What makes a good riding instructor?

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katiper

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Hi,

I want to know what the standards are when it comes to riding instructors. I have just got back in the saddle after anout 10 years. I have had two private lessons and today I had a group one.
Should they be talking through your
aids/ positioning as you work? Should there be a constant dialogue or just the odd comment? In the group lesson I didn't get any formative comments at all (which I kind of expected) but is that normal?

I'm moving to Hever in Kent at the end of the month and want to try a few places out to find the right one. I can't afford the most expensive places and was hoping to spend 35-45 for a private lesson. What can I expect for that?

Just want to be more aware about what is the norm etc.

Thanks in advance

Kate
 
If you can run to private lessons then thats the route I would take.
Whilst group lessons can be great, ALL the focus is on you and your riding. If something is not right, it will be picked up on instantly and corrected.
Each instructor may have a different teaching approach, so I think you just need to find one that suits you.
 
I have an hour private lesson once every week to two weeks at a local school of Equitation with an BHSII instructor (to be honest though, BHSII means nothing to me!). In my first lesson, it was pretty much an assessment to see if I liked her, the facilities and if she could teach me and thing or two and all was good so I had more lessons with her. I pay £39.

At the moment, I'm creating a solid foundation in my position, in my transitions and in my own personal positive thinking. Today, I did a bit of leg yield too so we're gradually building up to doing some actual 'movements'!

Hayley (instructor) will ask me about something (which means it's not quite right), for example 'what do you think of the length of your reins?', I will respond and say whether I think it's good or not good and if not, I'll do something about it. Then we'll apply the correction and move on. Usually, I think there's 3 to 4 'corrections' in each lesson thus meaning I feel I get a lot out of my lessons and out of her. I can then take these things and apply them to riding other horses (whether at the school or elsewhere).

I would eventually like to join the group lesson but at the moment, I'm happy with private. At the mo, I have to admit, I would not know what to do when the instructor was helping someone else in the school in a group lesson. Obviously, I could spend the time practising what she's just corrected but until I get to the point where I would feel happy doing this but also be able to learn from the others in my lesson at the same time, I won't join the group. Also, I like to ask (well, yell, as cantering round!!) 'how's this?' and if, in a group lesson, the instructor isn't looking, I won't know.

Each instructor has their own style. I think I'm actually lucky in that Hayley doesn't plan what I'm going to do, we'll see what crops up and then work on that.
 
I just felt a little out of my depth today. I was cantering but I felt my aids were awful, especially when asking to canter, trot four paces then canter again. I just felt that although I did it, I did it badly and didn't quite know why. Maybe I'm paranoid, I don't know... I just wanted to know what everyone thought the norm was :o)
 
katiper said:
I just felt a little out of my depth today. I was cantering but I felt my aids were awful, especially when asking to canter, trot four paces then canter again. I just felt that although I did it, I did it badly and didn't quite know why. Maybe I'm paranoid, I don't know... I just wanted to know what everyone thought the norm was :o)
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Did you discuss it with your instructor? I've gotten to the point now where Hayley is introducing some lateral work but she would also like to work on my canter. The first time, I only touched on canter in the last ten mins but since then, the more transitions I do early on in the lesson meaning the more off the leg the horse gets, the more we can work on canter.

If you're anything like me, you're probably just impatient and itching to get back on and practice. I promise this feeling does subside the more you do.

Do you ride the same horse? I rode the same horse three times in a row which helped. I rode a different horse today and it was a bit of a step backwards but I know now how the buttons work so next time I ride him I'll have more of an idea. I don't think I' like to always swap horses, I'd probably get no-where so perhaps you could try that?
 
Yes, I'm definitely like that. I just wish I could ride more than once a week.

No my instructor didn't really discuss anything with me. I said I thought I was all over the place and he sad I was fine and kept up with everyone fine. I know I did but I know that I felt that my legs were all over the place... And I was blessed with a forward horse.

That's what I thought was odd, for 10 more you get so much more attention. I'll stick to that and go back to basics.

I've ridden three different ones so far, the first two were so difficult and just didn't respond to my leg easily.... I came off in agony. I think it depends what I want to work on maybe. If I want to work on keeping my legs controlled in canter and I should just rise the more forward horse. And if I want to work on my aids then the ones that take more leg??

I don't know, I think I would benefit from more dialogue with my instructor, so perhaps I will shop around. I got one on groupon the other day, for a place that i did look at but decided was too expensive.

I just wish I could practice on safe ride as well as have my lessons.

How long have you been back riding Kat?
 
katiper said:
Yes, I'm definitely like that. I just wish I could ride more than once a week.

No my instructor didn't really discuss anything with me. I said I thought I was all over the place and he sad I was fine and kept up with everyone fine. I know I did but I know that I felt that my legs were all over the place... And I was blessed with a forward horse.

That's what I thought was odd, for 10 more you get so much more attention. I'll stick to that and go back to basics.

I've ridden three different ones so far, the first two were so difficult and just didn't respond to my leg easily.... I came off in agony. I think it depends what I want to work on maybe. If I want to work on keeping my legs controlled in canter and I should just rise the more forward horse. And if I want to work on my aids then the ones that take more leg??

I don't know, I think I would benefit from more dialogue with my instructor, so perhaps I will shop around. I got one on groupon the other day, for a place that i did look at but decided was too expensive.

I just wish I could practice on safe ride as well as have my lessons.

How long have you been back riding Kat?
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I've always ridden but never really had 'proper' lessons. I hadn't ridden for about a year until a month ago and I've had 4 lessons (search previous posts of mine on here and you'll see lesson reports from 1, 2 and 3).

I got there and said 'I literally want you to pretend I've never ridden' and we've gone from there. My lower leg is all over the place, not through moving it to get the horse going or to keep him under me but because I didn't put the weight down through my legs, I kept it suspended in my heels. Once I moved my lower leg forward, got the weight in my little toe, bingo, my thighs opened up, my seat bones became softer and more open and the majority of the time, my lower leg is 100% better than it was! I think riding bay or dark horses help ;) On Ace, they grey I rode for the first three times, my black chaps stood out like a sore thumb. Today, on the bay I rode, the whole picture was a lot 'nicer'! ;)

If you are not getting what you want then try something else. You are paying and you need to find someone and a place that will suit you. I agree that practising is so good and I'm lucky that a fellow HHOer offered me her horse to ride when I like and he is brilliant and a wonderful, push button, ex SJer. I hope you can find something similar.
 
Finding an instructor that works for you is important - for example the instructor I am using to improve my seat tends to yell at me continually (not in a nasty way though). This is important as I'm a bit lazy and hate working without stirrups. But it wouldn't suit everyone - I suspect it would really demoralise some and she is different with other riders. I just need getting behind a bit at the moment.

It sounds like you might need someone who keeps up a continual dialogue as well. I tend to go for half hour private lessons as I find that long enough for what I am trying to achieve. But you need someone you get on well with if you want them to point out what you are doing wrong. ;)
 
Kat_Bath said:
If you are not getting what you want then try something else. You are paying and you need to find someone and a place that will suit you. I agree that practising is so good and I'm lucky that a fellow HHOer offered me her horse to ride when I like and he is brilliant and a wonderful, push button, ex SJer. I hope you can find something similar.
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^ This

I find instructors techniques vary widely. I've had one that wouldn't criticise me at all - everything I was doing was apparently great, even though I knew it wasn't ; I had one that wouldn't stop criticising me, who made me feel like the worst rider in the world; and I then I found the perfect one who gives out praise and constructive critism where needed but she has now just had a baby and has given up teaching for a while. Typical. :(
 
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