Be nice to your instructor

[welshie girl]

I've heard some negative things about riding instructors and the way they treat the clients, well I would like to praise mine.

I started riding 8 months ago and the instructor I had was awfull, after 3 weeks of instruction she let a group off beginners go off on a hack down a road, we thought she was behind us but after my horse spooked and I came off we realised she hadn't bothered coming with us and had infact stayed at the yard, quickly changed schools after that little episode although my confidence was shattered.

My new instructor is FANTASTIC, she helped me over-come my fear and at times we had disagreements, I thought at times she pushed me too hard and then I realised that she actually had confidence in my ability, so here Iam 8 months after starting,I can walk, trot, canter, jump and have had the occasional unplanned gallop and the best bit is I now own my own horse, I'm still nervous and lack confidence but the main thing is I'm getting there with the help of my instructor.

[rache]

Where i used to ride when younger i have always stayed with them up till around 4 years ago as of loaning my own horses etc but i would not go any where else. My instructor i used to hate **not literally** when younger as she used to shout loads etc but as i got older, we had the most fantastic lessons, she would teach you what you asked etc, and not she wanted (unless necessary) and not keep repeating every lesson so we always learnt something new which i loved but know i loan etc i have another instructor who really pushes me hard i actually get frightend of him for some strange reason but i know its for the best and i take it into account, i get on with him like pals aswell, i have also learnt alot more with him **a different technique i shall say** so its all good, they know whats best for you even if you thinks its wrong somehow everytime there right lol

[nmwunduke]

I feel really lucky to have my instructor. She's pretty tough, but excellent. She has this wonderful way of explaining things in a no-nonsense, common-sense way. Plus, I actually appreciate it when she's tough on me. I don't want to pay someone to play nice-nice and let me slack off the entire time. I can do a great job of that myself!

[Tinkerbell]

Well...

While back home some time last month, I had my first riding lesson in years. After the general pants-ness of instruction I had recieved previously, the instructor I had was AMAZING. As someone who does herself down a lot, I need to hear I'm doing well to succeed and even got the odd complement for my efforts, clear instruction, recognition of my previous experience and I left the yard smiling. Aching, but smiling.

My non horsey parents don't understand what it means to have a good instructor [although have convinced Mum to come with me next time!]

[ojoisland]

My instructor is pretty great! She's my 1st ever instructor considering I just started to ride last May. Her praise and motivation is extremely helpful to me and makes me feel adequate.:D

[Kerry's Partner]

Our home-based instructor (Sam) and our Devon-based trainer (Sue Carnell) are both brilliant. Neither Kerry nor I would ever change either of them willingly.

[Waikato Valuta]

Allmost all of my instructors have been bad.

The first one chansed me with a broom to get the horse to canter as i screamed for her to stop and started crying. She realy didnet give a dam. She was very uncareing and i had only been ridding a few times

The second was good we got relay good results. but she moved away. She helped me get a willful stuborn ex trail ride mount to roughly grade 3 pony club. Although he was still very stubborn and a born dramatic refuser of jumps when he felt like it.

The third was a bit too "strong" to put it mildly. He achevied alot with my horse and me but. I stoped lessons the day he gave my horse a blood nose. by pulling it's head around into a wall because it bucked. He also had a rather dramatic training sesion with my old horse who was extremally stuborn. the horse almost fliped over bacwards several times and look terified. I realy didnet like it but my horse has been very respectful and willing since i got over the fear of that.

The forth told me to saw my horses mouth to get his head down. And also told me storys about how she trained her hosrse. One was a rearer who she would pull it's head to her knee after it reared and smack it in the face with a whip. I never worked and she ended up selling the horse.

The fifth was good but recomended me to a trainer who bashed my horse and made him head shy. She dident listen to me and keept thinking the trainer was the bees knees.

And now i have no instructor. I realy want one but I dont want to just grap someone off some list and I adjist with a group of uninvolved horses people with retired hosres. So i dont know how to get an instructor.

I have tryed to highligth niceness about all thats very hard in some cases. And the second was truly great. I owe her alot.

[kedwards]

I've liked all of the instructors I've worked with, I guess I've been lucky.

[Laetitia]

Having started regular lessons, I find my instuctor really tuned in to me and my levels of unfitness. Bless her. When she hears me blowing louder than nag she eases off and we do exercises, suppling etc. Although its all quite laid back and slow we are together really showing some results, and I'm gaining in confidence by leaps and bounds. Really chuffed. L

[DorsetMartin]

I really admire my instructor, Liz.
She is firm & keeps at me until I get it right.
She will go over time to finish on a positive note.
She gives praise when necessary, which I lap up.
She offers opinions as to why things go wrong. Not always my fault.
I don't always like what she asks me to do, but trust her judgement & it's always OK.
It's worth travelling 2 hours each way to get to the barn as I feel that I'm learning such a lot & progressing. I've yet to canter but it has been mentioned! Hopefully before my 50th birthday next November when I intend to ride in Central Park!
I'm coming home to England in March & I'm thinking of having a couple of lessons in either Wimbledon or the stable close to Hyde Park. Oh what a dream to ride in Hyde Park or on Wimbledon Common.
Happy riding one & all.

[CityGirl]

I TRUST my trainer implicitly & if she tells me I can do something, I do it. It's a scary thing to put your confidence in someone but now that I've done it, my riding has come along in leaps & bounds (sometimes literally;) :D ) She has gone from being very encouraging 100% of the time to being much harder on me (because I deserve it & I know better than to do some of the things I do!). We always end the lessson on a good note - sometimes it takes us 45 minutes, sometimes it takes us well over an hour.

Best part about her - lack of ego. She wants me to start taking a lesson with someone else 1x a month just to make sure she's not missing anything & to have someone impartial teach me. She's not worried about losing me as a client, she wants what is best for me (and all of her students).

She's worth the hour 1/2 commute each way & if she moved to another barn - I would follow her in a heartbeat.