Private vs group lessons

Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins

Well-Known Member
Oct 10, 2004
13,741
4,836
113
Visit site
I have recently come back to riding after a 2 year break to have a baby, and started with private lessons. I was having lots of fun and learnt so much - more than I ever did before. The problem is that they are so expensive and the yard don't offer half hour privates so I have to pay for a full hour. I decided to give a group lesson a try tonight and I am so dissapointed in the quality of it. There were 5 in the group and although I had fun, I didn't learn a single thing. It was with a different instructor, but my original instructor doesn't teach any group lessons that I can get to.

So, is it better to have one group lesson a week where I might not learn as much but get to ride more often, or one private lesson a fortnight, where I will learn loads but not get to ride that often? I can't entertain the idea of a loan or share as I just don't have the time at the moment, so it is lessons or nothing for me. What would you do?
 
I'd go for a private every fortnight I think....if you're not learning anything, you're going to enjoy it less ventually and start feling frustrated. IMO, on private lesson is equal to 2 or 3 group lessons, simply because it's all about you and not on someone elses problems, that might be irrelevant to you.

Good luck choosing :)
 
I must admit that I stretch myself financially & have one group lesson & one half hour private a week but I'm starting from scratch & have so much to learn so every moment I get to spend in the saddle is needed!

To kind of answer your question, at the stage I'm at I'd opt for 3 groups & 1 private a month but that's probably swayed by me being the newest starter & the worst rider in the group so I'm always picking up things. I'd then use the private to go through the things I'd learned in the group lesson in more detail.

Is it not worth giving the group lesson another go? - maybe it was a one off in the quality department. Is there an alternative group lesson held by a different instructor or maybe a group for more advanced riders?
 
Private lessons are great to learn in but I think you also just need "saddle time" to practice what you have learnt. Group lessons are good for practice but also for learning to handle a horse with other horses around - they behave differently!

I usually have one private and one group lesson each week - but if you can only afford one per week, have a private one week and a group the next.

Different RIs are also a good idea as they see different things.
 
I'd go for group lessons, but only if the group are a good laugh & you get on well with them. I'm a lazy ass but quite competitive so I tend to work a lot harder in a group, and if someone else manages to do something I get very determined to acheive it too. cwb makes a good point - getting a horse away from it's mates & being able to maintain some sort of control and attention from it can be quite a challenge!
 
I just started back riding after a long gap about 6 months ago along with my friend. We had a few semi private lessons - just the 2 of us to get back into the way of it. We have definately made good progress. Have now started group lessons and find them very limiting in what they can teach you (I have 8 in my group). However, that said it is fun and agree that it is good to get experience with other horses near you. The other riders seem to be friendly - only had a couple of lessons with them so not got to know them yet.

I plan to take the occasional private when finances allow to concentrate on specific skills i.e jumping. It is also a good chance to get some constructive critisim - something I think a RI would be reluctant to do in a group lesson. At the end of the day nothing beats one to one for learning but if you have come back to riding for some time to yourself and for fun then I think a mixture of both is best bet. After all there is no hurry.

Well done for getting back into the saddle so soon after your baby! My daughters are 9 & 10 - it took me a bit longer. Of course now they know that I am going they want to start too. They have their first lesson on Sunday. Looks like my Private lessons will be few and far between.:(
 
I do one private and 3 group a month. But im getting really sick of my group ones as its a bit of a mix of abilities sometimes. After having a private lesson i went back to the group lessons and thought what am i doing here! In the private lessons i was doing things i wont ever do in group lessons. I rode so much better! But finances are a factor.
Id work out how much yuo have to spend a month and split that as best you can. Even one group a week then one private then one group etc.
 
i have taught many people this week (with it being half term) that normally ride in a group lesson however have had a half hour private or semi private, because they are getting my full attention for the whole time and the whole arena to work in they do benefit more, the need to work more to get their horses to work as there is no one to follow and also if they make a mistake or have a wobble in the saddle they dont mind as no one else is there.

i used to have semi private lesson with a amazing RI when i lived in glasgow and i used to think i was dying by the end of it as i worked so much harder then in a group lesson and i felt like i was getting my moneies worth
 
Mary Poppins,
I was wondering how you were getting on and have only just found this thread. I've recently gone to a different RI too.
Is there any way you could have a private lesson once a fortnight, with the great RI one week and have an inexpensive hack the next? Or go on riding your friend's horse which I think you did once or twice.
I don't think it worth paying for riding lessons in which one isnt learning anything much.
 
Mary Poppins said:
There were 5 in the group and although I had fun, I didn't learn a single thing. It was with a different instructor, but my original instructor doesn't teach any group lessons that I can get to.
Click to expand...

The problem may not have been the group lesson but the instructor as a good instructor should be able to make sure everyone in the lesson learns something new or improves their skills. It may worth trying a different group lesson with another instructor or perhaps you are in the wrong level class and need a more advanced group.

Personally I love group lessons I had a few private to get my youngster going well enough to join a group lesson eg canter a 20 meter circle and since then we have both improved loads. Our instructor is great and we work in open order as well as in a ride so can work on individual issues which will vary depending on the horse and rider combination everyone except me rides school horses. I find I can learn alot from watching others and find it less intense which suits my pony and me. He's really competitive so if he sees another horse doing something he has to prove he can do it better!
 
Thanks everyone for your responses. You have given me lots to think about.

I have decided to give another group lesson with a different instructor a try. I have been thinking about it and I think that it was more the instructor that I didn't gell with rather than the theory of group lessons. Maybe I was expecting too much, but I thought that the instructor would at least come and talk to me for a few minutes to ask about my previous riding experience and what I wanted to get out of the lesson. I felt totally ignored and the only advice I got was to hold my whip upwards so that my horse was more forward going. I was riding at a new school with a new group of people and I just felt like I was in the way.

I found it really upsetting to be honest as afew years ago I used to ride every day and take it for granted. Now my riding time is so precious I really want to get the best out of every second I ride. My next lesson is on Wednesday so I will let you know how it goes. I really hope that I enjoy it more. My lovely husband has said that we can afford a private lesson once a week if the group ones don't work out, but I feel guilty that I am spending the family savings if I do that. There is so much demand on our money at the moment and I really want to find the most enjoyable but economical option for riding. I am limited in my choices as I go back to work soon and really want to ride somewhere in the evenings when my little boy is sleeping.
 
I would look round for another place to ride in a group. I believe you could do better. Stick with the instructor for the private and find somewhere else for a group lesson. I believe group lessons are excellent if well run by a good instructor. You can learn a great deal by watching and listening to others being given tips during the lesson.
 
I've only been riding since October and until recently only had group lessons but now I'm doing a mix of group and semi-privates (only 2 of us). I think there are huge benefits that can be taken from both types. As a beginner in a group it allowed me the time to evaluate what I had just ridden without having to move straight onto the next exercise, and reduced the pressure of 'being in the spotlight' (although I swear my RI has eyes in the back of her head:eek:). They are also great confidence building exercises as it showed me that I wasn't the only one who had problems. In the semi's I have done, the RI is much more focussed on me for the majority of the time and will work on specific areas that need improvement. The lesson will be built around that specific need and there is a lot more talk about what I am feeling physically with regards to position and about the response from the horse. The things I have learned in my semi's have really helped in the group lessons and vice-versa. The group lessons have improved all areas of my riding on a slow and steady basis (ok so sometimes I do go backwards:rolleyes:) whereas the semi's have made significant improvement on specific individual areas. I've also found that the same horse can behave very differently in the two types of lesson, I needed to experience both. I like having the mix of group and semi's, I think if I had only privates or even semi's then it would be too much for my head to take in. Plus the fact its a good laugh in the groups and I have met some lovely people through them. However, more important than anything IMHO, I believe that you must feel comfortable with your instructors and trust them. Keep trying different combinations of group/private/different RI/different RS and I'm sure you'll find one that suits you.

Pam
 
I have my own ponies so dont have this problem anymore, and i have a freelance instructor, and i dont have to worry about the finance side but....
I much prefer private lessons. You don't grt so worried about not being as good, holding the class up...and the insturctor is always there to constantly make sure you're doing what your doing right. Also, unless you have a bad instructor, you don't get pushed too fast and can jusrt have 'saddle time' working on what you've learnt, it isnt one lesson your working on trotting on the bit, next lesson they assume you can do that and get you cantering on the bit...its at your pace, which i prefer.
I used to have group lessons when i was younger and before i got my own pony (with private ones when i lost ocnfidence and stuff) and well the tteaching wasnt great at the riding schools anyways( it was good for learning basics), so that sort of infuences my opinion. one had a ncie idea in that they assesed you so you were with people of a similar ability, but we were all too busy being cocky little 7 year olds to learn anynthing. I also found i learnt more private a tthat age too.
Is there another riding school near whic is cheaper of does half hour private lessons? orr are you able to disuss doing a half hour private lesson with them?
Otherwise mabye have as someone said, 2 group lessons month with a private lesson in between? Or a cople private lessons with a cheap hack between so you have saddle time?
or do you have any friends with horses?
 
This thread helped me some too. I have had the same sort of issues.. weighing out my RI, as well as private vs group. I started with privates and moved on to groups and stayed with that until recently. I was unhappy for 3-4 group lessons. A lot of things previously mentioned, not getting the RI's attention, feeling ignored, even unsafe at times since others in the class were less experienced and ran into issues with their horsies. During my last group with old RI, started to determine it was possibly my RI that ws the issue, rather than the setting. With that being said, I am starting over at a new stable with a new RI, in 1/2 hour privates. MaryPoppins, I can relate to watching the $ and I cannot take every lesson a full hour of privates.. but am starting out with 1/2 hour to see how I like the RI. My advice to you is decide whether you enjoy, relate to the RI you are working with first - then even see what they recommend for private vs group. The groups definitely help you all sorts of areas, bc you get to hear the RI's tips for everyone. Also very good to be in group setting with other horsies and control your own. But, the flip side is you lose the personal attention and focus that may necessary for you to enjoy your lessons. Good Luck!
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back