To think an instructor should... instruct ??

[basejump]

I am a basically competent rider who has benefited from some good, if pretty strict, teaching in the past. From time to time I join group lessons at a riding school, mostly for the saddle time. There is a lot to like about the place, all the horses get turnout etc. and they generally seem happy in themselves. One or two are nicely schooled and responsive, most are unbalanced in one way or another and need a sympathetic rider. My problem is with one instructor who "teaches" the so-called Advanced group and just ignores really, really poor, ineffective and 'loud' riding. I mean cartoon levels of bad. Grinding, windmilling, kicking when it's just not necessary etc. I would have had several strips ripped off me in my younger days if I'd tried any of that - not to mention most likely bucked off. These ponies are total saints and tune it out, but it's awful to watch. Also the riders don't get actual teaching so don't know any better and will never learn - unless one day they try that shit with a different kind of horse and get flattened. I don't understand it. It's not a BHS place so maybe that explains it partly. Do I say something ? Do I just not go again ?

Hmm, well I'm very old and increasingly grumpy and one of my old lady rants is the increasingly inconsistent level of teaching at riding schools in the UK these days, so you'll get me right on my hobby horse now (about all I'm fit to ride these days anyway 😂). Note I don't say 'poor' quality as I think there are some really excellent teachers out there, not just teaching pros and competitive riders but really brilliant at all levels including beginners, nervous adults, special needs kids - I see some of this on a daily basis at my livery yard and have had the benefit of being in the same place under the same ownership for 20 years now so can make a reasonable comparison. And you can't forget that there has always been some quite poor teaching going on too, some of the downright cruelty and bullying (towards ponies and children) that went on 30 years ago would never fly now. But what I would say is that the average and below average teacher is now significantly worse standard than your average one of 25 years ago. Trouble is a lot of them just don't really have the skill or, truthfully the interest, for teaching, they're often excellent riders who teach to fill a gap and earn money, and boy it shows. I feel like where your historic couldn't-really-be-arsed teacher would flog the whole group round some brutal drill exercises over cavalettinwith your arms crossed and no stirrups yelling 'heels down' indiscriminately, which at least would do something for your flexibility and fitness if nothing else, now it's either follow my leader to a set pattern for the beginners or for the 'advanced' class you work in open order aka do whatever the hell you like while the teacher sits on the block looking at their phone or gossiping, offering very little by way of constructive feedback, maybe a half-hearted 'get him going forward' or 'needs more bend' without much by way of idea how to achieve that. And as for the more advanced kiddies, or kids group jumping, I can barely stand to watch some of the lessons at my yard (again I say some, some teachers are good) for the amount of kicking, flapping, mouth hauling, neck leaning, cantering round and round on the wrong lead totally out of balance that is tolerated, nay encouraged so long as the kid makes it over the jump...

What to do, I'm afraid long experience has taught me that feedback to teachers of this kind is rarely welcome or acted on - particularly as in this instance it's a double whammy of critiquing your fellow riders and the teacher. Maybe if there's a very sympathetic yard owner / manager you could very gently and constructively suggest what you prefer to see but TBH I'd leave it and just avoid that class - is there a different group you can try? Or privates? Back in my group jumping days I much preferred one teacher's 'novice' class where we barely even went above 50cms but got brilliant position and style feedback to another's 'advanced' where we may have jumped 80-90 but it was all out of control teens falling off and 'hit him' if your (probably sour or sore) horse stopped...

I can see no point in saying anything and surely the fact that these obviously poor riders have made it into an advanced class says all you need to know about the riding school .

C'mon, be real, these people were not waiting for someone to point out they're doing their jobs wrong before turning it all around.

@maxelly Well I'm very glad it's not just me !100% recognise everything you describe - down to the cavaletti/arms folded 'olden days' CBA instructors. I owe a lot to those ..Yes it is good that the bullying that sometimes went on wouldn't be tolerated now, but seems very unfair that kids who don't come from horsey families, like I didn't, are more likely to get poor teaching nowadays. I have had some privates at this place which were good enough so will prob keep my mouth shut and stick to that. The owner does seem very nice but as you say people don't usually welcome this kind of feedback.

@Timeshavechangedcertainly I am real. The comfort and welfare of horses matters to me very much, so it sucks to watch borderline abusive riding going uncorrected. I don't really care what the instructors are or are not waiting around for.

Yeah. You just wont actually materially change anything for the horses, because the insyructors wont have it. If someone walked up to you and suggested you do your jpb better you cant tell me youd say oh thanks and unquestioningly implement it 🙄 you sound like you havent been on earth long or something

You don’t think that’s perhaps unnecessarily combative, @Timeshavechangedcertainly ? If we see unsatisfactory behaviour, sometimes it’s important to speak up, even if we don’t expect a good reaction.

I think its a fraction of what you'd get in real life but if yoi're prepared for a really negative reaction then go for it