Instructor or teacher? Musing

[Mossy]

Why do we employ somebody to teach us to ride - or ride better? Once the basics are mastered and we can stay on board in a reasonably reliable manner - most of the time :D!!!
Does an instructor instruct us what to do and when to do, ie go large then trot a 20m circle at A, or do we want a teacher to tell us why to do, what we are aiming for? How to feel when it is right so we can work on our own.

Give a man a fish and you give him a meal. Give him a line and you give him life. How many teachers of riding give a fish and how many a line?

[Mehitabel]

i try to give people lines, if it's appropriate. i mostly teach people on their own or loaned horses, so it generally is.

when i have lessons, at the minute i have my line. i need fish in the form of telling me when i am slipping into bad habits again, when i am tipping forward, when things are going pear shaped what is it i am doing and not noticing i am doing. when i have sorted out my bad habits and we are onto learning new things, rather than confirming things i know already, i will need a line again.

[cvb]

IMHO we have

- instructors - are about passing on the technical "how to"s. This is not your "20m circle at A" person, as they should be telling you HOW to achieve the 20m circle at A !

- coaches - these people are more about the "process" than the technical "put your left leg here" type. They work with you to achieve a goal. So they will talk to about not only what you want to achievem but how you want to achieve it, and talk to you about your own view, how you felt about how you did and so on.

Most riding instructors actually do a mix of both.

The simple "feedback" (fish) that you refer to does not actually need to be an instructor. A mirror works, anyone who can observe and communicate works, etc etc

[Mehitabel]

another thought - often it needs to be fish first, then line.

sometimes you just have to say 'left leg now, right leg back, inside rein, leg on now, release the rein' etc so that they get the feel of what they are trying to achieve, and know what they are aiming for - often trying to explain the theory behind something like working in an outline, for example, is very hard when the rider has never felt the difference.

[horsemad]

What an interesting topic. I suppose I look for a mixture of both approaches. I definitely want to learn about the principles and theory behind what I'm doing. But then again, there are times when I need my instructor to tell me more specific things - like if I need to move my lower leg back or my hands up a bit. I have a picture in my head of the ideal position so I know where my legs should be - but I can't tell what my own legs are doing when I'm on the horse :o

[Leksi]

I think that when you reach that level where you know how to do this and that, an instructor is there to tell you when and how and why you do it. A good eye from the ground can greatly help any rider.

Dressage is a discipline in which I instruct, but I also still take lessons for. Teaching and asking a horse to respond and do those types of movements requiring such balance and coordination is a hefty riding responsibility, one in which constant practice is needed. I will never attempt to teach my students a method that I have not yet mastered.

I take lessons to fine-tune, to teach myself and my horse more, and to make myself better in all disciplines. You will never know everything about horses, there is always room to learn. I will be the first to admit that. :D

[kedwards]

Does an instructor instruct us what to do and when to do, ie go large then trot a 20m circle at A, or do we want a teacher to tell us why to do, what we are aiming for? How to feel when it is right so we can work on our own.

After a good lesson, I will have additional skills and knowledge that I can use when schooling on my own or riding in competition. Some of this will be in the form of theory, some in the form of specific exercises, and some in the form of particular corrections or reminders made by the instructor.

So, if I understand the question, I would say that my lessons have a bit of both. A good intructor can improve me (and the horse) in the moment, but also give me plenty to carry over into my performance when riding on my own.

[laura jeanne]

My new instructor has been spending a lot of time explaining things and if we try and get something wrong and then try again and get it right, she stops and asks- what did you do that time that was different, how did it feel, and things like that.

Very very different from my last instructor. Even tho I can hardly get her horse to move out of the center of the ring, I think I like this much better. She is very much as Chev describes!

[horseyrose]

I meant to answer this before, it's a really interesting topic. I need a mixture of both in my lessons. Recently I was struggling with half pass, I haven't done it much so haven't really developed the 'feel' for it yet. So I needed my instructor to give specifics - leg back, more rein now etc - a 'fish'. Once I have developed a feel for an exercise though I can then be given a 'line'. I have a new instructor who mostly gives 'lines', 'fish' are in the form of reminding me about slipping into positional bad habits etc. So in general, I like to be given a line with a few fish thrown in now and again! :D

[shirley]

Good instructors will build both theory and practical together, so as one backs up the other. It is about giving you the technical knowledge to know and understand and then empowering you to be able to try it out and acheive it. Lots of praise, encouragement, support, constructive critisism, sharp reminders sometimes. Building confidence and ability together.
A good instructor is one that works with your needs and ways of learning in mind, to see where you are with your technical knowhow and ability and work forward in small / acheivable steps, so progress is made almost without realising it.
One person may be great for you, but not right for another person. If my instructor can do the above then I will (and do) see progress being made.