Schoolmaster lessons/drawreins

[Mrs. Jingle]

Schoolmasters are often fiendishly evasive and inclined to take the pee with less experienced riders. I'm not sure what people are expecting when they go for lessons that are a big step up from what they've experienced before, but it is rarely easy to ride an advanced horse and there is a huge amount of work involved.

This 100 per cent. I am also extremely lucky (or not depending on your viewpoint) that a few years back I was given a lesson by an extremely talented international rider on their equally talented horse. The only reason I found myself (a very numpty everyday rider I have to admit) was that said rider happens to be my best childhood friend and sister in law.

I shamefully admit I was a total disgrace the horse took me for a ride around the menage for well over an hour in every sense of the word. This horse would NEVER have been used for lessons by any person who happened along. The years and hours of blood sweat and tears that went in to getting it to the level it achieved would not have been put at risk for a measly 75 quid! And no we did not have draw reins on - why would you if the horse is a well schooled schoolmaster, but I agree possibly damage limitation was behind this idea.

 

[tallyho!]

It seems to me that on this thread there are two kinds of horses to learn on...

The "schoolmaster/mistress" horse - a horse that will teach you the right way to apply an aid by performing what you want only when you apply the right aid.... without being ungentlemanly or unladylike about it.

The "professional" horse - a horse that is pretty damned dangerous to ride unless you know what you are doing.

Best not to confuse the two. I'm stupefied to read that there are people hoodwinked into riding dangerous horses for money and others that are stupid enough to let people ride them. I know I'm not alone in thinking this. Do your research whatever you do those looking for ACTUAL "Schoolmasters". Not just horses that have done "to x level" - that doesn't make them schoolmasters. A schoolmaster will have done x level and will be gracious enough to let a novice climb on without being a diva about it.

Probs should be checking insurance before you pay to ride such a master too. Just saying.

 

[Auslander]

I'm stupefied to read that there are people hoodwinked into riding dangerous horses for money and others that are stupid enough to let people ride them.

Where are people saying they're paying to ride dangerous horses?