My friend and RI

[domane]

Let me explain about P. P is a fellow livery, who actually has the two stables next to Gracie. P is a BHSI and has competed at novice level dressage. She judges it at a high level too and goes to seminars etc. For income, as well as obviously giving lessons she holds clinics for things like unaffiliated dressage, low level jumping and handy horse/agility- I have posted pics from the two latter types of things that G and I have done regularly! P is also my RI, unsurprisingly - but is down to earth enough to do does yard services for us like bring-ins and turnouts. She's a bit of a "girl-Friday" - not bad for a woman in her 60s!!

It was for a little dressage event that P had organised that she asked me to be the writer for a couple of weeks ago, so when she invited me to go to Hartpury with her, to watch some of the Winter Championships, I jumped at the chance. We went yesterday and it was thoroughly enjoyable. Very handy watching, sitting next to a judge!!! Haha

P has a unique teaching style - she flits about doing short bits of different stuff - to keep the horse interested and active. Sometimes the things she chucks in are way above our skill set but G seems to enjoy trying and it is fab watching her progress. Gracie does a fab demi-pirouette now! Watching a Grand Prix class yesterday, P told me that G does them better than most of the horses because she steps under with her hinds! Ah..... shame about the rest, but hey, we've got to start somewhere. (I did start watching their hinds and they really weren't that brilluant, tbh) Yes, so going back to her teaching style, some on the yard don't like it. They say P spouts so much jargon they get confused. Me? Well yes, I have to admit that a lot of what she said initially went over my head. As a former total happy hacker, I was SO ignorant to everything about schooling, dressage in general, the terminology - even the markers in the school! But now I feel like a sponge, trying to take in and learn so much that it has spiked my interest.... in an area that is very new to me.

You may have seen in my recently created diary that I asked P to school G for me..... but these are now a joint lesson kind of thing. P will ride, then make me get on and copy what she's just done. Then she'll get back on and do something new and I then get on and copy. It's a weird style but it is SO working.... for both Gracie and me. P gets very technical with her explanations but things are starting to sink in and I understand now why she chucks in some of the more complicated things at an early stage.

Finally, P is by no means a dressage diva kind of person. Her two horses live a very natural life - they don't get rugged in winter, they are both shoeless. One is a 14hh pony and one is a 17.2 shire cross, so chalk and cheese. They were both rescues too. She hacks out a lot for pleasure, but when I see her school, boy do they both step up.... they've got the skills in there - taught by her, obvs.

Just thought I'd share this for something different from me.

 

[Kite_Rider]

Well you are waaay ahead of me, I don’t even know what a demi pirouette is!
It sounds like P is a smart cookie and to me if as a teacher she can share her passion and pass it on to someone else well that is a job well done.

 

[GaryB]

There is so much luck in finding a good instructor (and by good I mean one that suits you). You and I are so lucky to have found good instructors on our own yards.

I've only had lessons for about 4 years - the first couple at a riding school and then with my own horse. I've had all sorts from unqualified, to a BE master coach/FBHS. In some ways I think its good to have variety but my YO has brought me on so far in such a short time compared with all of the others and I think its just because she understands where I want to go and can explain the things I need to do to get there in a way I can understand.

 

[chunky monkey]

You'll be doing dressage tests before you know it. Its great to have found someone you gel with.

 

[Feawen]

It’s wonderful when you click with an instructor. I have an old friend and on-off instructor of 20 years, who I always come back to when I can, although of course I’ve had lessons with different trainers in that time as well. I trust his judgement and he gets me.

My instructor is another one who some people say gives them information overload, but I always want to know the how and why of things as well as the what. I get frustrated by instructors who don’t explain themselves – it makes me feel like they want you to get good results in their lessons, but they don’t want to share their full understanding of how to apply exercises and approaches that would allow you to achieve those results on your own. So you are tied to them, because they are the magical instructor who mysteriously makes your horse go better in their lessons, but you don’t know why .

Or, worse, the instructor doesn’t really understand why a particular method is used, it’s just something to do!

But I appreciate that people prefer to learn in different ways, so sometimes a good instructor will give out information a bit at a time, or give an entry level explanation and then a more complete one later. I find the good ones will usually provide more info when asked though.

I'm glad you are enjoying your lessons, Domane, and I will look out for your diary. No doubt I will have much horse and instructor envy as I am missing riding at the moment.