What's the point?

[laura jeanne]

AT our lessons, we ride around the arena each way in W/T/C and near the end either jump a little or ride a few circles or some other activity for about the last 15-20 minutes or so.

So the first about 40 minutes are spent riding around (which I usually vary a little by circles or serpentines). I think the point is to strengthen our legs and to be honest, I still have trouble with my legs getting tired and tending to grip with my knees, not keeping my head up, etc.

There just doesn't seem to be much instruction going on during this time altho she will tell me don't grip with your knees or relax your shoulders or things like that.

Is there really any point in this? She is a good rider but I don't think she is that good at teaching.

I would love to go someplace that had better instruction but this is better than the last place we rode and 2 other places I tried had their own problems.

OH refuses to discuss because this stable is so close to us. He thinks I will never be satisfied but I keep reading about things that others do in their lessons and in comparison, I don't think ours are that great.

Or am I far off and what is going on seems fine?? We have been riding 1 1/2 years.

Thanks for any feedback.

[kedwards]

How many people are in your group? Although there are some great things about group lessons, one-on-one teaching isn't generally one of them, especially if the group is larger than 2 or 3 people.

Perhaps you could ask about taking a few private lessons.

I might add, however, that plateuas in progress are pretty common, especially if you are at a point where you know the basics of what you need to be doing, but still need to develop the strength and balance that come from extra riding time.

[KarinUS]

I think sometimes to get better at riding you just got to ride more. Plus you can only work on so many things at one time.
So if she is telling you don't grip and keep your shoulders back, the whole picture might actually be: don't grip, keep your thumbs on top, don't lock your elbows, shoulders back, don't drop your head, heels down, etc.
But nobody can get all of that together in one lesson! So they tend to peester us about a couple of things at a time...;)

I am actually wondering about taking a lesson break once I get the babies home. It looks like we will get my arena land cleared before the end of the month and we can ride at home.

I've been having weekly lessons for so long. Maybe it's time to take a break and just ride to ride?!

[Scarlett 001]

It is hard to say. It could be you have reached a plateau. Or that private lessons would be better. Or it could be she really is not teaching you the way you want. I have had experience with the latter, so that is what I will talk about. I've been riding about the same amount of time as you.

You sound like me in that I am details-driven in my riding and the instruction I want - you seem to want the same thing. Here is my story. I may have said bits and pieces in other threads so just skip parts that you have heard before!

My first instructor just made us do walk/trot/canter, just like you said, for 45 minutes. The only comment was "heels down". And she said it over and over and over. I mean she said nothing else related to my riding in 8 months! I never never never learned about things such as: arm position, posture, balance in the saddle, good use of leg aids, contact (getting horse to frame up and accept the bit etc.), lengthening strides, half halting, how to maintain impulsion/rhythm, how to work on smooth downward transitions etc. Nope. None of that. We just rode in circles, never improving on much, other than my confidence to ride in circles! In the end I left.

My new dressage instructor does tend to focus on two or three particular things each week. So that in itself is not a problem. Although the things vary from week to week. But these items are now all piecing/coming together in really amazing ways. Like bits of a puzzle! And we have indeed worked on the list of things I mentioned in the previous paragraph - stuff I had no idea about before her. And while she critiques my riding problems in constructive ways, she also makes many positive compliments. Moreover, lessons are very upbeat and happy!

Well, all this means I now have very high standards for what I consider to be excellent instruction and I wish everyone could find an instructor who is so amazing! I did make a lot of calling to find her, talked on the phone, watched her teach lessons before signing up (to see the amount of details she worked on), talked to other clients and even had "trial" lessons with her and other instructors. I did my homework and it paid off big time. And yes, I am a picky person when it comes to what I want in an instructor - I realize not everyone will be so high maintenance! :D :rolleyes:

[kelsey]

I agree with Scarlett.

You are spending good money, and you deserve to get as much out of it as you can.

I have never found group lessons to be that useful. Somehow I have always ended up being one of the more advanced ones in my group, and therefore have been ignored for the most part while the instructor deals with the people whose horses won't trot or canter. (Not that I'm great, it has just ended up that way!)

The best thing for progress is to have private lessons, take notes after each lesson, and to ride in between in order to practice and solidify what you have learned.

I would try out some different instructors until you find one that you can work with. For example, I left a barn a while ago (for a multitude of reasons) and got a new instructor. I just was not learning anything with her, so I tried someone else. Each lesson with her so far has been stellar. I will stick with her as long as I am progressing.

[nirikina]

Hi Laura

How long is your lesson? Your lessons sound exactly like my old riding centre. It was a half hour group lesson with 6 to 8 people and it seemed by the time we'd warmed up and got used to horse's way of going it was nearly time to finish.

At my new riding school I have an hours group lesson, 3 to 6 of us usually. Its all women adults, and I'm the newest having only been there 5 months. But we get on well and always chat and laugh with each other and pick up other people's faults. It's a lot of fun. We are left to warm up on our own i.e. walk trot and canter on both reins in open order. Then the instructor turns up and asks what we want to do i.e. flatwork or jumping or work without stirrups. We do work in groups or pairs like we'll we'll ride two abreast and trot circles and figure eights trying to keep side by side with our partner. We also play games like traffic lights, or even traffic lights with roundabouts. It's hard work and gets hectic but it pushes us to do our best and it's fun. I'm sure lots of people can explain the game or advise you on other games you can play.

What I'm really getting at is the difference between my new and old riding schools is not just the instructor. It requires communication within the group to decide what you'd like to work on, what you need practice on, and communication with a sympathetic instructor who knows how far to push you and knows how to make learning to ride fun. I'm sure the instructor enjoys these types of groups/lessons more as well.

So have a chat with your instructor and the other people in your group. Hopefully you'll get a good response and you won't have to resort to changing riding centres.

Niri

[Colorado Sunset]

I agree with everyone so far. I really think it is worth searching around for a good instructor. Look for staff with teaching qualifications, not only being able to ride themselves but people who have been taught to teach. You need a instructor who suits you, whether youd like relaxed lessons, but where you are still progressing, or more intense lessons where you come away sweating! But you need to have an instructor who will challenge you, teach you and who you will progress and have fun with!

Good luck, its a difficult task but well worth it, a good instructor is worth their weight in gold :)

Jo

[FreedomStar]

I do agree that it seems like your lessons are a bit slow in the going. But there's one problem with this: you're not letting your instructor know. By not letting her know you are allowing yourself to pay money for this. It's what you get every week. Think of some problems you might have, or something you want to work on. Then talk to her before a lesson and ask if you could have the lesson focused on how to solve that problem. Or just talk to your instructor about how you feel. My friends and I did so, and we and our instructor talked about it and we all agreed on this and that, and the lessons were gearing up a bit from there. Go talk to your instructor, and discuss what you're looking to achieve in lessons. I guarantee you there will be a slight change.

[Scarlett 001]

Just curious... :)

[laura jeanne]

Sorry I did not follow up and answer this before now. So far I have not decided to do anything.

Since one person has dropped out of our lessons, it's just me and my husband in the Saturday lesson and one other person in the Tuesday night lesson. A few months ago I posted a thread about changing the focus of our lessons because they seemed to be geared just towards starting to jump. No one wanted to say anything so I spoke to the instructor and she was happy to go slower on the jumping and do more flat work.

I'm not sure what I will do because OH doesn't want to change anything due to being lazy and not wanting to take the trouble to look into any other places since this one is so close. I have an idea that I might look around for a different place to go on Saturdays even if it's without him but It won't be too soon because of the holidays and horrible remodeling that is just about to start in our house and will take about a month. So I'll be spending weekends clearing out one part of the house at a time for the workers.

Maybe we are at a plateau and I am just feeling like our lessons are kind of predictable. I know I need to work on basics a lot more.

Scarlett 001, I do think I am more like you and want more out of my lessons. I say that, but when I think about it, she does give instruction and we do work on something specific in each lesson and she answers any questions we have. We do work on some of the things you listed.

Anyway, tonight is our lesson and it's cold and rainy out!! We'll see if we ride.

Thanks everyone for your answers-

[KarinUS]

I'm not sure what I will do because OH doesn't want to change anything due to being lazy and not wanting to take the trouble to look into any other places since this one is so close.

I wouldn't be so quick to assume that. Guys sometimes don't liek to admit when they are nervous. For you progress may be to slow with thsi instructor. For him on the other hand it could be just the speed he is comfortable at?

If you gusy progress at different speeds, then having lessons separately might eb just the thing!


Maybe we are at a plateau and I am just feeling like our lessons are kind of predictable. I know I need to work on basics a lot more.

I think that's the most frustrating thing about riding. I know what I should be doing, but being able to do it without having to think about it takes SOOOO long!
Can you go out on a trail ride for some 'applied science'? ;)

[laura jeanne]

Karin,

Well, OH is better at some things than I am. Overall he's better probably because he just does things by feel instead of trying to go by the book. Of course that means he forgets things he's been told like saying he doesn't know what a half halt is.

It does take a long time (finally admitting it) to get things to be right without constantly thinking about them.

We do go on trail rides once in a while. It was much too hot all summer (Oh could not finish a one-hour lesson) but I hope to go a bit more now.

We usually go for a two hour ride and do lots of fast trotting and hopefully not too wild cantering. It's a pretty area thru woods across water and a major street and across some open areas. We really enjoy it and the horses are mostly Arab endurance racing horses. I've mentioned my favorite horse Zeus before and he's not very big either like my lesson horse. They had a 3 hour training ride this past weekend but I was out of town and so missed it. OH was home and not only canceled his lesson bec I wasn't there, but didn't go on the ride. Too bad we couldn't have switched places!!!!!!

[CityGirl]

LJ - Definitely follow up with Sue as I think she has info on most of the barns in your area.

Plateuas can be frustrating but again take comfort in knowing that everyone experiences them & that they'll end.

However, it is important to keep open lines of communication with your trainer. They're not mind-readers & need to know if you're feeling bored or antsy.

Good luck!!

[laura jeanne]

Thanks CityGirl- I'll get in touch with Sue!