Unresponsive School Horses?

[Bmikesova44]

Hello everyone!

I used to ride somewhat regularly when I was a child, but never got to properly learn as my family could never afford it. A couple of months ago I finally got financially independent (I am 22) and decided to invest into horse riding again. I chose to take up mostly group classes in the (supposedly, based on reviews) best riding school in the city where I live. Well, so far I have been really enjoying riding again - however, my experience with the horses and training styles has not been that great.

After a month or lessons, I was confidently trotting and cantering on my own again, fairly balanced etc. However, that is only if I can get my school horses (I usually get one of 4 various horses) to even get into trot/canter. I got quite frustrated, so I did a lot of research into how to work with horses who have been dulled down and desensitised - not constricting their movement with my seat/knees, using consistent cues and so on. But it hasn’t helped much, since I only get to ride once a week and it’s various horses.

The last class that I had so far was truly frustrating - my cob felt like he was almost falling asleep and the instructor kept telling me to simply give him bigger kicks, that the horse would only work as hard as I would and that I should give him a kick every 4 steps in walk and every 2 in trot. So I tried to do that, but it was completely unhelpful. He only seemed to become a bit more forward when the instructor gave him a verbal cue of some sort. I left that lesson feeling very defeated.

Last weekend I went on a day ride with a friend and it was lovely. I had a very forward Highland pony who needed the smallest cues (which I had to get used to first) and to be honest, this was the first time I felt as though I could use my seat and legs to give effective cues.

I would appreciate any tips/advice on how to deal with the school horses. Many thanks!

 

[j1ffy]

I'd try some other riding schools. A lot of RS horses become switched off to the aids if they're not regularly schooled by more experienced riders, and there's little you can do in a short lesson to change that. There are good schools out there - I had a couple of 'refresher' jumping lessons at a small local school recently that only allows their horses to do one lesson per day so they stay fresh and interested.

Can you go somewhere else for a trial lesson to see if their horses are more responsive?

 

[Goldenstar]

RS horses do get switched off .
You don’t want horses too sharp to the aids for the RS job because you don’t want them reacting quickly to riders doing stuff wrong.

 

[Skib]

It may be hard in a class but my solution is to ride transitions. I was (am) an older novice rider so any RS gives me the oldest slowest RS horse.
My technique is to remember Mark Rashid's explanation that a horse will assume it is doing what you ask, unless you reject it. Halt the horse. Ask for walk and if you dont get the brisk walk you are looking for, reject it. Halt again and repeat till the first step of walk is what you want. There is a Davison dressage instruction DVD where at the last resort a horse is given a hefty kick on both sides to get that active transition to walk from halt.
Once you have the halt walk transitions, the horse will be listening to you and walk to trot is usually easy. But you do need to speed up the walk before trot, to warn the horse, and if necessary say Trot as you give the aids. Alternate 6 walk and 6 trot (some people prefer 5). Remember too to relax your hands and thighs. I am currently hacking an ex RS horse (I guess) who requires a leg aid at every step.There are ways of escaping this by waving my whip in the air, but not to be used in a group lesson.
If you are looking for expert instruction, a group lesson at an RS is not the best place to start. But bear in mind too that one doesnt get the best from a riding school until one has ridden there for a month or more.
The loveliest horse I ever rode in an RS was a TB mare. She taught me to love canter in a small indoor school. But then over one weekend she threw a student and disappeared. RS horses have to be safe rides.

 

[oldie48]

tbh I think you just have to try several until you find one to suit you. I can ride pretty well but being without a horse currently I went to three different places and really didn't have a great experience at any of them.

 

[teapot]

tbh I think you just have to try several until you find one to suit you. I can ride pretty well but being without a horse currently I went to three different places and really didn't have a great experience at any of them.

This is why I do over a 100 mile round trip to ride (and still had the odd issue!)


Op, what level of rider are you? If you're used to schooled horses, rs cobs take a bit of getting used to, and can outwit even the most experienced riders.

 

[PurBee]

I’d suggest trying a large RS, as they should have lots more choice of horses for various rider abilities.
Do you know if there are other intermediate-type horses to ride, or asking them if you can have a more forward-going horse?
I went to a large RS with 60+ horses working, and once i got to know them more, the RS would ask if i wanted any specific horse.

A small RS probably wont have so much variation in horses and complete novices understandably, generally require very ‘dope on a rope’ horses to gain confidence on.