Would this concern you?

madhector

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What would you think if you heard a trainer (very well respected) was giving a young girl a lesson on a rising 4yr old mare, who has JUST learned to work correctly and cope with circles, had the girl jumping 3ft fences?

The girl is having lessons as she has awful hands and is slowly ruining her own horse.....

I then have to get on a try and undo all the harm done the next day
 
I'd think it was none of my business unless it was my horse. And if it were my horse, I'd make my decisions and go from there.
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Doesnt sound right to me! What is the trainer's motivation for doing so - does s/he have no other horse that this rider could make mistakes on and not risk upsetting the horse so much? Rising 4 is very young
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It makes you wonder how good the trainer really is. Especially 3ft fences on a rising 4year old with a girl that is still learning to ride correctly. Perhaps speak to the trainer?
 
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What if the horse was being trained by you, but owned by someone else

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Perhaps politely tell the owner that your methods and the instructors methods are not the same, and only serve to confuse the horse - and you cannot continue to train it.
 
In that case I would be aware and respectful of the fact that the trainer has (I assume) some sort of qualification but would just have a quiet, polite 'chat' about the horse and ask their opinion of its ability at this stage and ask if they really feel jumping 3ft is suitable? I would try to make it sound like I am not being critical of their judgement but concerned.
 
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What if the horse was being trained by you, but owned by someone else

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It is up to the owner who she lets ride her horse and/or train him.
I'd keep quiet if I were you, otherwise it may look like 'sour grapes' (not saying it is).
If you are really not happy about the situation, decline to train the horse - withdraw your services, but be diplomatic if asked why.
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What if the horse was being trained by you, but owned by someone else

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It is up to the owner who she lets ride her horse and/or train him.
I'd keep quiet if I were you, otherwise it may look like 'sour grapes' (not saying it is).
If you are really not happy about the situation, decline to train the horse - withdraw your services, but be diplomatic if asked why.
S
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I am always diplomatic
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What if the horse was being trained by you, but owned by someone else

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Dont mean to sound harsh but if its her horse she can do what she likes. If you're not happy then dont ride it.
 
It would definitely concern me. Although I don't think its' such a big deal to ask a babyish horse to jump 3ft (as long as it is capable) I think it's the worst thing in the horse world when babyish riders train babyish horses
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Diplomatic conversation would definitely be due if it was me undoing all the harm.
 
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What if the horse was being trained by you, but owned by someone else

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Dont mean to sound harsh but if its her horse she can do what she likes. If you're not happy then dont ride it.

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I know that! I was just asking for opinions on the trainer, not the owner. I am quite happy to walk away and leave them to it, but cannot get my head round the trainer thinking this was wise.
 
Well, maybe less diplomatic conversation would be due then
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but then situations like this are what really frustrates me (too many times in a similar situation!).
If owner ignores your advice then I would refuse to school the horse.
 
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That is awful, have a quiet word with the trainer, do they go there often?

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Think she has lessons most weeks, mostly on her own horse, and now on this mare. I am not blaming the girl at all, she is young and inexperienced, so is learning too.
 
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Horse isnt really a natural jumper by the way

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But it's coping? Not refusing and having to be given aggro to jump?

3ft isn't huge and I take it the horse is 4 this year? The age classes require 4yos to be jumping 1m and the 4yos at Hickstead was always 1.20.
 
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Why has the owner gone somewhere else for training and not carried on with you?

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she hasnt, they are training the rider, not the horse. Horse is being used to teach the rider, as very different from her own.

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OK so now I am confused. I thought the girl in question with the bad hands owned the green 4yo? So she doesn't?

I can't see why anyone would use a green horse to teach an equally green rider.
 
Sorry, its complicated.

She owns another horse, but is having lessons on both of them. The owner of the young horse said she could use her in lessons. I then got on and couldnt work out what on earth was wrong, till I found out what had happened. Got mare back to how she had been, then it happened again and back to square one. Not prepared to repeat this again, so will let the owner know
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Ah, well in that case I think I would tell the owner of the horse what I thought. I thought the girl riding the horse also owned it - not a lot you could do in that situation!
 
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