Have you ever seen

newforest

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
31,415
16,557
113
Your instructor/ trainer ride?

I have seen mine teach because it was through the local riding club that our paths met. She was reasonably priced because she hadn't at that time finished her qualifications.
I did my exams through her and we just seemed to gel even though at that time I was very much in nh camp with my own. (I had to borrow a horse that wore a bit for the exam, shorten up my reins and tell my bum a treed saddle was comfortable!)

But, I have never seen her ride a horse. I don't feel I need to because I like her gentle but firm if necessary thinking. She isn't going to ask me to do anything I wouldn't already.
She hasn't ridden the cob, her view is she teaches me and I feel and feedback. If I really really struggle the chances are I will be off and doing it on the ground.
I can't ride a leg yield, but I can longrein it, don't ask. It's just how it is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom
Yep. I have 3 instructors.

1. Head instructor. She schools horses and I see her ride pretty much every day.

2. Dressage instructor. Choosy about who she gets on (older lady with lots of joint probs). She got on my boy and showed me what he was capable of.

3. My kids’ (and my first) instructor. Said about 5 or 6 times “I would love a go on him” About my boy. So I told her to stop being ridiculous and get on. So she did. And said “I’m soooooo unfit!” Afterwards. :p:D
 
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom
I'm a bit funny about an instructor I haven't seen ride or isn't willing to get on if I hit a roadblock. Last time I rode under one I hadn't seen was over 10 years ago at a camp, but she had an exceptional competition record and my trainer rated her enough to bring her in from Canada to teach us :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom
Yes, my old RI used to ride Raf occasionally if I was struggling with something to get a feel for what he was doing and what he responded to - with him being young and me being very novice, neither of us knew what we were doing so it helped to have one person who did! Current RI works on the yard and rides and trains the young horses, she also has her own horse who she events and we sometimes go to watch, so I am in absolute awe of her riding abilities. I'm also impressed with her teaching skills. My old RI was about my age and used to be a police horse/rider trainer in her day job and as a RI especially focused on rider confidence and enjoyment. My current RI is the same age as my eldest son and much more technical with her teaching, so I thought she might be less people sympathetic. However I've watched her giving my 9 year old neice, who has Aspergers, a couple of lessons on Raf and she was absolutely brilliant with her (so was Raf btw). That impressed me even more than her riding skills.
 
She's a bhsii. Competed BE, BD, and BSJA. But for me its her as a person I need to gel with. Being able to do something is no good if you can't communicate.
She teaches all ages, disciplines and abilities- I fit in nicely then.

She teaches the pony club and has worked at various riding schools, I just haven't given it a thought to go watch. Maybe I will this year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom
Yes, my instructor events and I've watched at events including some big ones like Gatcombe. She has a 2 smaller type horses she's rides so was great with my old pony and totally got him. She also evented him herself as I wanted him to have a better dressage score on his record than I could of got. Now with new horse she understands her too, although thinks she's crazier than she actually is. But did say there's not many horses she'd want to hunt but she would Lottie. She also understands that I don't want to do flatwork and doesn't push that kind of work which I'm grateful for. She's not ridden her as I don't let anyone else ride Lottie.
She will ride your horse for you and I know people that ask her to get on before the do, can be because of nerves or something they want particular help with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: horseandgoatmom
I'm a bit funny about an instructor I haven't seen ride or isn't willing to get on if I hit a roadblock. Last time I rode under one I hadn't seen was over 10 years ago at a camp, but she had an exceptional competition record and my trainer rated her enough to bring her in from Canada to teach us :)

I had that happen with a trainer for Andi and me.
"Oh I can't get on here this is just a back yard round pen" and on and on and ON.

I TOALLY DID NOT FEEL SAFE WITH HER.
I took a couple lessons with her and ended up taking a couple more on Sonny. I needed work with ANDI AND ME
***************NOT SUNNY***************
I stopped that was a total waste of money.

Jeff was fabulous I found him thru my farrier who had another client with a trainer she was very happy with. That turned out to be Jeff.

The first day he did a little ground work a little lunge and longline and got on her.
They clicked very well.
Then he would come work and ride with her then I'd get on
and he would work with us.
it was a win win.

We went to lots of trails and parks together me on Sonny he was on Andi.
Sadly he does a lot of travel for work and is not that close
so we have not connected since I moved here.

The trainer I want to do western dressage (with Sonny) I have not
seen her ride. I have seen her work with Toni and Levi on groundwork.

It would be nice if down the road we would click for work with me and Andi.

I know and trusted Jeff would keep me safe and him riding her
he KNEW her ins and outs.
I do wish he were closer and more readily available:(:(.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jessey
My RI rides Ziggy for me every other week at the moment, helping him to learn how to carry himself better and round his back. She came with me when I was looking for other horses too and rode them all - she seems to be able to get any horse going nicely!

She is also a good teacher for adults. I like her a lot too and we get on well so it works all round.
 
My RI is generally fab - she doesn’t ever make you feel rubbish, even when you are! She is an accomplished dressage rider, but has been disabled on one side for many years now - her riding position looks awful due to her non-mobile leg, but she can certainly push a horse’s buttons. She is, however, about 6’2” and solidly built (not fat tho), so she can’t just get on anything as she would be too heavy. I have learned so much in the 2 years since I re-learnt to ride. She is helping us bring on our newly-bought Irish cob x which is a bit of an experience!
The down side is that her memory is awful - due to her medication and she doesn’t reply to messages for ages which can be a pain.
 
Just thought of a 4th instructor- Dressage instructor who comes every couple of months. I saw her get on a mate’s horse because she wanted to feel what he needed the aids to be in order to teach them, spent a long time with them both, by the end of it, seeing my mate just going round and round with a face-splitting grin because her boy was working so nicely.
 
newrider.com