Someone else schooling my horse, should I let them?

[mar2505]

Help, my horse is very backwards thinking, its a struggle to get trot and we often end up just walking round the school in circles. We have a new livery at the yard and she does a lot with her horse. When I go in the school she often comes out and gives me some coaching and so far its worked, last night she schooled him for 20 mins and then when I got on he was a different horse. She then said would I like her to school him once a week and give her a fiver or something and this would help. I must add I have had 2 years without a school so have terrible nerves as well.
I think this is a good idea however I am struggling to think of someone making my horse forward going? Will I be able to cope, 4 years of not going anywhere I feel safe? Will I get jealous of her riding him?
Help............

 

[Spange]

Once a week i have my instructor ride my horse and it's a delight to see him going so nicely. I also have about 3 lessons a month with her so she knows what buttons to get me to press to get the best from him as she rides him too. I don't feel jealous in any way. it's helping us both.

Would this girl also maybe coach you riding your horse every so often, so she can talk you through any improvements she's made whilst she has been riding? Sounds like a bargain at £5.

 

[Wagtail]

I agree. Yes, go for it! Most people do not get jealous if someone rides their horse. However, I did have a friend who once asked me to school her horse and then admitted she was jealous that I was getting better results and teaching her horse new things, so I had to stop riding her. At least she was honest. But usually, it works very well. As an instructor, I charge £17 a time for schooling, and that is cheap, so you are getting a good deal!

 

[mar2505]

Thanks, she is always offering to coach me and my horse felt fantastic afterwards, really forward going. However due to lack of confidence that scares me, spent so long going backwards that going forwards is a new feeling altogether!

 

[swampdonkey]

I'm not an instructor or a very good rider myself but when I read your post I thought that maybe your horse isn't going forwards for you because deep down you don't want them to. Maybe it is your confidence holding your schooling back and you may not be asking for forward. Now that you have ridden them feeling forwards maybe you will feel more confident to push for more yourself. Ignore me if I'm talking rubbish, it's just what came to mind when I read your post. I know that I used to struggle with my canter transitions and it was because I was nervous about canter so was sending mixed signals unknowingly.

 

[mar2505]

Swampdonkey, how right are you? I totally agree. I deep down quite like him not going forward, feel very safe saying I cant hack alone cause he naps etc etc.
Do you think I should have him schooled?

 

[Spotsrock]

Be Honest with yourself, is she better or more confident than you?
Second is she firm but fair with yor horse?
Does she get a result out of you/your horse?
Can you afford a fiver extra each week?

If the answer to the above is yes I think you've got it. (A fiver is very cheap if she's half way capable)

(And yes you might be jealous at first, I dislike other people doing better than me on my horses, but I know that's me being selfish. If he works nicely and learns, then he'll enjoy it more when you ride him as you'll be able to do more and have more fun with him.)

 

[little_critter]

If you think that the problem is that deep down your nerves are making you 'want' him to be less forwards then I would say you should be the one making him more forward but with someone helping from the ground (instructing / encouraging / coaching etc)

Otherwise you may end up with a more forward horse after your friend has schooled it but you are still nervous about being forward - I think this combination is likely to knock your confidence even more.
(sorry I'm not really making sense!)

I think you need to work together so that as your confidence improves your horse goes more forward and you are both at a level you ar comfotable with because you reached that point together.
Definately you need help so you can both progress together but I think you need to be the one on the horse.

 

[soulfull]

I would let her

Honestly don't worry about him being forwards and losing your confidence!

It is so much harder to keep your position and try and get a horse to go forward, you end up wobbling more and therefore more likely to fall off!

I know cos I have had both types of horse and I have had confidence issues too

So long as she makes sure his brakes stay working (which I am sure she will) then you won't lose confidence just gain a better more stable position!!

 

[Walrus]

My instructor has ridden my pony a couple of times and the effect it has had has been amazing. Now we are heading into the new season I have got my instructors daughter to help - she is very expereinced and hopefully is going to ride my boy once a month or so and give me a couple of lessons a month. She helped me lunge him the other night and taught me how to use the bungee properly - my pony looked awesome! I think it's really useful to have someone you trust who is more experienced "tune up" your horse, especially if, like me, you have a young horse and not much of a clue about schooling! The people who help me describe it as "putting the buttons on" - they put the buttons in place and then teach me how to press them! I always joke if I win the lottery I'm off on holiday and my pony will go to my instructor and her daughter for boot camp!

 

[swampdonkey]

I am in a similar situation, my horse who isn't very well schooled and is quite a lot of horse for me compared to my old ex riding school horse. I have thought about having my instructor school her for me but a couple of things have stopped me, yes she could get the desired effect quicker but I hope to have my horse for life and think that us building a relationship together, including all the mistakes and me being nervous and us learning to trust each other will stand us in good stead. I'm hoping we will grow together, if that doesn't sound too soppy.
Yes it will probably take us longer but I have got years with her I hope.
I find having someone on the ground is enough to give me the confidence to ask a little more from her and me, and the days there is noone available I do whatever I feel comfortable with that day.
Probably not much help to you but I think only you can make the decision. You could always try it for a couple of weeks and see how you get on.

 

[Ginge Crosby]

I went through a bad patch with my boy a few months ago, i really didnt know what to do with him and was on the verge of selling him because of the issues we had. Eventually i asked my YM to ride him for me and give her opinion; at the time i didnt know if it was my riding/confidence or his attitude. She rode him, and gave her verdict of 'terrible teens' (he's just turned 7 so in those stroppy teenage years), then gave me a lesson on him and we've been great since then.

Anyway, i recently fell pregnant and as my non-horsey OH is so paranoid about me getting hurt ive been banned from riding. i dont think i could live with myself if something happened to the baby, as it's not just mine, its his too. so my YM is now schooling him (the horse not the bloke ) twice a week. the first time was yesterday, and i must say i felt so tearful watching her ride my baby (jealousy, probably!) that i left her to it after 5 mins. But i know in the long run its good for him.

I think in your situation maybe a combination of her riding your horse and then following up with instruction whilst you're riding him would be of benefit, as it will help build your confidence and improve him at the same time. I always find it beneficial to get an outsider's opinion when it comes to my riding, and to have someone capable of riding him for me and demonstrating methods to improve him gives more of an understanding than just being told what to do.