Schoolmaster lesson, Talland?

[gingerlegs]

Hi Folks,

Just wondering if you have any tips or suggestions?
I have a lovely 5yo who is proving to be quite trainable, talented and scopey enough to (eventually) go on to International level eventing. I have regular lessons with an advanced dressage rider who is working miracles with me and him, but I feel as we are starting to introduce more lateral work that I'm lacking slightly.
I am an experienced rider, but have only ridden to Elementary competitively as I have mainly had projects, ex racers and babies in my life.
I'm thinking it's time I got a true feeling of where my aids should be and the reaction I should get. I'm a kinesthetic learner so hands on is the best way for me.
So Schoolmaster lessons, I'm based in Northamptonshire but happy to travel. I would be aiming for just one lesson but want to ensure it is on a schoolmaster with a good instructor to make it worth the £££'s... I don't want to be lumbered with an old nag and a student!

Any tips on making sure I get what I'm after? The right thing to ask for etc. and is Talland a good place to go or are there other suggestions?
Sorry that got a bit long! Cadbury Caramel if you got this far...

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I can't give an answer to this query, but when I got stuck [I have been riding for 50 years] I explained my problem,and paid £140 to watch a top international at The Yorkshire Riding Centre ride a horse similar to mine [in level of progress expected, though mine cost £1500 and her mount was a young dressage pony £100,000K possibly, nothing spectacular to be honest.].
I realised that I could never school my horse, and he needed to be schooled, I got a good BHSII instructor to teach him. Even she was puzzled, but she got him going. "Working through". I put him in a hanging baucher and he started to use himself, we did come to some sort of compromise, he was not sufficiently talented for top competition, and the wrong height, but he was my horse of a lifetime. He loved to jump, so this was his reward. In my younger days we would have gone hunting and had some great days.
I had backed him, so he so he was fine, until "asked" to work, he was something else.

 

[DZ2]

Hi,

Talland is great place to learn, and going there improved my flat work/position/seat dramatically. And I keep going there occasionally, even now I've moved and it's 70 miles one way.

There are some fantastic schoolmasters there. For the first lesson though, they may want to put you on non-schoolmaster for an assessment session, check with them when you call.

Some of schoolmasters I've ridden were ex-eventers and some pure dressage horses; both taught me lots but I think I prefer to ride their dressage horses - for learning the feel and seat aids, they seem more responsive.

One lesson wouldn't be enough for me; after my first lesson on the schoolmaster I've only thing I've learnt was that I can't ride at all (having been ridden for my whole life, but not done much dressage)!

I think all instructors are good there, just make sure you don't end up with student (you can have a look on their web page). Toby Pickthall would be my recommendation.

Good luck and hope you enjoy it!

 

[gingerlegs]

Thank you, sounds like it's definitely worth it.
I would like to aim for a couple of sessions over the winter but it is finances depending!

Thank you for the tips, think I'll be on the phone for an hour asking questions before I book

 

[honetpot]

I sent my daughter there for a learning holiday in the year of F&M. It was expensive and the accommodation at that time was basic but she was able to ride horses that gave her feel and also watch others having lessons at a far higher level than PC. She also got to see Mrs S teach/give advice which she thought was funny.I think you must be very clear what you want, and do not be afraid to say if you think you are not getting what you want out of it, I had to ring as they were not pushing my daughter hard enough, I think they thought it was just a holiday.
I used to have lessons on a schoolmaster given by a FBHS, some of the best money ever spent, and got to ride a PSG horse, but she was fun as well.

 

[LizzieRC1313]

Just have to post, as friend went there today and had a truly horrendous experience. She went off the back of good experiences posted on here for a schoolmaster lesson while her horse is broken. Well, I could have given her a better lesson. The horse (not a schoolmaster but they did explain they would assess her before putting her on a better horse- fair enough) was not at all forward, to the extent that every time friend took her leg off it walked. The school was incredibly busy, many instructors shouting at around 8 people sharing the school, with horses acting up and reversing into other people's space. The main issue was the instructors complete lack of interest. She pointed out faults but did nothing to help correct them, jumped from 1 issue to another without properly explaining how friend could improve anything. the only 'exercise' she was told to do was a 20m circle. We were really horrified. We have nice horses and fantastic instructors at home, made me realise how lucky we are. Friend was planning on travelling down for a course of 6, most definitely will not be returning.

 

[Leo Walker]

I have no personal experience but have heard similar off more than one person

 

[{97702}]

I've been there a couple of times for lessons on my own horse with PH and loved it - yes, we were sharing the school, but not excessively (I think two other horses being ridden?) and I got so much out of it

 

[VRIN]

I can't give an answer to this query, but when I got stuck [I have been riding for 50 years] I explained my problem,and paid £140 to watch a top international at The Yorkshire Riding Centre ride a horse similar to mine [in level of progress expected, though mine cost £1500 and her mount was a young dressage pony £100,000K possibly, nothing spectacular to be honest.].
I realised that I could never school my horse, and he needed to be schooled, I got a good BHSII instructor to teach him. Even she was puzzled, but she got him going. "Working through". I put him in a hanging baucher and he started to use himself, we did come to some sort of compromise, he was not sufficiently talented for top competition, and the wrong height, but he was my horse of a lifetime. He loved to jump, so this was his reward. In my younger days we would have gone hunting and had some great days.
I had backed him, so he so he was fine, until "asked" to work, he was something else.

Why did you need to pay £140 to watch?

 

[philamena]

Wouldn't personally recommend Talland, reasons for which I have PM'd you. Included a couple of other suggestions

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Why did you need to pay £140 to watch?

That is what they charge for a lesson with a Fellow of the BHS, an international competitior and the person who writes the rulebook [as you might say]. It would be more if I used their horse. I did not want a riding lesson, I wanted to find out why I was not progressing with my boy, and what to do about it.
I decided the answer was to get a BHSII to school him, and even she struggled with him, it took three months to get him working through nicely.
His default was to throw toys out of the pram if not happy with his lesson!
He had already had three weeks professional schooling after being backed, and this lady was not particularly impresssed with his attitude either.
Actually he was a very safe ride, I enjoyed our hacks out [though he had me off a few times in the first few months, he was pretty reactive]
I paid a lot of attention, what I needed to see was it was what I had been doing wrong all my life, and the fact is she was exactly in the right place all the time, any horse can be "trained" or "schooled", but not all want to.

 

[Bernster]

Admittedly this was only 1 lesson, but I didn't think it was worth the money and wasn't impressed I'm afraid. am sure there are plenty with good experiences but I wouldn't go back.

 

[gingerlegs]

Thank you all for your reviews and experiences. Just what I needed to know before I part with that much cash!
If anyone knows of anywhere else or has any reviews of Summerhouse, Gloucs I'd appreciate it 😊

 

[Matafleur]

Thank you all for your reviews and experiences. Just what I needed to know before I part with that much cash!
If anyone knows of anywhere else or has any reviews of Summerhouse, Gloucs I'd appreciate it 😊

I ride at Summerhouse regularly, mainly on my own horse but I've had plenty of school master lessons too. I train with Sara who has hugely improved my riding and dressage scores! I would highly recommend but don't expect it all to feel really easy, the horses are well schooled and regularly tuned up but I felt like I couldn't ride at all the first few times!

 

[Cheiro1]

When I asked for recommendations on here previously Summerhouse was very highly praised, I haven't made it yet though
I am another who has heard poor reviews of Talland!

 

[hcm88]

Just have to post, as friend went there today and had a truly horrendous experience. She went off the back of good experiences posted on here for a schoolmaster lesson while her horse is broken. Well, I could have given her a better lesson. The horse (not a schoolmaster but they did explain they would assess her before putting her on a better horse- fair enough) was not at all forward, to the extent that every time friend took her leg off it walked. The school was incredibly busy, many instructors shouting at around 8 people sharing the school, with horses acting up and reversing into other people's space. The main issue was the instructors complete lack of interest. She pointed out faults but did nothing to help correct them, jumped from 1 issue to another without properly explaining how friend could improve anything. the only 'exercise' she was told to do was a 20m circle. We were really horrified. We have nice horses and fantastic instructors at home, made me realise how lucky we are. Friend was planning on travelling down for a course of 6, most definitely will not be returning.

Did your friend pay for a senior instructor? I would expect similar from a couple of the student instructors but not the ones you pay extra for.

I have had a couple of schoolmaster lessons at Talland, one with Pammy (who is not for the faint-hearted but is excellent) and have been happy both times with the experience.