Help with instructors's!!!!

[conne the mara]

Help!!!

I have had my 15.1 dapple grey connemara gelding for 4 mths now. He is rising 6 but I am having problems with getting him to work deep in an outline and keep him going forward. He likes to go with his head and neck tucked in. He has only just started to be schooled since i got him. I am a Novice. My current instructor, an old friend, is an AI and has been riding him with spurs and in draw reins. I found, finally, a classical riding instructor and informed my current teacher of this tonite.


She has told me that he is very green and we haven't been working him long enough and changing to another way of riding would only confuse him. Am I being taken for a ride!!!!::rolleyes:

[Katie_85]

Ehm, sounds a little funny to me. Maybe this lady is good, but spurs and draw reins for a green horse? I would go with the classical instructor but as I am also a novice, better check with some of our more experienced members! :)

[Dizzy]

Am I right in thinking its your old instructor that is saying you haven't worked him for long enough and changing would confuse him?

If so I disagree, the tucked head and kneck is probably the result of using draw riens. It does sound as if your horse has not accepted your legs, with that I mean hollows when the leg aids are applied - which has more than likely been made worse by the spurs. So they are actually creating the problems.

These are very common problems and can be sorted out with sympathetic schooling, lots of repetition and patience. Your horse needs to learn to step under with his back legs into a very soft contact on the bit.

I would definitely try the classical instructor, good luck, hope things go well for you.

Lesley

[Piaffe]

I totally agree with dizzy!!

Use of draw reins from time to time is ok, but not ALL the time - and spurs?!!

Your classical instructor will teach you to ride your horse into your hands, instead of trying to force him into an outline. I've always had classical instruction and this has never seemed to go out of date and always makes sense to me!!

Good luck!

[Anna.C]

I have to agree with the others that using draw reins regularly on a young horse sounds very dodgy - but I'm not an expert!
Out of interest who is the Classical Riding Instructor you've found? I lived in Southampton till last summer and might of heard of them...

[sweetbriar]

This woman sounds like a nightmare. I would seriously think about changing your instructor. Forcing your horses neck into an outline with draw reins and using spurs is not the way to acheive roundness. Draw reins are so cruel and, in the wrong hands, can cause damage to the horses neck and back.

I think that getting an instructor who is either EE/Clasically trained would be beneficial to you and your horse.

I too own a older Connemara pony and I had an instructor who was always telling me to wear spurs and work her in draw reins, etc. She once tied her running martingale attachments to her noseband in order to force her head down. I was furious and told her so. She said I was too 'soft' on her and I would never get placed in dressage or showing without a good outline. I never had a lesson with her again.

I have been schooling her myself for a while now and she's developing quite well. She is not in an outline but is relaxing her jaw (always lots of slobber) and is softening into the contact.

You can't acheive an outline overnight. It takes months of hard work but it is worth it.

I was given a copy of the 'On the Bit' video by Sylvia Loch for Christmas. I found it very informative and it shows her working with youngsters and ordinary riding ponies/riders. If you can get hold of a copy its well worth watching.

[Speedy]

I'm afraid I have a great dislike of draw reins after having to re-school a gelding at a riding school I was working at - he had always gone in draw reins, so just tucked his head in, but had no connection from behind and his quarters "were in the next county". He had all sorts of back problems from this too, so since then I've refused to have anything to do with them - I'm sure they have their place in the right hands though.

Anyway, I'm living near Herts/Bucks borders and haven't been here long enough to find a classical instructor here - can anyone recommend one? Thanks

[conne the mara]

Thank you to all of you!!!!

I've been told that I'm getting somewhat fixated about my horse's training but it looks as if I'm not alone. Being a novice and never having worked with a green horse, I do tend to need advice and unfortunately I'm at a livery yard where a lot of people compete at a fairly high level. So I get a lot of advice, alot of the time conflicting.

My gelding was originally hunted as a 4 yr old in Ireland and came over here last year where he was just hacked and had 20 min schooling a week, where I think he learned to tuck his nose in!!

It's common for them to not be able to go forward if their neck is nice and low then?

I've decided that although I'm a novice, I should go with my instincts about his training. The draw reins have only been used a few times in the last few weeks and one of those times by me! My instructor originally said I shouldn't school him but I put my foot down. Now she says she should school him once a week and teach me the other time. Problem is she is a friend of my mine and is also at the yard.

The classical instructors name is Catherine Edwardes. Heard of her?

I'll definately look at that video as well.


Thx again for the replies! :D

[Anna.C]

She used to teach me!!! I would definitely give her a try. She is quite an outspoken character - so doesn't suit everybody- but she's very enthusiastic and positive about her teaching and is guaranteed not to put you down.

I can just imagine what she will say about the draw reins!!!! She also has regular lessons with a classical instructor, so is committed to improving her own riding as well as teaching others.
I have a pony that used to belong to her and he is a lovely chap - and was my first venture into horse ownership.

I'm still in touch as I look after her website. So if you do go with her tell her Anna says hi. Hope you get on with her - as I mentioned, some people just don't!

[conne the mara]

Hi Anna,


I booked a lesson with her for next week. SHe's gone to Spain on holiday today!!! And she has already given me her opinions on draw reins. In fact after we finished a long discussion about my horse and put the phone down, she phoned back begging me not to ride him in draw reins whilst she is away.

I like people who tell it how it is! At least you know where you are with them. We seemed to get on OK yesterday. Has she helped your riding much?

[Anna.C]

I got on well with her because I like to be up front with people too. When I started having lessons I'd never had much in the way of instruction before although I'd ridden for years, and she stuck me straight on the lunge for a few weeks until I'd got the hang of speed control with my seat rather than hauling on the mouth.

She was a great help when Harry put his hip out arsing around in the field and had to be longreined and treated by a chiropractor. She would ring the chiropractor and discuss the best way for the lessons to proceed to help with Harry's physical problems once he was rideable again.

Sadly my riding's gone to pot a bit since moving - we are a bit strapped for cash so lessons are out, and so busy sorting out the house that I don't even get much of a chance to hack :(

Never mind, worth it to look out of the window and see my own horses rather than driving 30 minutes each way just to say hello!

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.