Teaching Family

[Bertie]

I'm after some advice here from anyone here who has had experience of this kind of thing but preferably from maybe instructors.

Bit of background - my 8-year old niece been riding since she was 5 on and off but progressed very little in her fortnightly lesson since she started at her riding school. She has a great position and rising trot and will happily do this on her own but is very unsteady and nervous in canter and needs someone holding her leg.

She has been given an amazing opportunity to ride as much as she wants a gorgeous typical section A type pony, aged about 18, been there done it and been retired as brood mare for x-number of years in past, now not in foal and owner wants her to be worked or she'll get lami - hence the opportunity arising. Pony although is great is still spirited :rolleyes:, likes to drop it's head between it's knees every now and again, my niece isn't confident or big enough to make it stop it. I think with a bit of routine the pony will get back into and the pair will get on fine I just need to know how to help her get past the first transitional weeks/months, should I take a step back and let an instructor or the pony's owner(s) teach her?? As I feel I'm molly-goddling her a little leading her etc as she's not my child I don't want her getting hurt and have my brother kill me cos she fell off!!

Any advice on what's best to do here would be great :)

[eml]

Two bits of advice. I taught my daughter until she was about 10 when I passed her on to my trainer ( first child he had ever taught :D) It is a bit like teaching your kids to drive, don't!

Secondly I would never knowing put any 8 year old on a pony with any inclination to put its head between its knees, confidence is a fragile thing, testing it can wait until they are older

Sorry to be so negative, just my experiences

[Bertie]

I definitely agree with the no teaching family rule, it never works and my knowledge and experience is minimal to be honest I am a competent rider but no where near good enough to even teach the basics to a child.

I think I will re-assess the situation with pony and see if it really is the best option. Thanks for your thoughts, that is exactly what I wanted honest experienced opinions :)

[xloopylozzax]

i am taught soley (sp?) by my mum- we cant afford proper lessons.
i do a lot of riding and schooling on my own - then just get my mum to tell me where i am going wrong or what i look like if we are preparing for a show.

my mum isnt qualified (i dont think) but is good at teaching, she understands why i can or cant do something, and what methods work best for me. we are starting to do lateral movements in dressage, flying changes and walk to canter, halt to trot tranitions- even a halt to canter but that wasnt really on purpose i was asking for trot :rolleyes: and extension and collection in all 3 gaits.

we will never be top-class because we dont have an indoor/outdoor school to practie in just corners of fields near us. maybe in the future i will have lessons, but i cant see it happening for a long time.

btw- all ponys home-produced, home-bred, we teach them to do these things they aren't ready bought!

[oscarbaby]

8 is young and confidence is easily lost. I sold our first super safe pony (honest!) to a knowledgable family with an 8 year old and have just taken her back because the child can't cope with her. She needed a bit of work to get her confidence with the rider and he was too young to pull that off. When I advertised her I had countless calls from people who needed a bombproof pony for an 8 year old who had lost nerve on bolting pony etc. Things must often go wrong. However, it sounds like a great opportunity - I'd have a go but always with an instructor. Good luck.

[Bertie]

Thanks Oscarbaby, I am going to re-assess the situation as a whole as the mare is brilliant on the ground she's an ideal 1st pony completely 100% maybe we should stick to led and lunging work to start with. But I'm going to speak to the owner and come up with an action plan and best possible solution :)

[Skippys Mum]

My little sec A does a funny snaky thing with her neck. She doesnt buck but it can unseat little ones so I put the leg straps from a rug between the dees of the saddle and the bit. They are fairly loose (I would have used side reins but didnt have any short enough!) but its just enough to stop her putting her head down (mainly for grass) and solves my problems. As the little ones have got more confident and capable, they have stopped needing them.