Working with a Dressage Trainer- Expectations?

[blackhorse7]

Hello everyone! I've been taking lessons at a few different barns over the past two years. Recently, my trainer (been with her for a year) made the move to a new barn too far for me to travel to. She is, however, going to help me with finding my first horse, as she knows me and my riding best. I will have to board the horse at a new barn with a new trainer.

I've always ridden at barns where there is a lesson program with a trainer who has lesson horses. I've been browsing some places and noticed dressage trainers that don't have lesson horses, but will work with you and your horse.

Is anyone in a program like this? If so, what are your experiences with this vs a lesson barn?
Do dressage trainers dislike "non-dressage horses" (horses that aren't warmblood schoolmasters)?
Is the expectation that you have to pay for both lessons AND your horse to be trained by the trainer all the time? Can you just take lessons w/o training?
I'm interested to know because I'm worried about the cost. I am located in the U.S., as that may make a difference.

 

[GaryB]

It works pretty much like that in the UK. We have riding schools which equate to your Lesson Barns. Once you get you own horse here though its then up to you to do what you want. The options are mainly:

1. Join an organised group lesson (often called a clinic) - these are advertised usually via facebook groups
2. Book a freelance instructor for a lesson for just you
3. Pay an instuctor to ride/school your horse for you.

The first 2 options are basically about teaching you to ride your horse. The are obviously a lot more combinations!

I tend to join group showjumping lessons about twice a month. In the UK its also common to have flatwork and cross country lessons

There are a few members here in the US so hopefully they will have something to contribute

 

[joosie]

What do you mean by "lessons without training"? They're the same thing no?

 

[Mary Poppins]

What do you mean by "lessons without training"? They're the same thing no?

I think she means having lessons on her own horse without the trainer also riding (training) her horse for her.

 

[Mary Poppins]

Hello everyone! I've been taking lessons at a few different barns over the past two years. Recently, my trainer (been with her for a year) made the move to a new barn too far for me to travel to. She is, however, going to help me with finding my first horse, as she knows me and my riding best. I will have to board the horse at a new barn with a new trainer.

I've always ridden at barns where there is a lesson program with a trainer who has lesson horses. I've been browsing some places and noticed dressage trainers that don't have lesson horses, but will work with you and your horse.

Is anyone in a program like this? If so, what are your experiences with this vs a lesson barn?
Do dressage trainers dislike "non-dressage horses" (horses that aren't warmblood schoolmasters)?
Is the expectation that you have to pay for both lessons AND your horse to be trained by the trainer all the time? Can you just take lessons w/o training?
I'm interested to know because I'm worried about the cost. I am located in the U.S., as that may make a difference.

In my experience you can’t generalise. Some trainers prefer flashy looking dressage horses, some believe hairy cobs can be good at dressage. It all depends on the individual.

 

[Skib]

Lessons without training. It is the language.
In UK a lesson is usually centred on the rider. Although some lessons for riders with some experience may involve training the horse, the emphasis will be on teaching the rider how to ride and to train or to correct the horse.
The word training switches the emphasis onto the horse. It is usually ridden by the trainer, but sometimes by the client.

The word training or coaching is increasingly used when focusing on a competitive horse sport. There may be UK qualifications standardised across all sports. Thus both rider and horse may be trained or coached by a specialist to compete in dressage, jumping or o.d.e.

In UK if you own your own horse, you may need to hire the arena and pay the teacher or trainer. It is one of the tings that increases the cost of actually owning a horse. Some RSs reduce the cost of having a lesson on the student's own horse (but not by much in my experience).

 

[blackhorse7]

I think she means having lessons on her own horse without the trainer also riding (training) her horse for her.

Yes, this is what I meant, to make it clearer. Interesting. In the US, most lessons are centered on the rider, but some of our programs include you taking lessons on your own horse, paying the trainer to school your horse, as well as paying for board and all the other expenses. It can be quite expensive. I was wondering how much progress you can make taking lessons dressage if your horse is only at Training level or First level and you are a beginner. Will this help or hinder your horse's progress if you are learning as they are learning?

 

[carthorse]

If you're a beginner to riding you aren't going to be able to progress a horse's training as you're still learning the basics yourself. However I would say in most cases - and there are exceptions - you don't want too highly schooled a horse at this point as there's a real risk of it responding to aids you didn't know you'd given and that can get messy, particularly if it's more of a go than whoa horse. Once the rider has a reasonable competence whether a horse and rider can learn together or need training separately depends a lot on the individuals involved and how quickly they want to progress. It's easier to progress quickly on a trained horse, but one you've done the work on yourself is yours in a way the trained horse never will be, The downside, possibly even more than the time factor, is that a horse you've trained is likely to be less well trained in your weak areas so you don't compensate for each other and,, if so inclined, may develop disobediences that focus on your weaknesses. As I say, it depends very much on the horse and rider which approach is best.