What would you do? (Stop lessons or not)

[GlassAnimal]

Interested in hearing some other views of what I should do in this situation.

I am currently having one lesson a week at a riding school which really doesn't feel enough for me. I had planned to look into buying but fell pregnant so the timing didn't work out! This is still something I plan to do when LO is a bit older and husband finally gives in and agrees 😅.

The riding school I'm at is a lovely place with an indoor and outdoor arena, good hacking, generally good instructors and generally just a nice atmosphere and somewhere I would hope to be able to keep a horse at in the future. However my issue is with the horses in the riding school and how they are very typical riding school horses. Sometimes they have horses on working livery and I do enjoy lessons then but when it's on the school horses I generally feel deflated and like I'm not really gaining anything from it.

I'm thinking through my options of what to do and I'm thinking

1. I just continue with what I'm currently doing which costs me £35 a week.
2. Find another riding school but my concern is I'll just have the same issues in a different place.
3. Stop riding lessons and put the money saved towards the potential horse fund but I don't want to not ride at all.

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? :)

[CJCreggsGoldfish]

Would loaning be an option for you?

[GlassAnimal]

@CJCreggsGoldfish

Would loaning be an option for you?

I've had a few part loans but not really enjoyed to be honest. I've found it difficult to find something that suits me but also suits my schedule as a lot of them are on DIY or set days and that doesn't work with my shift patterns

[Floralnomad]

What is wrong with the horses ? I only ask because I went back to riding school a few years back having not ridden for over 20 years and although I will admit the school I went to ( has closed post pandemic) was a bit different to the norm I didn’t find an issue riding any of the horses . I’m a very competent rider , have been a horse / pony owner continuously since the late 1970s ( despite not riding) and I found whatever I was on there was something I could work on . Are you in a group or private lesson as in the latter it gives more flexibility to work on what you want .

[GlassAnimal]

@Floralnomad

What is wrong with the horses ? I only ask because I went back to riding school a few years back having not ridden for over 20 years and although I will admit the school I went to ( has closed post pandemic) was a bit different to the norm I didn’t find an issue riding any of the horses . I’m a very competent rider , have been a horse / pony owner continuously since the late 1970s ( despite not riding) and I found whatever I was on there was something I could work on . Are you in a group or private lesson as in the latter it gives more flexibility to work on what you want .

Nothings wrong with them as such but I feel they burn out quickly. So for example they bought some young horses recently and I really enjoyed riding them but once they had gained enough experience they started being ridden in the children's lessons and for more novice riders and have since become more typical riding school horses and just want to follow the tail in front of them and are dead to the leg. I can still ride them but for what I want to be able to focus on they're not really suitable if that makes sense.
It's a group lesson, I was thinking maybe trying to go for private again but it's about £45 for 30 minutes and its difficult to book a regular lesson. I also like the social aspect of the group because none of my friends are horsey at all!

[XelaM]

Can you do both, i.e. continue with the group lessons if you like the school but also try to put money aside for your own horse? I know people say that prices are crazy at the moment, but actually you can find some cheap gems and ponies that are super expensive aren't always that great. Get someone knowledgeable to help you. If you need recommendations, I know someone in London who is brilliant at sourcing really great inexpensive horses.

[Pleasedontdothat]

Given how much horses cost a) to buy and b) to keep (even more!), could you afford to have your own if you’re not able to pay £35 a week for a lesson plus add to your horse fund?

Yes riding school horses aren’t the same as privately owned horses but that’s because they need to be safe and be able to put up with a wide variety of riders. However if you put a pro rider on even the most ‘dead to the leg’ riding school horse they’d be able to get a tune out of them. In your position I’d spend my ‘riding budget’ doing as many different things as possible - hacking, holidays, schoolmaster lessons, lunge lessons and improve my riding as much as I could before thinking about getting my own.

[GlassAnimal]

@XelaM

Can you do both, i.e. continue with the group lessons if you like the school but also try to put money aside for your own horse? I know people say that prices are crazy at the moment, but actually you can find some cheap gems and ponies that are super expensive aren't always that great. Get someone knowledgeable to help you. If you need recommendations, I know someone in London who is brilliant at sourcing really great inexpensive horses.

I could but I suppose I'm thinking is it a waste of time and money if I don't feel I get anything out of it

[GlassAnimal]

@Pleasedontdothat

Given how much horses cost a) to buy and b) to keep (even more!), could you afford to have your own if you’re not able to pay £35 a week for a lesson plus add to your horse fund?

Yes riding school horses aren’t the same as privately owned horses but that’s because they need to be safe and be able to put up with a wide variety of riders. However if you put a pro rider on even the most ‘dead to the leg’ riding school horse they’d be able to get a tune out of them. In your position I’d spend my ‘riding budget’ doing as many different things as possible - hacking, holidays, schoolmaster lessons, lunge lessons and improve my riding as much as I could before thinking about getting my own.

It's not the money that's the issue it's more it's a lot of money to spend on something that I'm not sure I get enough out of.

Completely agree and I have no issues with riding the horses they have it's just not really what I'm wanting.

I think my issue is I don't really enjoy riding other peoples horses for a variety of different reasons and I'm not sure whether I should just take a break all together until I'm in a position where I can buy my own or continue to ensure I don't get rusty

[MindHowYouGoes]

I think it’s perfectly possible to improve your riding on a school horse. I used to ride at a riding school and would spend my lessons working on giving the lightest aids possible for what I wanted. Eventually I got to the stage where I could control them with my seat and barely using my reins. Everyone else I saw riding them was using kicks and pulling so it’s no wonder they felt dead to the leg but each time I got on I was able to remind them what I wanted and it got easier. I m not a fantastic rider or anything, I just wanted to find a bit of a kinder way to ride.

its easy to ride a forward going, eager horse, much more challenging to get a bored horse doing the bare minimum to want to work with you.

[GlassAnimal]

@MindHowYouGoes

I think it’s perfectly possible to improve your riding on a school horse. I used to ride at a riding school and would spend my lessons working on giving the lightest aids possible for what I wanted. Eventually I got to the stage where I could control them with my seat and barely using my reins. Everyone else I saw riding them was using kicks and pulling so it’s no wonder they felt dead to the leg but each time I got on I was able to remind them what I wanted and it got easier. I m not a fantastic rider or anything, I just wanted to find a bit of a kinder way to ride.

its easy to ride a forward going, eager horse, much more challenging to get a bored horse doing the bare minimum to want to work with you.

Completely agree but I feel like I've done my time with riding school horses and would rather spend my time with something a bit more forward and responsive!

[Startingagainandagain]

If you have the time and money to keep your own horse go for it!

I think that school learning becomes a bit frustrating after a while: there is never enough time to learn and you do get quite a few horses who can't be bothered and are fed up with school work. Plus you never have the opportunity to really get to know your horse and bond with them.

Or maybe have a chat with your instructor and insist you want more forward horses or look at having a few more private lessons to push it as much as you can then get your own horse.

[twistyizzy]

In your situation I would look for a different riding school, preferably one that does BHS exams up to Stage 3 as minimum (Stage 4+ would be even better) as they will have a selection of more forward horses.
I would then look into 1 or 2 riding holidays at a good riding school where you can improve your riding eg Talland. Somewhere you will be challenged and improve.

[TheLurpackYears]

I'd look around for a different school.
I had a permanent loan pony as a child/ teen and she was absolutely spot on but as I got older I had some lessons at a yard that was run by a couple who produced eventers and did a few lessons. The horse I rode was there was their "schoolmaster" horse. He was fresh, responsive but also forgiving . He was a total world away from the horses at riding schools who the job of keeping customers safe day in day out.

[GlassAnimal]

@Startingagainandagain

If you have the time and money to keep your own horse go for it!

I think that school learning becomes a bit frustrating after a while: there is never enough time to learn and you do get quite a few horses who can't be bothered and are fed up with school work. Plus you never have the opportunity to really get to know your horse and bond with them.

Or maybe have a chat with your instructor and insist you want more forward horses or look at having a few more private lessons to push it as much as you can then get your own horse.

I don't currently have the time and money otherwise I definitely would! In a few years time that should be different though 🤞🏻

[GlassAnimal]

@twistyizzy

In your situation I would look for a different riding school, preferably one that does BHS exams up to Stage 3 as minimum (Stage 4+ would be even better) as they will have a selection of more forward horses.
I would then look into 1 or 2 riding holidays at a good riding school where you can improve your riding eg Talland. Somewhere you will be challenged and improve.

Riding holiday is a great idea! My cousin went on one recently and really rated it so I'm not sure why I didn't think about that! I'll have a look at some other riding schools as well. I'm not really sure if any in my area do bhs stages up to four but I'll have a look!

[Nevergiveuponyourdreams]

Group lessons are great for the social aspect but actually a private lesson is better as the instructor is focused on you and the horse you are riding. I ride in group lessons but recently have added a private and it’s actually great to finish 40 minutes later feeling that I’ve achieved some sort of progression in my riding skills.

[JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon]

Why not drop your lessons to fortnightly or monthly so you save money but keep your hand in and then use the spare cash to explore other places to ride.

You might find a school that has some more advanced horses or a place that does hacks that suits.

If you find somewhere you like better you could swap or you could carry on doing a mix until you can afford to buy or loan.

Look up places that do BHS stages and consider signing up for a course, they normally have more advanced horses and it would set you up well for ownership.

Consider a trip further afield somewhere like Talland or Ingestre to ride their school masters and get high quality tuition.

Maybe even save for a day drag hunting on a hireling.

[GlassAnimal]

Riding holiday seems like a really great idea so I'm going to look into that! I've had a look to see if there are any riding schools local to me that do bhs stages and it doesn't seem like there are any that do anything higher than stage one which is frustrating.
Thank you for the ideas guys that's been really helpful!

[GlassAnimal]

There actually only seems to be two bhs approved riding schools in my city which I am surprised at! One of them is the one I am currently riding at

[Roryhon]

On a totally unrelated topic, I would also look for somewhere else to stable your horse when you get one. I’ve never seen a riding school that I’d pick as a good yard.

[Gagagagagaga]

Find an adults only riding school, my friend goes to one that has lightly worked school masters, she said she can focus on her riding technique.

I have a share, 3 days a week so I can school or hack and it’s £60 a week for a lovely horse and a few jobs but not full commitment and it helps the owner out ensuring her horse gets ridden.

[GlassAnimal]

@Roryhon

On a totally unrelated topic, I would also look for somewhere else to stable your horse when you get one. I’ve never seen a riding school that I’d pick as a good yard.

The livery yard at the riding school is separate and from what I've seen/heard of it it is well regarded. It would certainly be one of my top choices compared to others that I've been to and heard of in the area

[Balloonhearts]

I'd try another school if possible. Where I ride the school horses are all either ex competition or currently competing so are generally fairly engaged and enjoy being used in lessons and being made a fuss of. A few can be lazy or a bit bored, mostly the semi retired ones but will come alive if you pick up a crop or try something different. There's a couple who are proper plods on the flat but are ex showjumpers so just light up at the sight of poles and think they're back at Royal International.

Ask if you can go out hacking or do some jumping or bareback or something if you want to stay where you are but a lot of schools will have horses who are a bit more switched on.

[maxelly]

I've been where you are and got a lot of put downs from horsey friends at the time when I'd complain about not enjoying the riding school lessons when I had a long spell without my own horse, I got a lot of comments along the lines of a good rider can get a tune out of any horse and you don't need a naturally forward going horse to improve your position and you don't need to be worrying about working on advanced manoeuvres if you can't get a sluggish horse to canter a circle etc, which despite it all being 100% true was quite annoying to hear at the time so I won't repeat to you. I totally get the thing about switched off riding school horses not being that much fun - I think it's particularly true if you only do group lessons and particularly particularly true if your teacher is a bit addicted to a set format and riding in 'closed order' ie all together as a ride, one by one canter to the back etc. It can be exhausting and demoralising trying to raise some responsiveness and energy from a horse that knows the score like the back of it's hand... I do think if you know the school has some nicer horses available you probably stand a better chance of being put on them if you have privates, particularly if you can book privates with the more senior instructors, as most schools put their old reliables in the group settings and keep the livelier/more advanced horses for privates under the beady eye of a someone experienced (that's how the nicer/more forward horses stay that way, because they aren't plodding round endless group sessions with beginners and getting into bad habits). It shouldn't be this way but a lot of schools are also more willing to listen to requests for particular horses from clients that have privates and therefore spend more, compared to someone that 'just' joins a group and pretty much takes what they're given (for very good reasons of course). If you like the social side of the group maybe alternate doing that and a private every other week?

I wouldn't give up lessons altogether though, you really want a level of fitness and confidence when you get your first horse which would be hard unless you ride reasonably regularly. £35/45 a week for a lesson is not really that much in the horsey scheme of things, in fact that would be considered something of a bargain round our way. Holidays are a good shout as are schoolmaster lessons, and maybe do some hacks too?

[GlassAnimal]

@maxelly thanks for that message! Yeah I agree it is possible to still improve on riding school horses but it's just not the same. I've had my own horses before but haven't since living in my current city/job so I know what I'm missing out on!
I think I'm going to go for some more private lessons alongside the group for the social aspect. I think what's brought this frustration on is that there was a lovely horse on working livery who I got to ride and was only kept for the more advanced adults but the owner is moving away with him. I did enjoy my lessons then.
I also currently have a horse that I ride for someone a couple times a week and that is mostly hacking but she's unfortunately on box rest at the moment :(