Progressing beyond novice as an adult without own horse

[smerlin]

Can it be done? I live in London and have been riding at a riding school for 2.5 years, taking a private lesson once a fortnight. Prior to that, I have ridden at schools over the course of 10 years but only over past 2.5 years have I been able to afford to go religiously 2-3 Times a month. Before that it was pretty on and off due to difficulty of finding decent instruction I could afford.

I have also done riding holidays for between 2-5 days of riding all day on several occasions which I love.

However I am frustrated at my lack of progression. I was learning to jump and starting baby steps in lateral work (leg yield) but have had to change riding school due to circs beyond my control and today I had a horse who refused to halt altogether- obviously saw me coming a mile off and thought he could take the p*ss but I am so frustrated- after all this time I still get this! How will I ever be able to ride a dressage test?!

Will I ever get better without loaning a horse? Has anyone become really good as an adult through riding schools or is there another way? I work FT and have a 3 yr old so sadly can't give every waking minute to horses (until I get DD into horses... he he he)

Any advice for someone who is desperate to improve would be appreciated!

By the sounds of it you've had one bad thing experience with a new horse, don't let it get you down. No matter how experienced you are it is always possible that you will come across a horse you are not sure how to ride or with whom you do not gel.

If your goal is to ride a dressage test, what's stopping you? Introductory tests are ridden in walk and trot, you don't even have to canter. All you need is the right riding school. Try one of the larger ones that might hold competitions on site and might allow you to loan a horse for the day. Some centres also do a loan a horse for the summer scheme. Alternatively Dressage Anywhere allows you to film your test and get it judged online. Book a lesson that includes working on that month's test, get a friend or the instructor to film the final effort and you're done.

Going forwards you can also look for a share horse which would allow you to ride 2-3 times a week.

Sharing would be a good way forward if you can manage it. There's always people who need help with money or sharing time/work.

Don't beat yourself up about the not stopping. A few years back when I was competing medium dressage successfully and training my horse to advanced medium at home I had a school master lesson on my trainer's horse. He wouldn't walk. Literally planted and refused to shift. She cried laughing and told me he had form for it. Basically he loved her best. I was perfectly competent but they aren't machines and some of them have a very warped sense of humour!

Thanks for advice everyone. There is a local FB group where the odd horse share is offered but every one I have seen says no novices so it's a bit tricky to get someone to allow me to ride their horse (even though obviously I would expect to make a contribution!)

I have tried about 5 stables in London (through living in different places rather than being a difficult so and so!) and it just seems so much £ for the limited progress I make. A lot of being shouted at from a corner as well!

Was thinking of putting riding school costs towards doing some periodic intensive riding courses instead to get more full on instruction ( although doesn't solve the problem of needing to ride regularly to train the muscles!)

Also laughing at the schoolmaster refusing to move! I need to develop a thicker skin!

If I were you I'd call up about shares and discuss the horse and your abilities with the owner. You don't sound like a complete novice but different people understand different things by the term and it is easier to discuss things directly. I think you have a good chance of finding a share - go for something that's a safe hack and then you can work on the flat work and jumping.

Yes I think you may struggle fitness wise if you don't ride at all for a couple of months and then go for a three day course.

Hi OP I'm in a very similar position.
I rode as a teenager (just riding school lessons) then didn't ride until I was 30-odd.

When I got back into riding I had a couple of lessons but then quickly looked for a share. If you do this be careful - I had people telling me their horses were "suitable for a novice" when clearly they weren't - one horse bolted with me during my test ride and another I didn't even bother to test ride as it was bucking and spooking with its owner
People have VERY different definitions of "novice" so if you look for a share ideally try to find one through people you know and trust or take an experienced person to ride the horse first and always always ask to see the owner ride it before you get on.

Anyway I ended up finding a safe horse to share, but he was only really fit for hacking, was stubborn as hell in the school. I shared the horse for a year or so and enjoyed it but I don't think it really helped my riding as I was just hacking and gossiping and didn't have any lessons (it really wasn't worth riding this horse in the school). Anyway I got a bit bored after a year or so of the same hack every weekend and ended the share.

Since then I've tried a couple of riding schools and I do enjoy it, BUT it's £60-£70 for a private lesson here (I tried group lessons and hated it).

I've not actually had a lesson for a few months as I got to the point where I started to question what I was trying to achieve - although I enjoy it I feel that for £70 per hour I need to get more out of it than just thinking it's a bit of fun, if that makes sense??

Also as I can basically ride, I got a bit fed up with sometimes riding horses that weren't necessarily the kind of horses I enjoy riding and yes I agree with being shouted at from the corner - some instructors are better than others!!

So I'm stuck in a bit of a rut. I like riding but not sure I like paying £70 a lesson when I'm not sure what my goal is.....

Can't realistically think about a share at the moment as I work crazy hours so have no free time.

I have booked at riding holiday at an excellent place I've been to previously and I'm looking forward to that.

Where are you in london and which schools have you tried out of interest?

I would not count someone who has had 2-3 lessons a month for the last 2.5 years, and over a decade of experience in total, to be a complete novice. I allow other people to ride my horse, as I have a job which takes me away from home and I keep the horses at home. I offer free riding in exchange for helping out while I am at work. Everyone benefits. If I was advertising, I would state no novices, because I need someone who can tack up unsupervised, who is comfortable on a horse and not petrified to hack alone, who can muck out and mix feeds (I leave instructions) and who can tell the difference between a horse in good health and one who needs attention - I don't require anyone to do anything complex but I would expect them to be able to call a vet without me telling them.

Over the years I've had people who have told me they were on some national schools team or some such thing but who visibly quaked when they saw my horse. They thought they were experienced, but I did not feel happy to let them loose on my horse. I've also had people returning to riding after many years off who have been rusty but confident and capable and they've been great. My current helper is doing amazing things with my horse, and she has only been riding at a riding school twice a month for the last few years.

My advice would be to either stick with the lessons - with the right instructor you ought to progress on a lesson a week. Or test the water with people offering shares. And remember that all shares are not equal - amimad would probably find my horse dull as ditchwater as he is uneducated in the school and finds it a turn off, he really only is fit for hacking.... and hunting and cross country where he is fucking awesome. But I wouldn't let someone who didn't appreciate his finer hacking points take him either hunting or XC! You can learn a lot out hacking, if you are doing it properly .

Meant to add that I am off to my discipline's national championships next month - all prep and schooling done out hacking. I also took a pony years ago to NPS Summer Champs where we narrowly missed out on qualifying for Olympia. All prep and schooling with her done out hacking too, we didn't have a school then.

Thanks again for the encouragement. I have started asking around re: shares, on local horsey FB group but nothing so far. Regardless of whether hacking or schooling, I would just like to get the involvement in the stable mgmt side of things as well as the chance for a bit of riding. I absolutely love hacking but do want to be able to ride better in the school so I can learn to jump.

On the positive side, went to a local tack shop today for some kit and had some advice from one of the assistants about other stables in the area that I was not aware of, that are also cheaper so could ride more often.

Under £40 an hour...

I am in SE London Amimad but am now going to try riding schools that advertise as N Kent rather than London as being in London (albeit a few miles out of Kent) seems to double the price!

I go to Trent Park, among others - there is a really good riding club on Wednesday nights which is split into two with plenty of open order lateral work. Might be worth a go? I've just done my Stage 1 course there and it was a fantastic confidence giver - they have some excellent instructors.