spencer wilton

diggerbez

diggerbez

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what's he like for training? does a clinic near me and was debating taking V...but i'm not a dressage diva.... :rolleyes:
(i normally train with a list 2a trainer though but can only get to her once a month because she's about 90 mins drive)
 
Obviously everybody likes different styles of training etc. and likes different people but I went up with a friend of mine for a lesson and he hated it. He worked pretty much on the same thing, no variety at all, horse got bored, rider got bored. Wasn't impressed for the cost vs what you actually got.

Hope this helps in any way :)
 
DarkHorseB said:
I know a couple of people who go to him and rate him but I baulked at the cost - think it was about £80 for 45 minutes from memory
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really??? thats insane...! normal trainer is £40 plus £10 school hire which is bad enough... (altho by the time i've driven there too am probably talking £80 :o)
 
It would be very worthwhile going to the clinic.
Although expensive I have found him very worth it- he has totally changed the way I ride and feel dressage and gets me riding way above what I thought I could do so I have gained confidence. The horse must go in a very advanced outline. He is pretty tough and a complete perfectionist (every bend, line, stride has to be spot on and done until so) but I need that- I can see why people could find it frustrating.
I have only taken advanced horses as wouldn't feel I would gain enough from taking my green youngsters, He is £70 I think so feel that is pretty expensive if i'm on a young horse and know what needs fixing. (He could be fantastic with younger horses though!)
 
ElleJS said:
It would be very worthwhile going to the clinic.
Although expensive I have found him very worth it- he has totally changed the way I ride and feel dressage and gets me riding way above what I thought I could do so I have gained confidence. The horse must go in a very advanced outline. He is pretty tough and a complete perfectionist (every bend, line, stride has to be spot on and done until so) but I need that- I can see why people could find it frustrating.
I have only taken advanced horses as wouldn't feel I would gain enough from taking my green youngsters, He is £70 I think so feel that is pretty expensive if i'm on a young horse and know what needs fixing. (He could be fantastic with younger horses though!)
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see this is what i wonder - whether i'm not good enough (if that makes sense!) :o
i don't mind being yelled at and, TBH, i'm not enough of a perfectionist so could do with some drilling...but don't want to waste anyone's time/money (especially not my own! :rolleyes:)
 
I can imagine he would be very good for whatever level the rider especially so if they matched the level of the horse if that makes sense! I had to improve to the level of my established horse where as if I took something young I wouldn't feel it would be doing me any good and probably would be too intensive for the horse. Anyway, I think it would be worth going to a clinic as he would make you up your game that is for sure and he has the knack of making subtle changes that make you go why didn't i just do that before! He is near Tetbury, Glos.
 
ElleJS said:
I can imagine he would be very good for whatever level the rider especially so if they matched the level of the horse if that makes sense! I had to improve to the level of my established horse where as if I took something young I wouldn't feel it would be doing me any good and probably would be too intensive for the horse. Anyway, I think it would be worth going to a clinic as he would make you up your game that is for sure and he has the knack of making subtle changes that make you go why didn't i just do that before! He is near Tetbury, Glos.
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yes true :) suppose i can always try him once and if it goes horribly wrong i can always not go back :rolleyes: (better find normal hat silk before attending though...even i wouldn't dare turn up with normal green silk/yelow bobble combo :p)
thanks :)
 
Haha! Yes! He has a good sense of humour though!
I always feel out of place when I have lessons not wearing pearls, tiffany and co. jangly bracelets, a full face of make up and all the latest Anky gear! (oh and my horse looks like a whippet in comparison!)
 
ElleJS said:
Haha! Yes! He has a good sense of humour though!
I always feel out of place when I have lessons not wearing pearls, tiffany and co. jangly bracelets, a full face of make up and all the latest Anky gear! (oh and my horse looks like a whippet in comparison!)
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haha, if i tried to wear anything jangly my horse would actually kill me.
i honestly don't know how they can be bothered to dress up that much for a lesson :eek:
 
God I know! I wouldn't have time to dress up like that either! I can never understand how thet can wear so much lovely jewellery and not be paranoid about it falling off!
 
I had lessons with him for nearly 4 years and he was great. He's always pleasant and in a good mood no matter how many students he has taught that day or how cold it gets. I've never seen him shout at anyone although he is insistent and gives plenty of directions. I found his ideas very, very helpful and sometimes he really helped me break through problems. I wouldn't class myself as advanced, medium is the dizzying height of excellence I have ever achieved! I saw him teach people who were doing unaffilliated Prelim through to GP wihtout a problem and he doesn't seem 'snobbish' about having high level pupils or a particular kind of horse.

His website gives more info:http://www.spencerwilton.co.uk/

BTW his own yard is amazing and you can go there for 3-4 courses. I went last summer and had a super time.
 
Have never taken myself (waste of money) or Mini TX to one of his clinics so cant say what he would be like. However, he did judge her at a Ride Off at Dressage at Badminton a couple of years ago. He was very, very constructive in his marking, dead accurate and was lovely to chat to afterwards and offered her lots of help. He was also at our YO's wedding party last month - great fun is all I can say on here.
 
thanks...you've convinced me, will have a try next time he's in the area (if i'm off work that is!) My dressage is probably my weakest phase (coz i don't like it) but i have a horse that could be very good at it so should really focus a bit more on it :rolleyes:
 
I had lessons with him before my horse broke and it was actually him that pin pointed where the lameness was coming from.

I enjoyed every lesson I had with him and if I can afford it I will definately be going back once I have a box again.

Is it Arkenfield he is going to? If not could you let me know where please as it is a 2 hour drive in the box and would love it if he was closer.
 
nat1003 said:
I had lessons with him before my horse broke and it was actually him that pin pointed where the lameness was coming from.

I enjoyed every lesson I had with him and if I can afford it I will definately be going back once I have a box again.

Is it Arkenfield he is going to? If not could you let me know where please as it is a 2 hour drive in the box and would love it if he was closer.
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Darryl Thickitt does a regular clinic nr Ilkley. Think he also did Arkenfield. He's very good, and may be a bit closer (obviously not for OP)
 
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