Riding School horses - is it possible one school had better schooled horses

[kiwigirl]

I have two lessons a week each at different rding schools.

At one of these schools I am always able to get the horses into canter at any point in the arena and usually straight away with what seem a subtle aid, they don;t feel like they are going to bomb off and I can easily ride a 20m circle. At this school I have managed this on two different horses. They both feel calm and almost like they know what to do and look after me.

At my other school (the one I have been going the longest) any cantering we do is from one end of the arena back toward their yard. The horses are usually very excited so getting them into canter isn't usually a problem. At times they feel like they are going to bomb off although as I improve I can slow them a bit better now. Only once did I try to get one of these horses into canter on a circle but it was a bit of a mess.

So its weird I feel very differently about my canter ability at each of these schools and was wondering if the schooling of the horses made a difference. Also does breed make any difference? The school I can canter nicely in I ride Throughbreeds, my other school I am on Stationbreds/no real specific breed!

[horseygirl123]

Yes I would definately say that a well schooled horse will 'go off your leg' easier
The problems sometimes with RS horses is that when they have novices riding them (and no disrespect to novices ) alot of horses can become dead to the leg so will need more coaxing to get into the next gait.
If you feel that the horse is going to bomb off with you at a certain place in the school then it might be best to ask for canter at the other end of the school.
Its all good practice riding well schooled and not so well schooled horses tho