To have said this at the riding school?

[TigeToo]

I’ve been doing horse riding lessons for around 6 months now (after on and off lessons when I was younger). I was paired up with a lovely but very sedate cob called Frank. It’s a mission to get Frank to do anything other than a very slow half hearted trot. It was ok at first as I needed a slow steady horse to build my confidence up but now it’s just frustrating. I’m meant to be learning how to canter but I can’t get Frank to canter. The instructor shouts “give him a kick” which I do but he doesn’t give a shit. The instructor will then laugh and call him a lazy bones or something. Occasionally she’ll run up behind him doing a weird noise which might make him canter for 3 steps but then he’ll stop again.
Last week I arrived at the stables and was told “Frank isn’t available so I’ve got Toby out for you, he’s a bit more forward, are you ok with that?”

Well Toby was amazing! Still slow and steady but up for a slow canter when requested. He was perfect!! I had an amazing lesson and finally felt like I was getting somewhere (with lots of cantering!!)

At the end of the lesson I asked if I could have Toby again on my next lesson. She said that was fine and wrote his name next to mine in the booking book.

So imagine my horror when I turn up today and see Frank stood waiting for me. I said “I’m meant to be on Toby today” and she said “oh, sorry he’s not available this week”. So I said “As lovely as Frank is I really want to learn to canter now, is there any other horse available?” And she got pissed off and said “no, I’ve got Frank ready now”.

So I took Frank into the school. Absolutely pointless, walking around so slow that he literally stopped a few times. Managed a slow trot, no chance I was getting anything else out of him.

So when it came to booking next weeks lesson I said “can you put me down for a horse I can learn to canter with” and she said “I can try but Frank is the best horse for you really due to your height, weight and ability” (I’m 5ft 10in, 10.7stone). They have a massive yard full of horses. I have another friend who goes and has said she won’t ride Frank or Toby as they’re too difficult to work with.

I didn’t book at the time but after speaking to friend I rang them just now and asked if I could book in with Blaze, Pepsi or Toby next week. They said “yes, I’ll put them on as well as Frank”. I said “No, not Frank”. She got very defensive and said there were no guarantees that it won’t be Frank if he’s the only one available so I said I won’t bother then.

The lessons are expensive and I feel like the’re taking the piss out of me.

I used to have horse riding lessons and always ended up on a particular pony who used to buck and misbehave. Another girl always used to get the nicer ponies. She was popular with the yard staff and the riding instructor whereas I was shy and quiet. I’m sure there was an element of favouritism. There was a lot of bitchiness but I put up with it because I loved horses. In hindsight I’d wish I hadn’t bothered, it would have saved my mum and dad a fortune.

I don't think learning to canter on the lunge is as nice as doing it freely in the school. So much more rewarding to think you have achieved it yourself, intentionally that is. And it really should be possible on a riding school horse that is kept nicely schooled (which I don't think Frank is, otherwise he would obey the rider).
I would always feel that the circle is a little small, even actually when lungeing without anyone on board.

Ah, I feel sorry for the younger you (and can probably relate). It is SUCH a bitchy world.

If it makes you feel better, my nickname (I was 12 ish), was Spare Face!

perhaps be asking them to teach you more trotting work (collected & extended)"

If Frank is willing and able to do anything recognisable as a collected and extended trot- especially when ridden by an advanced beginner- I'll eat my hat. And the cover. A couple of lunge lessons aren't a bad idea but expecting a beginner to learn to canter on Frank is like trying to teach a learner driver to do a 3 point turn in a really
heavy vehicle with no power steering.

Right, but …. the OP is learning to ride?

That’s why she’s there, literally having lessons.

To learn to ride.

Why are some on this thread expecting her to be experienced enough to be able to get a recalcitrant horse to canter?

If she was easily able to do that, she wouldn’t need to be there doing what she’s doing. Having lessons to learn to ride.

OP - YANBU.

Sounds like your height and weight are an excuse, (I do know they are a factor as I ride )
If you can’t insist on not having Frank, and that is unusual
If you turn up and you’re told you have Frank, refuse to pay. There’s no point if you’re not learning anything. Especially as lessons are not cheap
Just tell them if you’re learning to canter you need a horse that will canter

Ultimately I’d find another stables

Poor Frank, he’s clearly fed up, sounds like he needs to be retired

The bottom line is that while Frank is clearly very safe and forgiving, he is not a first ridden for moving up the gears. If they wish to use him as such, they need to be schooling him outside lesson hours instead of running at him. A good school would understand that Toby was right for you now and make the effort to organise it. Although with the spring grass coming in you might find Toby overly forward for the foreseeable and even Frank might have a spring in his step.

The other thing you could do is ask to speak to the yard manager. If they want your business they will accommodate you. It sounds like they're taking money to let you plod around and are happy to continue to do so. At this price for a private lesson they're having a laugh.

The biggest RS near me has an upper weight limit of 14st I think.
I don't think 10st should be a limiting factor, and height might also affect the way she can apply leg and so on, so needs to be big enough height wise.
She might be on the cob because he has a broader back for her height (I imagine him to be 15hh max. and I at 5'7" would not feel great on that), but none of that makes up for the fact that he needs a rocket (which I still think is not fair).

I hate the fact that horses can be whipped and kicked. When you really think about it - It’s awful. Poor Frank

This all of this in spades.

That said some schools are notoriously bitchy. The hands would work their favourite horses and leave the franks of this world be worked by others or for lessons. Some will be privately owned of course.

Someone mentioned working with the horse in the stables first. I had a frank (ex race horse) that his owner said would be better shot as wouldnt make him any money now, so I took him on. He is a little bugger and totally knows when he can get away with being lazy. But he can move fast if he's in the mood for it (like humans I suppose)

He doesn't mess around with me esp if I bring him a treat before hand, but once I had forgotten them and my god he kept slowing and turning to give me the evil eye. Horses are iMO v smart.

The franks are perfect for newbies but op your in that transition state of you need a more forward horse to enable you to go forward.

Yes experienced riders can get franks moving but that's true of any horse if your experienced. It also doesn't mean that there's something wrong with the horse or op just currently your needs don't match.

That's assuming they get out on some grass though..... I wonder....

Fairly typical experience that many of us have been through - but hate to think how much you’re paying for private lessons as my group ones are now £50 p/h. We’ve all got stuck on a Frank before but it isn’t really on for it to be every week. I would ask to speak to the owner and explain that you won’t be coming back unless they can provide you with a better service. You’re not that tall or heavy, and from your posts there are a few other horses which suit.

Otherwise worth trying a new school.

Its pretty much always the case that you can request but are not guaranteed a horse but that doesn’t mean you should get stuck on the same one every week.

Might also be worth asking if another lesson time would help - if your lesson clashes with a group one for example for older kids then some the horses may be required for that. Good luck and don’t let it put you off.

You should be able to make a horse canter if you can ride. I'm sorry to say it. You need to learn to use a stronger leg, or increase your strength. Sadly, most riding school horses can become a little numbed to aids, so perhaps ride with a whip. Just holding a whip can be enough to make some horses more forwards. Either way, you are going to have to strengthen your use of the leg to get him to canter. Part of learning to canter is about holding the canter too.

When I was about 8yo I was desperate to ride & my parents eventually gave in & booked me just two lessons. I think they were hoping I'd hate it & then shut up about it.

I got a Frank. I forget his name but I can still see his lovely black & white face, but OMG he was a nightmare. He really didn't want to go out. We were led in a line along a grass verge next to the road through the village, & my horse was so lazy he kept stopping & putting his head down to eat the grass! I was told to pull his head up & get him moving, & it was sooooo hard to do. Then we crossed the road (few cars in those days) into a field, & my horse deviated under a tree & swiped me off backwards using a low branch. I didn't care, I was just so thrilled to be around horses. I got back on & we rode about a bit before heading back the way we came. My 'Frank' certainly speeded up to get back to his stable & presumably a bit of shut-eye - everyone predicted & commented on it!

Sadly, although I couldn't think of anything I wanted more than to ride every week of my life, my parents declared they'd given me what I wanted & there would be no more of it. Gits.

If I was a riding school pony I’d be frank and do fuckall

So you're basically exercising Frank for them? And paying for the privilege.
Bollocks to that.

Op doesn't need us to teach her to ride the canter via the internet. She's paying £60 per lesson for the riding school staff to teach her.

I'm glad that at least a few of the horse people on here understand the value of a rider learning on a school master before being expected to ride on a horse that is more challenging. Challenging for whatever reason, being unwilling to work counts as challenging.

Totally this. Tell them you go elsewhere

Hmm, the thing I would say about this is, is OP may not actually know specific horses well enough to know that they are a level up from Frank, So she unfortunately needs to trust the RS/Instructor - and that trust is not there understandably. THEY should be telling HER about the next horse for her, other than Frank (poor Frank). She needs an ally at the School, who knows her, and the available/suitable horses for her to be able to gain confidence and ability. In some cases, one that is a bit push-button. This is what should happen in a decent RS that is wanting to appeal to all abilities, and for the novices to improve, and enjoy and get something for their money!

The school is taking the piss and your money!
Consider group lessons where you swap horses every so often.
When I was learning mine did this - you’d do about 6-7 weeks on a horse, be assessed, have your progress card marked and then change horse for the next 6-7 weeks until the next assessment and so on.

It meant we got to ride nearly all the riding school horses appropriate for our weight and didn’t get stuck on the slow one, the one who stopped in every corner, the one who spooked at anything new around the edge etc.

It took longer to get to a competent standard but you learnt from watching others and still had experience of flat work, hacking and jumping as things got progressively harder and more interesting as you went along.

I now have my own pocket rocket ride/drive pony as a result of just group riding lessons plus a few privates along the way.
Definitely look around and go elsewhere.

I bet Frank 'doesn't lunge '. Imo horses like this just don't.

She's not saying she can ride. You're right of course but she shouldn't be having to unbalance herself to get a canter at this stage. That's for later. She needs to learn to sit to it and then she will understand how to ask for it properly.

Miaow!

awww poor Frank, all I can think of is how much he must hate his life !

expecting a beginner to learn to canter on Frank is like trying to teach a learner driver to do a 3 point turn in a really
heavy vehicle with no power steering.

So much this. It's neither useful nor fun.