Those of you at riding schools (or not actually)

[PonyIAmNotFood]

What do you expect the school horses to be like? Temprement wise, schooling level, sharpness, as well as how you would expect them to be turned out with regards to appearance and tack? No real reason for asking this to be honest, i'm just nosey and interested, have been to a few in my area in the past couple of years (both as a paying customer and uni team competitor) and found each one very different to the others.

 

[Hot2Trot]

I have a share at the moment whilst looking for my next purchase but have a riding lesson once a week at a riding school. I am very particular about riding schools. The one I go to is about a 40 minute drive but I like places with working liveries as you tend to get "normal" horses that have unpredictable responses and that you have to actually ride - not ones that will just do what its supposed to regardless of the aids you give.

I expect them to be clean and well looked after but that's as far as it goes for me. My current lesson ride is not particularly well schooled (she's young) but i'm finding its improving my riding a great deal.

 

[HayleyDL]

I think temperament and sharpness would depend on the aim of the school.

Assuming we're talking about the bog-standard run of the mill type riding school I would expect a variety. A few that were very quiet and responded well to aids without being too sharp. The kind you could stick total beginners on. I'd expect some others to be a bit more.. Lively, quick off the leg and with a bit more character so that riders could progress up.

Turn out, no matter what the standard I would expect to be good. Not competition standard, but clean and tidy. After being at a few where they slacked here it makes me wonder what else they're slacking on.

 

[Spudlet]

Temperament - I would expect the majority of school horses to be laid back, forgiving sorts, with perhaps just a couple of slightly sharper types for more advanced riders. But even then I wouldn't expect anything too hot-headed.

Schooling level - I would expect them to be well schooled to correct aids but of the sort that would forgive a novice getting mixed up because let's face it, we've all done that and the last thing you need is to end up in a tree because you got your aid wrong! In practice that might mean they are a bit less responsive but that is fine IMO. I would expect the more advanced ones to know how to evade an aid too - all part of the game, having a pony that knows exactly how to not do as you ask

Tack and turnout - I wouldn't expect dazzling shininess but I would expect tack to fit, be clean, safe and appropriate, and for the tack room to be suitable to keep the tack in good condition (proper saddle racks for example). I wouldn't expect the horses to be pulled, primped and preened to within an inch of their lives, I'd rather have a horse that looks like it might have seen a field this year, but I would expect them to be groomed and obviously cared for (hooves well kept for example). I would expect the horses to be in good body condition, fit not fat.

 

[LaurenBay]

A good riding school should have a wide range of Horses and Ponies. From LR Ponies - BSJA Horses.

I would expect all of them to have their own tack which fits correctly.