4horses in 7lessons?

[xRach21x]

hi
just after abit of advice- iv had 7 riding lessons up to now and rode 4 different horses. is this normal? i know its god to ride different horses so you can ride all kinds but im just wondering if this is a bit excessive. it seems as after one lesson i am used to the horse and ready to start learning, and then get put on another and have to stert from scratch again!
thanks for looking
rachxxx

[Mistertron]

Hi - that is my experience also. I never know which horse i am riding for my lesson because i think it depends on how often the horses has been used that day and who is having lessons at the same time.

[xRach21x]

how do you find it, do you think it helps or would you like a regular ride to begin with? i feel as if im starting all over again every week!

[vimto92]

Thats definately normal, and although you feel like your "starting from scratch" every week, you won't feel that feeling soon, well... you will but it will get easier and easier.

Riding different horses is what makes is improve, they are all different, and if we rode the same horse every week we may look really good on that horse but get on another and look like its your first lesson again.

When you are put on a new horse, it is nerve racking and it will feel odd seeing as they are more than likely to have other quirks and a stride unlike what you are used to. Every lesson for me, the first 5-10mins, regardless of how many times I have ridden this horse!, is best to analyse what kind of mood that horse is in that day.

Honestly, in the long run, its better for you.:)

[NoviceNic]

Actually I hated it when I was learning to ride. I could never learnt to relax. I was always on edge wondering what this horse was capable of.:o

So I spoke to the RI and explained that I need confidence from riding the same horse for longer periods and then building up in the ranks of horse talent so to speak. :)

[vimto92]

Actually I hated it when I was learning to ride. I could never learnt to relax. I was always on edge wondering what this horse was capable of.:o



Same here too NoviceNic, there were horses I asked not to be put on just yet.;)

For me I think it was best to be pushed out of my comfort zone slightly each lesson.

[Jeanette1]

At the riding school I work at we do change clients onto different horses sometimes but if the client wishes to stay with the same horse we try are best to accomodate this.

If you feel you want a bit of consistancy with the horses you are riding maybe you should ask the riding school if you can keep to the same horse for a few weeks each time.

[Mistertron]

how do you find it, do you think it helps or would you like a regular ride to begin with? i feel as if im starting all over again every week!

I can see how you feel. On one hand i like being on one particular horse as i make the most progress on her as she is easier to ride so i walk away feeling good about the lesson. On the other hand i agree with the other posts - its good to learn on different horses and get that experience but i do feel sometimes the lesson is just spent getting to know the horse and not really progressing. I guess in the long term i want to be able to ride a range a horses if i want to do a share or something so its all good. :D

[Grace O'Malley]

It's pretty normal really. After a while you'll have ridden them all several times, and will get to know which ones you click with...or don't. At that point I think it's reasonable to make your preferences known, but it's also important to be agreeable about riding horses that aren't your fav. You learn from all of them.

[poohsmate]

i think it's brilliant to ride different horses, years ago i had lessons at a well known local school and rode ten different horses in ten weeks... and really loved as we had to give an assessment on the horse after we had ridden it in a lesson.. it really helped me improve my riding, as before that i had basically ridden the same horse for years:D:D

[Joyscarer]

I decided to have lessons at my local riding school in order to improve my skills with Joy. When I first went I was really nervous at trying a new horse having only ridden Joy and occasionally my friends horses.

Riding a new horses made me realise that I have a lot to learn as a rider and how complacent I had become with Joy. Riding lots of different horses is daunting but your riding will improve if you can get used to coping with many different types. :)

[RustyMary]

i think it's brilliant to ride different horses, years ago i had lessons at a well known local school and rode ten different horses in ten weeks... and really loved as we had to give an assessment on the horse after we had ridden it in a lesson.. it really helped me improve my riding, as before that i had basically ridden the same horse for years:D:D

But the point there is that you could already ride. As a relative beginner I prefer to ride one horse for a while at least - there will be time later to ride lots of different horses, when I'm more skilled and confident. I would hate to be at a RS where I was on a different horse every week (IMO)

[elaine@dow-evan]

I'm with RustyMary on this one. Alhough I have only had 5 lessons (6 & & are this week) I have only ridden the same horse. She is probably quite lazy, but she is giving me confidence at an early stage as I know what she is likely to do (ie not a lot) and I can concentrate on what I am trying to do rather than worrying about what she might do.

But, at the end of this month I have to change schools (I hope to have had 13 lessons by them) and obviously I will be riding a different horse then. I'm already getting nervous about it.

[xRach21x]

thanks for the replys i just wondered if it was only me.i did mention about it to my RI yesterday and she agreed you spend one lesson getting to know the horse so is going to try and get me on the same one next week.im happ with two or three lessons on the same horse then swap coz it gives you a chance to see how the horse is progress abit and then move on. i know it will help in the long run but its so fustrating to feel like you arnt getting anywhere. i agree that a few regular horses would be better to start and then ride many when you have learned and are confident with the basic theory of riding.
thanks again every1 you are all so helpful.
rachxxx :)

[rhsw]

Hi, not been on this forum for a while, I agree with trying different horses, as you can get used to one horse, then find you kind of are learning all over again with a new horse, I have been riding 5 months now, when I finally got the canter and kept it going, I was put on another horse, which I had been on before and never done the canter on, I found it hard to get the canter going and felt as if I was going backwards, but my teacher said you are getting it just keep trying, so I did, and I did it:D, I think it is good to try different horses at times, as they do improve your riding aids alot too.

[Kittycat]

When I started riding I made a brief note about my lesson in my diary (so I could see how long it took to learn something - sad, I know!) and I rode 3 horses in my first 4 lessons. Each one was a little more suited to what I was doing that week, plus I think it gave my RI chance to see what I could do and where my weaknesses were.

[eml]

I think for a total beginner it is preferable to have the same horse if only to help establish trot and basic steering. Then ideally a few different ones to consolidate. I will often change horse when someone is ready to canter as I may have used a horse with quite a springly trot to establish rising and would swap to one with flatter paces to improve sitting trot and introduce canter.

For more experienced riders I think the more horses you can ride the better, although a lot of my clients will have preferences I usually try to persuade them to try others from time to time.

[.Natasha.]

I think it's perfectly normal, I myself was put on different horses every week before I settled on one for my ability... my instructor usually looks for which people 'go' with which horses. She doesn't believe that there are 'difficult' horses, or 'beginner' horses... to her the difficult ones are missunderstood, and it's all a point of view.

Some people find different horses easier and harder than the other ones. Think of it this way - we all have different favourite horses at our RSs, don't we? So if there were set 'beginner' to 'difficult' horses, and 'good' to 'bad' ones, we'd all have the same favourite, right? So it's only natural for people to prefer different horses, for their own personalities, physical abilities, physical stance, and so on, just like we have different likes and dislikes. It may be the same situation with you, it may not, they may just need the horses for different lessons, whichever. It's nothing to worry about it, and it'll get easier as you go along.

As from if you feel you're starting from scratch every time, I'm sure that's not true. It may feel like it, but you're always learning the different princibles of horse riding. Every time you're in the saddle, your muscles and seat bones are adjusting and developing, however slowly. You're coming to terms with different positions and movements, so you'll never 'start from scratch'. Once you're on the horse it's all up from there, it's only ever the confidence that gets knocked, never the ability.

Hope I helped, good luck and enjoy your riding!

[jerrimouse]

...

[Method_Acting]

I do think it's good to swap horses sometimes, but not every lesson. I only really ride two different ponies at the riding school I usually go to and I prefer it like that...Not because any of them are scary, but they're all different to ride and 30 minutes/an hour isn't enough to get used to it.

[stormy's mum]

i think it is good to constantly switch because it gives you a different ride and makes you a better rider i rode a different horse each week when i was learning and it got me to really focus to get the horse to listen. all riding school horses should be safe your ri would not put you on one that would be naughty if you are a beginner

[kiwigirl]

My first RS has the belief you stick with one horse when you first learn. My first horse was 16 hands and I felt a bit scared of him and didn't really bond with him. On my 4-5th lesson he bit me whilst I was doing up his saddle:eek: The next week by luck he wasn't being used as had a cough so I go Suzie 14.2 hands and bonded immediately. I found her size alot easier for me to get my legs around and generally felt more comfortable. I have stuck with her ever since untile recently. I think this really boosted my confidence initially being on one horse.
HOWEVER the last couple of months I have been alternating horses to feel the differences and I think this has been an awesome, valuable experience as I think this is when you truely become experienced as each has a different traits, feel to their gaits etc.
You know the 16 hand boy I didn't like when I first started - I can now trot and canter him without him trying to speed off in the other direction or throw his head around:):) (he still bites though:eek:)
I still have my favourites though;)