Two years' riding lessons and still doesn't know ...

hussar

hussar

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My 9yo step-granddaughter has just spent the weekend with us and I took her out riding twice. She's been getting weekly lessons for 2 years at a BHS accredited school in Kent - and has never tacked up or wielded a dandy brush or hoof pick. In fact she's scared of the horses until they've got their tack on and are standing by the mounting block.

Are all riding schools like this now, and is it a result of the threat of litigation if Little Precious gets trodden on or dirty?
 
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Madness
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That's not riding...
 
I was always taught to arrive at least 15minutes before a lesson to do anything that needed doing, normally only put a bridle on and then at the end take bridle off and pick out feet before leaving the arena. This was 10 years ago when I was 10 tho..... after that we started bugging people to let you help out with thier horses or go on camps.
 
I changed RS for my daughter because of that very thing... we would arrive to have a fully tacked up horse brought to the mounting block and taken away at the end of a lesson...
She's now somewhere where the horse is generally tied up in the stable with its saddle on with bridle hung up outside the stable. The clients have to bridle the horse, check the saddle and lead the horse to the school and mount up, check girth and stirrups by themselves (under supervision if necessary).Then untack, rug up and turn out if necessary..
My friend still goes to the previous place and her and her daughter are both very nervous around horses unless they are on them...madness!!
 
I think this is fairly common you know, which is a bit mad. This way you end up with people buying horses who can ride, but have no idea how to tack up properly or actually care for their animals.
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Yes, they do mostly seem to be like that nowadays.

*said bitterly and with cynicism*

Of course there's the wonderful Pony Club Centre membership now where, locally to us, you can spend your £50 on joining, and then pay a rally fee for being taught, once a month, to groom and tack up by totally unqualified people.

I am aware that not all "Centres" are like that but the one I know seems to run it as a money-making exercise and the kids certainly don't get any riding out of it.
 
I used to work at a RS and we used to do as you explain. Horse with saddle on, but bridle outside. The kids had to get themselves on, alter stirrups and unack their horses after each lesson.
 
From what I understand it's all to do with litigation and people sueing riding stables if they are injured in any way and the cost of public liability insurance going through the roof.

I had the same problem with my daughter, went to local riding school as I thought she would get good BHS instruction, we weren't allwoed into the stable barn where the horses were kept there were actually signs outside telling the public/customers to keep out, the pony was brought out tacked up, she got on in the school the instructor did the girth and stirrups and at the end of the lesson she got off in the school the pony was taken away and we got in the car and drove home, both of us felt really weird like we had had some out of body experience in which a pony appeared then disappeared!!

Oh and as for BHS instruction although it was a registered yard my 5 year old daughter was taught by a very young teenager. When they put the prices up to £28 for half an hour private lesson, and half of that seemed to consist of adjusting stirrups and girth I gave up, just can't afford that sort of money. Oh and the fact that she didn't seem to be learning anything as she got a different kid each week teaching her and they took ages asking her what she had already done? I 'learnt' to tell them at the beginning of the lesson that she could walk and do rising trot and that was it! Wanted them to get on with the lesson as I was paying £1 a minute!!
 
When i was in England, if the horse had just been used in the lesson before then we wouldn't do anything, but the horses were only allowed to do 2hours then have a break, so we either had to tack up and groom or untack, groom, pick out feet, and shower! This was 4 years ago!

Now in France, even the littlest of children have to learn to tack up their ponies, groom, and handle...etc! But then we do have to take exams to be able to compete!! So if you want to compete you have to know the basics of everytthing!!
 
We dont do that at the yard im at due to Health And Safety. But even as a worker some health and safety rules are rediculous.

I can see your point though.
 
I'm sure we learnt how to do these things as part of our lessons as children because we were working towards the first couple of progressive riding tests. We were the usually the last lesson of the day as well so always had to untack and turn the ponies out. We were also encouraged to take part in the pony care days. Now the horses are usually groomed and taked up when I get there (although I often get there slightly earlier and lend a hand) but we're all expected to untack, rug up and turn out if necessary.
 
Most of the riding schools I have been to have been like this. A lot of the time I don't think it is necessarily to do with Health and Safety but more because riding schools are extremely busy, especially at weekends and simply don't have the time to teach kids to brush, tack up etc or to supervise them. It's just much easier and quicker to get their staff to do it.
 
fair enough

I have the same problem, its so frustrating, its something i was never taught definately, you see the horses in the stables, they're brought to you, to mount either just outside the school from the highest point available- no mounting block, or get a leg up in the school and you are asked if your stirrups feel okay, well when i first started riding i didnt even know what that ment! Yes i knew what a stirrup was but how long it was supposed to be or any of that-pass. Then you are lead into the school (generally even if you're a capable rider so guessing thats health and safety too) and then after your lesson you dismount someone takes your pony runs the stirrups up and puts them to bed, if you want to 'help' you can watch.
The only time i go to do any sort of tacking or grooming was when i was working there and then i had to work it out myself, still have trouble putting the bit in.
I find unless you go to a 'friend' that has their own or somewhere small/family run/private, which these days is either too expensive or not economical for the business, there isnt much interaction with the instructor or the other kids, or the horses/ponies; of course theres business reasons, health and safety reasons, lazy people reasons... but for me i find it very frustrating, especially for those in city/urban areas where interaction with horses or oppurtunity to learn that sort of thing is limited anyway (especially when you cant drive ).
I'm not saying it musnt be like that, because there are reasons its been made like that, but it shouldn't be like that It doesnt educate people properly on horses, it doesnt prepare children or learning adults, and its silly that people feel the need to proptect their business' like that because people arent prepared to take the responsibility that if you'reworking with an animal there is a risk you will get kicked or whatever, and will just sue to get the money.
Thats a cycle in its own- if people dont take the time to educate people on how to look after/be around/safety with horses how are they going to know and then they could potentially be dangerous (yes i know some people are evil and would sue anyway and no im not saying every accident is the riders fault etc...) And tbh especially with the amount it costs to go riding, and all you get is walk around in a circle then trot around half the school, with up to 20 people in a lesson, if you want to learn about the horse, or how the riding school works, what they feed, grooming etc you have to pay extra for stable management lessons. *sigh* moan over
 
Sadly, I think this is getting to be more of the norm...
I think H&S has got a lot to do with it - I'm 20 and spent most of my teenage years working at a RS and by the time I left we weren't even allowed to give kids leg ups to get them on quicker as you're not allowed to touch a childs lower body...
Also, when I was younger there were loads of us that used to go up to the yard every Saturday to help out, and I learnt so so much through this. Now extra litigation is meaning that this isn't happening, so when clients do want to learn to tack up there isn't an army of teenage girls happy to show them how!!

I also know a local RS that charges kids to go up and help out (it's called Saturday Club and is something outragous like £30 a day), so they 'learn' to do stable chores. It's to help cover the rising insurance costs and makes it legal. I know as a kid my mum wouldn't have been able to afford that for me...
 
Time and H&S legislation are the two big reasons. Remember when I worked weekends we just didn't have the time to stop and help people tack up before every lesson. Plus these days, there arn't the armies of 15yr old girls on every yard to help do it either

Plus it's the H&S issue that if someone has tacked up their own ride, got on and then half way through the lesson they fall off because of a tack issue as such - the yard gets the blame for allowing someone "not qualified" to tack up etc.
 
Thats what riding schools are like now. I remember when I was younger they used to do loan a pony days and you just went up and did everything. I used to love doing all those little things when i was younger
 
You can still do loan a pony days, 5 day camp etc etc but they cost an absolute fortune at the decent riding schools
 
I work at a RS and I try to get the children to help me tacking up/untacking as much as possible. Usually before the lesson someone is running late (mum of the rider, or my boss lol) so the ponies are ready tacked. I get the child to lead the pony to the mounting block and I hold the pony whilst they mount, then I adjust stirrups, park them in the corner of the school to wait for the instructor and I generally leave them to it. I always encourage them to help me untack afterwards after leading the pony back from the school, then take the tack back to the tack room, and some children even help us turn the ponies out at the end of the day.
From another perspective, I started helping at the yard when I was about 14/15. I remember the first time I was given the stallion's tack and told to tack him up for my boss... then six months later I was asked if I was ok handling the stallion? I don't think I had a choice before! IMO supervision is necessary but doing it all for the child is not.
That applies to beginner adults too!
 
They used to let me Teapot!
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I wonder why?!

I see both sides to the arguement. I think time and safety are the biggest reasons. I bet most places would let you mid week, mid day when it's not so busy...

Most RS around me do stable management lessons within a block of normal lessons (about once a month), do own a pony days and PC.... You should get taught somewhere during this...

As regards to the person who said you're not allowed to give leg ups as your not allowed to touch the lower body. I think that RS has either misunderstood the policy or has chosen to take it too far.... The BHS child protection policy is you're allowed to touch someone below the knee, therefore you should be able to give them a leg up (once you've fully explained where you're going to touch them, how and why!!! *sigh*!)
 
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They used to let me Teapot!
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I wonder why?!

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LOL
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I was expected to get my ride in from the field, let alone tack it up
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To be honest I never considered NOT doing it, I just did.... Maybe they didn't want me to...
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Hay ho!
 

First riding school you went out with a helper & caught your pony, groomed & tacked up with assistance (usually pony mad teenage girl) untacked, groomed, hooves picked out, haynetted/rugged up & turned out.

This was about 15 years ago & was not a licensed school though.....
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BHS registered school you checked tack, mounted pony & untacked, fed/rugged up & turned out.

Our yard is in between. Ponies are bought down to yard etc but pupil is expected to check tack & groom afterwards.
 
Well, I think this is all terribly sad. When I started as a pupil 30+ years ago at my local RS (and then rapidly became one of the small army of pony-mad teenagers that the owner relied on 100% to keep her business going!), we had to do exactly as Chestnut_Mare85 says - any combination of catch, groom, tack, ride, untack, brush or wash down, and turn out - depending on the pony's timetable. We were also taught how to clean tack, feed, fill haynets etc. The RS ran 'own a pony for the day' sessions during the summer holidays that were always over-subscribed - pupils earned credits towards these days when they paid for their regular lessons.

How on earth is the next generation of horse-owners going to have a clue what to do unless they come from horsey families?
 
On the new rider forum they have a 'mentor' thread where kids who want to learn the basics post and more experienced owners have them down to their yard for a day so they can get some experience. 10 years ago there would have been no call for this at all, but now the riding schools arent able to have youngsters helping there are masses of kids really keen to learn. Obviously with the mentor system you've got potential safety problems etc, so its far from ideal, but it just shows the lengths pony mad kids will go to to get their pony fix.
Sorry just thinking out loud

xxx
 
When I was younger, I was only shown how to put a bridle on, and I was 12/13 when that happened.

When I was in my early 20's, a friend had polo ponies and I used to help him get them fit for the season. So, I could tack up & groom, but he had a chap come in & muck out etc.

It wasn't until I started loaning Dec 2006, that I learnt anything about mucking out, plaiting, rugging, feeding etc, etc. Now I own my own horse I still don't know everything, but I feel I know enough!

Throughout the whole time I have ever ridden, no-one ever showed me or told me how to actually look after a horse.

This is the biggest problem with owning your first horse. Whilst I am not an idiot and I have plenty of support, I still get things wrong, but I am fortunate that no-one judges me or b!tched about me.

If there is nowhere to learn thins kind of thing before sharing/loaning/buying, how are you supposed to be 'knowlegable' enough to get your first horse? Bit of a catch 22 if you ask me...

ETS... I do however feel that it is sad that someone who wants to learn how to ride, is scared of a horse unless they are on it. I don't feel that this reflects too well on the RS!!
 
Depends upon the riding school I think. I agree with some of the others that alot of riding schools are just too busy, especially at a weekend. Whenever I go up on a saturday to my horse who is on working livery the yard is swamped with children and their parents. It actually makes me feel dizzy at times it can be that busy and staff running around. I'll often hide in my horse's stable until it calms down.
 
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To be honest I never considered NOT doing it, I just did.... Maybe they didn't want me to...
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Hay ho!

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I'd be a little worried if you couldn't tack up though
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When I was working, for the majority of the time I was dealing with kids rather than the adult groups which were a godsend in comparison.
 
When I was at RS, many years ago - I would have to go to the tack room, check which horse I was riding, groom(if necessary) and tack up and then take the pony down to the indoor school to meet my instructor who was usually just finishing off a lesson.
 
Come to think of it, when I went to a RS/Trekking centre in Slovenia last year, I was given the horse's tack and pointed in the direction of the stable! They didn't even ask me if I could tack up!! Haha!
 
due to all the health and safety regs now our RS is technically like that, allthough every holiday they offer "pony days" where kids come up and learn to tack up etc. They come up for the whole day ride twice,tack up, muck out everything. Most the kids do these so most people can tack up.
 
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