im just not getting any better - intensive lessons?

[ThatVikRinA22]

my RI is a stickler for "proper" riding - she is of the Sylvia Loch school of thought - which is brilliant, knowledgeable, but im just not getting it....

i go one step forwards, then 3 back.

its worse as im an adult learner. RI is really very good, and says yes, you can get by from kicking and pulling, but she teaches properly the use of leg aids (i e - riding from the ankle UP...no kicking unless for discipline)

im worse than useless. She talks about collecting the horse and riding in front of the leg....now i understand these as concepts but i have all on trying to coordinate my body, legs and arms.....

i do not want to give up - it gives me such pleasure, and i know enough about horse care and stable management now to own my own pony, RI often leaves me to it if she needs a few hours off....and i love helping out, plus i dearly would love my own pony.

im thinking of booking a series of intensive lessons daily for a week or so, because just as i seem to be getting it i go backwards again. My legs will not do as they are asked....(!!) i give the poor horse mixed messages, i cant seem to keep my heels down and toes in....and my lower legs refuse to stay where i put them originally!

im getting so annoyed with myself! RI says i am perfectly normal but im not improving at all.

because i help out RI says she will do me a deal on intensive lessons.

im feeling a bit despondent. I so want to learn. i can do everything now with horses except ride them!

[outtolunchagain]

My dh started to ride about 2 years ago , he does tend to be a bit serious about these things but although he does quite a lot of schooling he also hacks out and has done a bit of jumping and some basic dressage.His RI helped him to find a share so that in between lessons he gets as much general riding in as possible.

Tbh I do find it odd sometimes as I learned swallows and amazon fashion as a child .As someone else described up thread , schooling was something you did as a necessity and as rarely as possible, but at 9 you bounce more than at 45!I also did a lot of PC and gymkhanas , learning as an adult is different but seriously it's meant to be fun " when a hobby becomes a chore it's not a hobby anymore"

I would second the riding holiday and get out for some hacks

[Mrsmaymerryweather]

The riding school where I learnt to ride as a teenager did not do hacks, as all the horses there were privately owned and on working livery and I don't think any of them were suitable to be hacked out by a beginner. They were all 'proper' horses rather than typical riding school dead donkeys. Maybe this is the problem at your school. I used to go on riding holidays in Wales in the school holidays and did loads of pony trekking, suitable for complete beginners. I agree with those above who have suggested pony trekking etc.

How many lessons have you had now? I never rode on the lunge, apart from one lesson where my instructor wanted to focus on my position so put me on the lunge so I could concentrate on position while she controlled the horse/speed. I don't think it is normal to be on the lunge for ages. Maybe this is because your instructor doesn't have any suitable horses for beginners so feels she needs to keep you on the lunge? If this is the case you need to ride somewhere else that has horses that are suitable for a beginner to learn to ride off the lunge. You will never learn how to control the horse if you are always on the lunge.

To be honest if you are still on the lunge and not yet cantering I would definitely not get your own horse, I think it is a huge risk at this stage. However maybe start to look around for suitable shares. I would definitely recommend getting a share before taking the plunge and buying your own. My first share has been a huge eye-opener for me!

Good luck!

[Pixel]

I hate being lunged ever since the horse fell over. Only my second fall in 20-odd years so I fail to see how it is safer .

[PeanutPatty]

Before I bought my own horse I had a three day share. A privately owned horse is very different to a RS horse in many ways. Plus it gave me three days a week of responsibility and enabled me to see if I could have a horse full time or if I couldn't have one full time how would I be able to have one, eg full/part livery etc.

I really feel sharing is an invaluable insight.

[saintmerryweather]

if i recall the op has been riding since at least january

[CalamityKate]

Re:hacking - doesn't she offer escorted hacks? Hacking alone is a different kettle of fish but she surely has safe enough horses for you to hack out on?

As for bolting - IME a true bolt is incredibly rare. Does she not trust her horses??

[Littlebigbum]

Pixel yuck that would put me off

[Littlebigbum]

Tell you what pls just go to another riding school for one lesson/hack and if it is rubbish, i'll paypal you the money. You might surprise your self how well you ride!

[Floralnomad]

IIRC this riding school has not got many horses suitable for adults . The problem seems to be that vicar has become way too involved with this lady and will now find it difficult to extricate herself . What surprises me most is that a RI that doesn't let someone one off the lunge or hack would even consider encouraging / or not discourage that person from buying a horse . It really seems that this person is taking advantage of vicars good nature and can see financial gain for herself i.e the use of this horse whilst the OP pays the bills .

[ThatVikRinA22]

its very true, there is a lack of horses for adults. The one i ride normally has a few problems, the only other one i could ride is not suitable for schooling really, he was a hunting horse, RI got on him on one of my lessons on him and found him exhausting. He needs a rider on him. He wont work on a lunge or very well in the school. Those are the only 2 i could ride, im not huge, im 10st 5, 5ft 4, fairly long in the leg. The only other horse i could ride is too fragile for my weight, (she is on loan from someone who neglected to feed her and caused all sorts of problems for her, plus she is 20) there is one more but he isnt quite 14 hands so a bit small for me.
There are no more. The others that are the right size for me are retired due to ill health.

[saintlyjimjams]

Oh you need to try elsewhere. Not sure why a hunting horse couldn't be schooled though? One of the things my instructor likes doing is introducing horses who have never been schooled to schooling & as a rider it's great to see the change in them gradually & really shows the benefit & point of schooling even if the horse is never going to be super pretty. One of my regular rides had never been schooled before he came to my RI. I rode him off and on from pretty much as soon as he arrived & it's actually been really rewarding to see the change & feel a bit involved in it - he was used mainly for hunting iirc - and of course still enjoys going out & about but has really become pretty good at schooling as well.. An ex hunter should be pretty good for hacking?

No wonder she wants you to get a working livery!

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Schooling is bloody boring. Round and round and round.

There is an Arabic saying

The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears.

You won't find that on a lunge.

[EMUZ]

Ah you see I love schooling - but on my own not on a lunge

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Horses for courses

Whoops - should I be on the cliche thread?

[EMUZ]

Quite possibly
I just love the feeling of when I get it and its so hard to explain. Like there's all this amazing power but I can just sit and do nothing and its all perfect. When it's like that I feel like Carl Hester just so lovely when they are light in the hand and you can feel how much power is coming through from behind and their back lifts and ...
Although I enjoyed playing bare back today and doing nothing except wandering round with no reins

[saintlyjimjams]

Yes I feel like that Emuz. When I feel the horse moving correctly - especially in lateral work - I love it. I may only get it briefly but it's such a buzz when it happens. And usually it's towards the end of the lesson and I realise why we've done all that preparation up to asking for the more difficult stuff - the moment it comes together is such a reward.

[EMUZ]

Definitely I grin like an idiot when it happens and then daren't move in case it goes wrong! You feel like you're part of the horse rather than sat on top. Was lucky enough to experience piaffe and passage on a riding holiday and that was incredible

[saintlyjimjams]

Yes exactly - that's it - you feel part of the horse. I spent the first 20 years of riding (off and on) climbing on horses and heading straight out to the moors - my understanding of actually moving a horse was completely limited, & I did no schooling I didn't even really know why people did it. I get such a buzz from it now - still enjoy the occasional moor gallop but love (trying) to work in precision with a horse. And I do find the schooling moves useful out hacking as well.

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

How tall/heavy are you? We have an older school master in 13.1, probably a highland cross looking for a home!

[WillowKnicks]

She's 10st 5 & 5ft 4" Saggy

[burberryqueen]

hacking out will help find your seat

[SaggyOldClothCatPuss]

That's perfect! He's a lovely pony!

[lovebeansontoast]

And take 50bales up on her lovely offer. You will have fun!!

[stillstanding51]

I've been lurking for ages and have had to join just to give you my experiences. I've just started riding after about a 30 year break. only ever at riding schools so lessons and the occasional hack.
I ride at a lovely place where they offer ladies hours and the emphasise is on having fun while encouraging each other, but still learning while having a laugh.
I started my ladies group in march and today have just cantered the whole large school without stirrup(intentionly) and was laughing the whole way round.

It sounds to me like your instructor should lighten up a bit. Its meant to be fun.... Isn't it???

Maybe a small group lesson with others might help???

[Pixel]

God yes, even though I'm frequently terrified my RI still manages to raise a grimace smile from me and make sure I always end feeling more positive than when I started. Sometimes when it all goes wrong you just have to laugh about it and then have another go, not be left feeling it's a disaster and you are never going to get any better.