Riding School Advice

[CaroLiz]

Hiya, hoping I could get some advice on here! I started riding lessons a few months ago, mainly twice per week. I had ridden a little before hand but no proper lessons. I am currently at university so had attended one riding school near my university which was great. When I returned home I found a school near my house and have been there for the past 2 months but have never been entirely content.

At the first school near my university they had great, responsive horses, were very positive in lessons along with constructive criticism. Began cantering quite quickly with them, as they said my rising trot was good and I had a naturally good seat.

When I began at the riding school closer to home, the horse I was put on, I was warned that my horse had a reputation of being quite difficult. They also told me I wasn't to ask to switch horse because it was up to me as the rider to learn to control him. On this horse, after 2 months of lessons on him, progress has been finally managing to trot around the school once without him taking off in a random direction. The instructor is also quite sharp, not mean, but it does leave me feeling quite inferior and unable to ask questions. They appear to take things much slower at pace, the other adults in my class were beginning to learn to canter after 2 years of lessons.

I have travelled a few times in the last few weeks to the riding school near my uni, it's a 40 minute drive from home but I do enjoy the lessons there much more and actually appear to make progress. Just wondering if anyone has any advice, is it better to learn on a more difficult horse at a slower pace, which I guess would ultimately make me a better rider, or progress quicker on an easier horse at my first school?

Sorry this is so long but I would so appreciate any advice!

 

[Skib]

I cant take a decision for you but I learned to ride as an adult and much older than you. The priority for any riding school is to avoid accidents - Safety is everything. So making quick progress is not the only priority.
To learn anything an adult needs to feel relaxed and to learn to ride you need to have the right horse and the right teacher - all of which you sound to have had near your uni.

Altho eventually you do need to learn to get forward movement from a variety of horses there is plenty of time for that. And you need to be shown how to do it by an RI who understands what the horse needs and is able to communicate to you - it wont happen all by itself. If you were in a class where riders were only starting canter after 2 years, it suggests that little actual teaching took place. I have watched a weekend adult class at a BHS approved school and seen almost complete neglect by the RI of any of the adults who were learning.

I am one of those who recommends saddle time - but it has to be with the right teacher and in the right circumstances. Different school cater for different clienteles. Even the best school can become a problem through the loss of a horse or the loss of a teacher - staff turn over tends to be high.

What worries me most is your teacher - at the school near your home - the lack of encouragemernt and the lack of guidance. Her making you feel inferior. That is exactly what happened to me. On one occasion my RI even refused to answer a question I asked because, she announced to everyone, I was too ignorant to understand the answer. I felt that if I was too stupid and too ignorant, that was her responsibility. Treating an adult beginner like that is a form of bullying and the best thing to do is walk away - If you can afford the time and the petrol, go to the school where you enjoy riding and learn all you can.

The alternative is to try and sort things out with the bullying at the school near your home - My experience is that it is best just to walk away - If one complains one is just labelled a difficult client. Whereas if you leave, you have will have the opportunity to return there, if you should ever need to - when there will be different teachers probably and perhaps different horses too. I was not the only one who suffered at my first school and the apprentice staff were bullied too. It isnt a reflection on you or your riding. Horses are actually quite simple to control and a rider or teacher needs to take charge of the horse. Riding instructors often behave like mini dictators. But human beings and the way they relate to teaching and learning roles are more complicated than horses. In order to learn to ride, you yourself need to be in charge of your horse and you cant do that unless you have the confidence both to absorb information and to apply it.
Enjoy your riding.

 

[Missidi]

I am assuming that the reason for you riding is for enjoyment. For this reason, I would say go to a riding school where you are enjoying your lessons, if you are unhappy find somewhere else.
I spent a long time at a riding school that made me very nervous and, although I enjoyed being around the horses, I didn't enjoy the lessons. I remember when I first moved to my current riding school I was surprised at how enjoyable riding suddenly was. I have come so much further at my current riding school because I enjoy it.
So, if it were me I would try to find a riding school where I was happy.

 

[newforest]

If you are learning it makes sense to learn on a horse that is easier and knows it's job. How can you control something difficult if you don't know the basics yet.

You can progress onto more challenging horses or not.
Not every rider actually wants to be able to manage a horse that throws them umpteen issues.

 

[CaroLiz]

Thanks guys! That's all super useful! I'm definitely riding only for enjoyment. Just wanted to check that I was thinking along the right lines as my family are not into horses etc so I've really ventured into something I know little about.

I definitely feel learning as an adult (although I am a young adult) is quite intimidating and definitely pushes my comfort zone. I agree with what was said above about the attitude I've come across, even just when making enquiries with local riding schools about adult lessons, even privates. Wish I had learnt as a child, but so glad I'm getting the chance now anyway!

I think I'll probably go to the one near my uni from now on, although that will make a one hour lesson take up nearly 3 hours, by the time I get there and back .