When teaching dressage, is the urge to go back to correct the basics normal?

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horsemad32

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Been asked to help various people out while I'm not riding much (some once or twice, some longer-term). Not for £, just as a favour. It's quite fun and it keeps me busy, plus they're riding at a level I know I get good marks easily at, and have trained horses beyond successfully, so I'd hope I would at least help a bit!

So - the question. With every single rider so far, the issue blocking them from progressing is a basic one. It might be how they rise to the trot, their general security/balance in the saddle, how they carry their hands, how still their hands are, tipping forward a little... the list is endless lol! Luckily all so far have been kids, so they haven't minded too much when I stuck them on the lunge, instilled correct seat/hands/legs/seat aids, then allowed them their reins back and ensured they understood how contact works, and how to apply this effectively. It's worked really well, and there's been some really nice progress made in all of them, that hopefully will be tested in competition in the next month or so.

HOWEVER - a couple of adults have seen the kids progress and have now asked for the same. I have the time, but having seen them ride, they need the same thing! How on earth do you tell an adult that their contact is inconsistent because their balance is all over the place when they rise to the trot? And that this is because they're standing up in the stirrups not swinging their hips forward/back for the rise? Would an adult agree to lunge lessons and major basics changing, just so they could get better marks at prelim with a more consistent contact?

Obv I've had no instructor training or I'd know the answer to this, and as I said the lessons are favours, with it being very clear I'm not qualified and am just doing my best to pass on what I know. They've seen the improvement in the kids and want the same, but is it better just to say I haven't time, would they really listen to me anyway?
 
I would expect to be taken back to basics, or corrected if something was wrong, thats what I pay for. In fact I have recently, I did a whole hour in walk working on my position and it made a huge difference.

I didn't have lessons as a child, just got on and off I went, so I had a collection of bad habits.
 
That's easy.....just point out how easy it is for bad habits to creep in so you need to review these first.

So I who am not in the first flush of youth, have evented, dressaged hunted etc etc... have been going to have some lessons with Jon Pitts ( fit to ride) which is all about how you sit, balance and influence your horse. Spent most of the first lesson in walk, spent nearly all the second in sitting trot with no stirrups.. Has massively changed how I ride already!
 
Id be happy to be taken right back to basics, and have lunge lessons, etc. IMO it would do me good and I wouldnt be offended if you were to suggest it to me either. I think its worth saying to them that this is what you want to do if they want to be taught by you, they can agree or not its up to them.
 
Just tell them what you think, nicely of course, but honestly. Be prepared for some people to choose not to pursue you suggestions but don't take it personally.
 
I try to have regular lunge lessons they are so helpful and I don't think anyone would be hugely offended if you suggested that this would help them.
 
I am trying to have lessons more often, so far I have had three this year!

Every lesson it is pretty much constant from the instructor, thumbs on top, right leg back left leg here, look up, elbows in, give the hands in walk, ok so I am pretty much rubbish! But IMHO there is no point her asking me to ask the horse to do xyz if my position is not correct in the first place, otherwise I am using the wrong aids or position to ask the horse a question. Don't mind in the slightest, but I have no ego about my ability, or lack of, she is not rude or nasty to me, just honest :)
 
yes, absolutely, as the basics are totally essential. firm base of pyramid and all that. fwiw i had my superdooper trainer here the other day for the first time in years, and he kept me in walk for 30 mins, waiting for a very specific reaction from the horse, which i had to get 1 way and 1 way only... it was such a relief to have someone so rigorous & specific again! i loved every second, and it made a huge difference.
as said above though, be prepared for some of them not to go for it. i tried something similar with someone once and after 1 lunge lesson that was it, they didn't want any more because it made them ache. hey ho.
the thing is, some people want instruction aimed at the horse, but i'd much rather have instruction aimed at me, because the better i ride, the better the horses go. as long as these people understand that aspect of it, you should hopefully be given free rein... have fun!
 
Nope I'd be more than happy with that :) as long as you dont just say your rubbish and word it in an appropreate way then I cant see how they wouldnt be happy. I started lessons after a while and we have been right back to basics with the pony and it helped us loads, we started off with getting him more forward off the leg then worked on him blocking through his right shoulder. I know thats more him but I have to be correct to get him to do these things and it has increased our marks at prelim loads, theres no point being able to do all the tricks if you cant do the basics right.
 
kerilli said:
fwiw i had my superdooper trainer here the other day for the first time in years, and he kept me in walk for 30 mins, waiting for a very specific reaction from the horse, which i had to get 1 way and 1 way only... it was such a relief to have someone so rigorous & specific again! i loved every second, and it made a huge difference.
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Oh yes! This could be me! I'm very particular who I train with because I want to be worked and I want to be told about my bad habits and I want to improve. The last lesson I had a couple of weeks ago was mostly in walk, some trot, and he said "I don't think we'll risk canter!" :D

I have to say that when I'm teaching I always take people back to basics, and I try to be very nice about it, but some people don't always "get" it. Generally the ones who come for private lessons do, but riding club groups mostly prefer to be entertained by someone who's there to put the jumps up for them ;)

So OP I reckon you'll be okay doing what you're doing if people are asking for you to teach them :)
 
Most will be fine with it, however you will get the odd one who won't! I have a few clients who ride so ridiculously long they cannot remotely swing over the pommel of their saddle (therefore balance is not great). But you suggest they put up their stirrups even 1 hole and you get told "oh no, I can't do that, I have to ride this long to be balanced". errrrm well you're not balanced at the moment, but they wont listen so you just get on with it in the end.

Good luck! lol!
 
This is exactly what I would be looking for in a good trainer. Good for you for having that eye and trying to make other people better riders.
 
IME, anyone that refuses to go back to review the basics will be a nightmare to teach, period, and however you dress it up to tell them you will be told that it won't work and isn't necessary :D

At which point you say you're not for them :D
 
I'm an adult ammy, and although I'd be a bit depressed to be told (even nicely) that my seat sucks, I would STILL want the lunge lessons to learn how to improve it. Heck, even if my seat were impeccable, i would still love lunge lessons.

It depends on the person... Either they are open to learning new things, or they aren't ready yet. You can struggle to force them to learn, or move on to someone more willing to learn. I guess it depends on what you want. Kind of like training horses to some degree... You get the willing to please, and the obstinacy ones.

My trainer recently took on an adult ammy who professed to want to learn dressage. The first three lessons had my instructor so frustrated she wanted to tell the lady she wasn't the right trainer for her. But both of them persisted. And now the adult ammy will at least try (very hard) to do as my trainer asks, even if physically she can't, yet. It was interesting watching the adult ammy while she struggled with "my way works", to "her way works better".
 
Actually this reminds me of the lady whose husband booked her in for a few lessons - ten to be precise, as this is how many she believed it would take for her to achieve her goal (whatever that was).

The first thing she said to me when she arrived was "I think I am a very good rider."

The second thing she said, after she had got on the horse and I had gently suggested that next time she should hold the reins as she did so, was "I didn't come here to be told what to do." :eek:

She didn't listen to a word I said for the next hour, so I saved the husband his money and didn't have her back for the other nine lessons :D
 
Rowreach said:
Actually this reminds me of the lady whose husband booked her in for a few lessons - ten to be precise, as this is how many she believed it would take for her to achieve her goal (whatever that was).

The first thing she said to me when she arrived was "I think I am a very good rider."

:eek::eek: how did you not burst out laughing at that statment?

The second thing she said, after she had got on the horse and I had gently suggested that next time she should hold the reins as she did so, was "I didn't come here to be told what to do." :eek:

She didn't listen to a word I said for the next hour, so I saved the husband his money and didn't have her back for the other nine lessons :D
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She sounds delightful ;)
 
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