wouldn't use for their lessons. Yes riding schools can make a very good job of teaching you to RIDE - as in press all the right buttons, stay in balance, and travel in the pace and direction you want to go, but HORSEMANSHIP is something you can only learn from the horses you spend time with on a day to day basis and as it takes hours and days and weeks and months and years and a lifetime to recognise and gather horsemanship skills, it cannot be acheived on a Saturday morning once a week, and I do think the one single thing that identifies a NOVICE rider to a rider who is starting to, or has already gained more experience of horses in the "real" world is the fact that the Novice rider from a riding school really has no idea of just how much more they need to learn to become a truly competant HORSEMAN.

Real life riders start to learn about

How to deal with a horse that is been kept in the stable for 3 weeks because of the snow and need excersising, without the rider ending up in casualty.

How changing the bit on a horse that can't be stopped, is not always the right answer.

When and how to identify if a horses "bad" behaviour is due to bad training, bad manners or pain.

What to feed, when to feed, and how much work to give to match.

How to catch a horse that doesn't want to be caught, load a horse that doesn't want to load, clip, shoe, inject a horse that doesn't want to be clipped, shod or injected.

How to identify when a horses back, teeth, saddle need checking.

Be sensitive enough to know if a horse is very slightly lame / stiff and be able to take appropriate action.

The list goes on and on and for every item I add that I can competantly deal with, I know there will still be several more that someone else will add that i am yet to come accross myself - It is not so much what we KNOW that makes us HORSEMEN (and women!) it's what we recognise that we DONT know - and this is the bit that so many riders from riding schools are simply unaware of - until they get their own horse!

I so wish there was a like button on here!

 

[dafthoss]

JFTD - HAHAHAHAHA

OP - who has gone suprisingly quiet about the criticisms of her RS, I think you should go to some where like charlie76's riding school and find out what a proper riding school is like and what they can do for your riding. I'm going to agree with what some others have said in that any place that thinks its ok to allow the horses feet to get in to the state that neds were and lets you ride in the school with loose horses and ponies in really does need to be questioned. As for the videos of you and ned jumping I think any instructor worth the time would say that neither of you were ready to be competing and should go back to basics and flat work before you even consider leaving the ground let alone at a show and this is where JFTD's comment is truley fitting.

Charlie76 - All the photos you have posted of your rs riders look great and if all riding schools were like this then I think there would be a lot less people going in to horse ownership so unprepared. I wish there was something like this near me because I am often asked where people can go get lessons but I wouldnt recomend any round me and I would like the odd school master lesson.

 

[eahotson]

I have to say a GOOD riding school can have many advantages.The horses are fit, well shod and have correctly fitting tack.The clients will get good teaching in a fun atmosphere.They can ride a selection of horses and go up a level without having to sell an old favourite.The facilities should be good and the activities varied.There may well be opportunities to compete.No worries if a horse is lame (to the client anyway) another one is produced.Compare this experience to someone who is very inexperienced, struggling on a yard with poor facilities and no back up.Very often with an unsuitable horse.I know which experience I would prefer.
Sadly though, there are too many poor riding schools

 

[WeedySeaDragon]

Ours do go out to other venues to compete, school and hunt. They also , last year, were boxed up and were taken on a D of E bronze expedition. They behave the same as they do at home. Most of our horses have either been competition horses or have been schooled well from the start by our staff. Sometimes we take on the more challenging horses, again, we re school them.
We also allow the clients, as they progress, to purchase their horses. Some we stipulate that thet have to stay on livery with us for the next 6 months so they can have help to become horse owners rather than simply abandoning them!
We also offer a loan scheme where they take on a horse as their own and get a feel of horse ownership with the back up of our staff looking out for them!

I wish I lived near you!!!

I think Maresmaid hit the nail on the head with regards to the horses most riding schools use. Most places aren't big enough or don't have the revenue coming in (certainly round here at least) to have both horses that are suitable for beginners of varying ages and sizes plus proper schoolmaster horses for the more advanced riders. It's very much a case of 'jack of all trades, master of none', though it's not the riding schools' faults, they have to provide what people want.

 

[bluewhippet]

Just wanted to make a point that is perhaps different to riding school vs horse ownership..and that is about commitment.

I as a London child did slave labour at my stables 6 - 6 all weekend and in the holidays in return for rides. I learnt an awful lot from that time: some of it perhaps how not to treat horses and ponies. This was in a time before huge law suits so I rode a huge variety of horses.

But now at 45 (gulp) I have my own horse for the first time. Yes, it is a learning curve but because it is something I have wanted desperately since 4 years' old, I have put all my energies into improving and learning.

I haven't found it too shocking. And I think that is as a result of the confidence I gained through a childhood of riding nutty ponies and working my fingers to the bone to ride them. I found it a very good preparation.

Yes, horse ownership is very different but some riding school experiences can equip you very well for many of the problems that occur.

 

[LaurenBay]

As others have said, there are good and bad riding schools.

I went to Woodredon EC. It was brilliant (and still is, to this day!) Without Woodredon I wouldn't have got my own. I attended "own a pony day's" quite often and at the end we would have to do a written test, in order to recieve a certificate. The Ponies and Horses were lovely, Some were green and some were school masters and ex competition Horses. In fact they had a lovely SJ that was once ridden by the whitakers! Also had a lovely Horse that was in the racing scence in the film Black Beauty. They are located in the middle of Epping Forest, so Horses spend a lot of time hacking through the lovely scenery. They attend shows and Gymkanas quite often too. I used to volunteer there on a Tuesday night, to gain some basic Horse management skills.

 

[PonyIAmNotFood]

The attitude towards RS riders really gets my back up. I have ridden at one for 12 years, started helping there at the age of 10 and now run the yard at weekends and supervise the kid volunteers, teaching them stable management etc. The riders get their horses themselves and take them in, they un tack and rug up, and lessons are catered to the rider. If kids/adults want to help out they can as long as they are over 10, and there are pony days for younger kids to learn management etc on. We don't hack to be honest, but if the kids who help are insured they can hack around the fields. Advanced riders learn how to improve the horses way of going and lateral movements etc. Advanced riders also help bring on the youngsters/school 'naughty' horses. If people don't want to get involved and just want to come once a week for a potter about that's fine too, it's up to them!

I know many of my friends and other riders who learnt with us have gone on to be very successful with 'normal' horses outside of the school, and I have ridden and schooled plenty of others myself. I am also on the uni riding team and have the ability to get on almost anything and get a tune out of it. (Not blowing my own horn but making a point). People are very prejudiced against RS riders and I just don't get it.

 

[JFTDWS]

There's a lot of confusion on this thread - people assuming that horse owners are dismissing RS riders as hopeless incompetents who don't know one end of a horse from the other and people mixing up whether they mean that RS riders are deficient either as riders or in knowledge of stable management. Neither is particularly true.

The point is that riders who have not progressed to owning a horse do not have the experiences that horse ownership provides.

This is certainly relevant to a knowledge of stable management - any numpty can muck out a stable or tack a pony up, but (for example) making the decision what tack to put on your horse isn't normally within the remit of an RS client. Similarly with feeding / shoeing / turnout / etc an RS client's experience is likely to be dictated by the policy of the RS they attend - and whilst they might gain knowledge outside of the RS of other schools of thought, they are less likely to have the freedom to explore them practically.

Similarly, an RS rider is unlikely to have the freedom to make decisions once in the saddle about precisely what to do with their horse - hack, school, jump, which route, what speed, what to work on in the school, what jumping exercise to do - because normally they are restrained by the rules of the RS and the motivations of their instructor. Because RS clients often do not ride the same horse regularly, they don't have the same input into the horse's schooling and education as you do if you own that horse.

However, being in a good RS can give a talented rider access to well schooled, talented horses from which they can learn much more than an owner with a green or less "easy" horse. As such, there are (I'm sure) many RS riders who are better versed in higher dressage movements or who are capable of jumping higher, more complicated tracks than some owners (myself included). Similarly, they may have access to many different types of horse and thus be more versatile a rider than a "one horse owner". With access to good instructors, such riders then may take that experience on into ownership and become a "better class" of owner than people who've owned all their lives and never taken lessons.

The posters who claim to be able to differentiate RS riders from horse owners are probably refering the more novice RS riders who don't appreciate that they don't know everything. The OP's post is very defensive, arguing that her RS allows them to learn about management and do exciting riding things. It's posts like this which scream "RS rider with limited experience" at people who own horses - people who would never be so defensive about how much we know, because we appreciate how much we don't know.

It grates with people who understand the difference between mucking out and tacking up and actually making the decisions behind the donkey work. It grates with people who understand that "real" riding isn't about how high you jump, how fast you go or how naughty the RS horses can be - there's plenty more to it than that, though some owners don't seem to appreciate that either. Every bad decision that a horse owner makes in the saddle will be their responsibility to fix - whether that decision be to jump on bad ground and lame their horse, or inadvertantly encourage the horse to exhibit a vice. The same is not true of your average RS rider, though undoubtably there are some who could rise to the challenge.

We also allow the clients, as they progress, to purchase their horses. Some we stipulate that thet have to stay on livery with us for the next 6 months so they can have help to become horse owners rather than simply abandoning them!
We also offer a loan scheme where they take on a horse as their own and get a feel of horse ownership with the back up of our staff looking out for them!

Then you are performing an extremely valuable service for the equestrian community - it is a shame that your RS is probably the exception rather than the rule.

 

[PonyIAmNotFood]

The point is that riders who have not progressed to owning a horse do not have the experiences that horse ownership provides.

This is certainly relevant to a knowledge of stable management - any numpty can muck out a stable or tack a pony up, but (for example) making the decision what tack to put on your horse isn't normally within the remit of an RS client. Similarly with feeding / shoeing / turnout / etc an RS client's experience is likely to be dictated by the policy of the RS they attend - and whilst they might gain knowledge outside of the RS of other schools of thought, they are less likely to have the freedom to explore them practically.

Similarly, an RS rider is unlikely to have the freedom to make decisions once in the saddle about precisely what to do with their horse - hack, school, jump, which route, what speed, what to work on in the school, what jumping exercise to do - because normally they are restrained by the rules of the RS and the motivations of their instructor. Because RS clients often do not ride the same horse regularly, they don't have the same input into the horse's schooling and education as you do if you own that horse.

I get what you're saying, as in decisions are ultimately made by the RS but the volunteers do learn what different bits of kit are for, why their mates horse is in a martingale and ours aren't, why some horses get a sprinkle of calm mix and others are on different feed, and what the signs are that the feed needs changing. They also know about ideal weight, why turnout is important etc. and the basics of well fitting tack. They can also ask about exceptions to the rules etc. and how to tell the exceptions. They're constantly learning, and do get to practicalise the knowledge on occasions, as in how to fit tack and kit every time they tack something up etc. They get to know the horses as though they are their own, I know some of the girls know particular ponies better than anyone and as a result if they are being 'naughty' they can get on a ride to the horses individual needs.

And although no, they don't get to pick whether they school or hack, they do get time in open order to school their horse as they wish, either to the horses or their benefit dependant on what they are working towards that day. I think only the TRUE beginners at our place would get on a horse and not know what to do without someone telling them, the rest would definately be able to get on and work the horse out to some extent, and tailor the session towards them. Everyone appears to be assuming all RS riders are beginners, most definately not the case.

 

[Kat]

There's a lot of confusion on this thread - people assuming that horse owners are dismissing RS riders as hopeless incompetents who don't know one end of a horse from the other and people mixing up whether they mean that RS riders are deficient either as riders or in knowledge of stable management. Neither is particularly true.

The point is that riders who have not progressed to owning a horse do not have the experiences that horse ownership provides.

This is certainly relevant to a knowledge of stable management - any numpty can muck out a stable or tack a pony up, but (for example) making the decision what tack to put on your horse isn't normally within the remit of an RS client. Similarly with feeding / shoeing / turnout / etc an RS client's experience is likely to be dictated by the policy of the RS they attend - and whilst they might gain knowledge outside of the RS of other schools of thought, they are less likely to have the freedom to explore them practically.

Similarly, an RS rider is unlikely to have the freedom to make decisions once in the saddle about precisely what to do with their horse - hack, school, jump, which route, what speed, what to work on in the school, what jumping exercise to do - because normally they are restrained by the rules of the RS and the motivations of their instructor. Because RS clients often do not ride the same horse regularly, they don't have the same input into the horse's schooling and education as you do if you own that horse.

However, being in a good RS can give a talented rider access to well schooled, talented horses from which they can learn much more than an owner with a green or less "easy" horse. As such, there are (I'm sure) many RS riders who are better versed in higher dressage movements or who are capable of jumping higher, more complicated tracks than some owners (myself included). Similarly, they may have access to many different types of horse and thus be more versatile a rider than a "one horse owner". With access to good instructors, such riders then may take that experience on into ownership and become a "better class" of owner than people who've owned all their lives and never taken lessons.

The posters who claim to be able to differentiate RS riders from horse owners are probably refering the more novice RS riders who don't appreciate that they don't know everything. The OP's post is very defensive, arguing that her RS allows them to learn about management and do exciting riding things. It's posts like this which scream "RS rider with limited experience" at people who own horses - people who would never be so defensive about how much we know, because we appreciate how much we don't know.

It grates with people who understand the difference between mucking out and tacking up and actually making the decisions behind the donkey work. It grates with people who understand that "real" riding isn't about how high you jump, how fast you go or how naughty the RS horses can be - there's plenty more to it than that, though some owners don't seem to appreciate that either. Every bad decision that a horse owner makes in the saddle will be their responsibility to fix - whether that decision be to jump on bad ground and lame their horse, or inadvertantly encourage the horse to exhibit a vice. The same is not true of your average RS rider, though undoubtably there are some who could rise to the challenge.





Then you are performing an extremely valuable service for the equestrian community - it is a shame that your RS is probably the exception rather than the rule.

I think that is all pretty fair comment.

Although good riding schools do allow clients to have some input into certain decisions, for example over choice of tack and bit. I have often ridden a RS horse in different tack to its normal working tack either because I am competing and need something more appropriate or because it suits better when I ride the horse. A good instructor will also discuss long term plans and how to deal with problems with clients, the best solution to a certain issue may be to work the horse on the lunge which might not be possible in the lesson but you can begin to learn about the decision making by discussing it with your instructor.

At the end of the day though I think the time to move on from a riding school is when the frustration about not being able to make those decisions for yourself!

Personally, although it is a steep learning curve at all I relish being able to make those decisions as that is the reason that I am paying even more money and spending my limited free time on my horse! I wanted to be responsible for her training and for the horse she will become. I wanted to be able to change her feed or stop schooling and go for a hack or whatever I thought was best for her. I'm loving it, but I am also very glad I spent so long in riding schools as I think it has given me a very good grounding and prepared me well. I hope that my horse will be proof of that too

 

[JFTDWS]

they do get time in open order to school their horse as they wish, either to the horses or their benefit dependant on what they are working towards that day. I think only the TRUE beginners at our place would get on a horse and not know what to do without someone telling them, the rest would definately be able to get on and work the horse out to some extent, and tailor the session towards them. Everyone appears to be assuming all RS riders are beginners, most definately not the case.

Not at all - I'm not talking about not knowing what to do when you get on. Any rider, RS or otherwise, should be aware of how to warm a horse up and put it through its paces - it's not rocket science.

What I think most RS riders lack is the ability (and opportunity to develop the ability) to plan a session and make decisions regarding how to best improve the horse's way of going, how to introduce the exercises, how to react to the horse's way of going and attitude on that day, level of fitness, to know how much to ask for and how quickly to ask - all without guidance of an instructor. Partly because, in an RS situation, if they are about to over-face the horse, the RI will almost certainly intervene. Partly because unless you have experience of working with the same horse regularly over a period of time, you tend to lack perspective on how one session fits into the general education of your horse. That perspective is hard to achieve when your ride is ridden every day by other clients and staff and you ride it only once a week.

I'm certain that good instructors at good RS do teach these skills to some extent - but I maintain that they are the minority.

 

[JFTDWS]

I'm loving it, but I am also very glad I spent so long in riding schools as I think it has given me a very good grounding and prepared me well. I hope that my horse will be proof of that too

Exactly - a good RS is an excellent preparation for successful ownership (and yours sounds to have been a good RS). Furthermore, because you are aware of your own limitations as well as your strengths, you're in a good position to appreciate where you can learn from more experienced owners, and where you can apply your own experience, thus enabling you to manage and train your mare successfully. I have no doubt that your mare will turn out well.

 

[Hippona]

Yay JFTD.

Exactly what you said.

As a thought.....the longer you own horses ....the more you realise that when you thought you knew it all.....you actually knew bugger all.....

 

[JFTDWS]

As a thought.....the longer you own horses ....the more you realise that when you thought you knew it all.....you actually knew bugger all.....

Today, I'd rather go back to knowing very little at an RS. Hell, RS riders don't know how lucky they are, they don't get confronted with escaped yearlings when they go up to sort their horses in the morning, they don't have to spend their days worrying about whether houdini has been reincarnated as a highland and whether he'll still be where you left him or not, and they definitely don't find themselves "testing" the electric fence the hard way because they don't trust the fence checker The things we do for our bloody animals

 

[Sarah1]

Today, I'd rather go back to knowing very little at an RS. Hell, RS riders don't know how lucky they are, they don't get confronted with escaped yearlings when they go up to sort their horses in the morning, they don't have to spend their days worrying about whether houdini has been reincarnated as a highland and whether he'll still be where you left him or not, and they definitely don't find themselves "testing" the electric fence the hard way because they don't trust the fence checker The things we do for our bloody animals

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!