I’m a qualified riding instructor with lots of experience training and competing but have been out of the saddle myself for 10 years or so. I have a 6yo daughter who I have taught the basics to and we recently started attending the local Pony Club. On one hand, it’s been great for DD - she’s met some nice kids and realised that riding can be a social activity! I’m the opposite as the volunteer coaches and other parents are doing my head in. The teaching is woeful - first jumping lesson for 6 and 7yo beginners just off the lead was to attempt a course of 10 50cm jumps including planks and fill! It was carnage! The flat work lesson was just everyone attempting to have a canter one at a time with no attempt to correct position or technique except “shorten your reins!” - when every child was already swinging off their unfortunate pony’s mouth.
I am very unwilling to do any coaching myself as my daughter isn’t independent enough yet and I need to focus on her. I’m aware if I feed back my criticism it was come across as bitchy and nitpicky but it is really quite a dangerous and old fashioned, “grip and guts” mentality getting perpetuated. Do we keep going??
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Pony Club is stressing me out!
6 replies
AGapInTheMarket · 10/02/2020 05:24
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