Does anyone else still have riding lessons?

cider

New Member
Sep 28, 2005
179
0
0
59
When I got Cossack I had just started riding again after a break of about 10 years. I got him much quicker than I had anticipated getting a horse as my riding instructor knew his owner. I am absolutely fine walking and trotting him, but haven't really cantered for ages. We have an outdoor school at the livery yard where I am and we have an instructor who comes and gives lessons. But the problem is that the surface is quite deep and the vet has said it isn't good for his arthritic leg. He is fine on grass and is okay to hack out, but schooling puts a bit of strain on it. I feel quite rusty anyway as my riding has been a bit on and off since I've had him and my confidence isn't that good. So I was thinking of perhaps having some lessons at our local riding school on one of their horses just to brush up on my position and get used to trotting and cantering again. I am hoping this also may help with my confidence and help me deal better with his behaviour if he is naughty and nappy. Does anyone else with their own horse have lessons on a different horse?
 
I'm about to do the same. Had my horse five months and totally lost my confidence. Need to test my balance so I'm about to go get some lessons on a different horse while the weather is bad and I can't get out on my boy.
 
I plan to have a few lessons in the Summer with my daughter (baby class! lol) Just so i can get back into it :)
 
I don't have riding lessons, but I still go for driving lessons whenever I get the chance.
 
I've had Willow over a year now, and we go out and do all sorts of things together. I still have weekly lessons at my riding school though. I think it's good to try and keep riding different horses, so that you improve as a rider, rather than getting to know what works for your horse.
 
Funny you should mention having lessons on a different horse. OH was saying over Christmas that he would love some lessons back where we used to ride. Joe is no longer capable of schooling to any degree - ie, he can only do a little trotting and a tiny tiny bit of canter. OH was saying how nice it would be to brush up on his jumping position and have some jumping lessons as well as regular ones. Me thinks I know what to get him for his birthday this year! It does seem like a good idea tho, as he's thinking of getting another horse later this year - something that (touches wood) he can start jumping with again. (Poor Joe had to retire from his jumping career rather early on!!!)
 
I have as many private lessons as I can, always riding my own horse. It has worked wonders for my confidence and in building up a good relationship with Breeze. I found her difficult at first = she is the sort of horse that needs a confident rider - but as I love every minute on her now and our relationship has blossomed beyond my wildest dreams.
 
I love having riding lessons and always look for new places to try the odd lesson. I also lack a bit of confidence at times and find that in a riding school situation I feel safe and more motivated to push myself a bit further.

The best thing about horses is that there's always something new to learn and it the same with riding them. Just enjoy!
 
I have lessons on Rusty once or twice a week and every so often RI will suggest I have a lesson on one of her horses - ex. trotting on the lunge without reins to work on my position. Don't see a time when I'll ever stop having lessons!
 
I try to have a riding lesson once a week on my own horse :)

I think its great to keep having lessons, builds confidence and I don't think you can actually ever stop learning or improving:)
 
I have lessons on my own horse 2-3 times a week, which I love. I am so much more confident with a RI on the ground! It has really helped with Izzy as he had been out of work for 2 years when I got him and my RI said 'he was as supple as a plank of wood.' I covered his ears for that!

But now he is lovely and supple.

I am going to have some lessons on a RS horse for jumping and maybe some on the lunge.
 
I think that riding different horses is great, atlhough something that I am not very good at. I had a long term loan horse for 4 years, and hardly rode anything else and I found I was totally useless when I did. I went for lessons at a new riding school and totaly fell in love with one of the RS horses who I can do anything on, but as soon as I even think about getting on another horse I turn into a nervous novice and can't even walk! I would say go for it, don't get stuck riding the same horses like I do!
 
Mary Poppins, I'm opposite to that in a way. I find I am more nervous on my own horse than RS or trekking horses.

I think it's partly if something goes wrong on a RS horse you can just walk away and not ride it again. But if it's on your own horse you have to deal with the problem, which can be a bit scary.
 
Only have lessons on my own horses nowadays. When Peri was still climbing the ladder I did go and have some schoolmaster sessions on the piaffe and passage to brush up a bit before starting to teach her.

I've used both Peri and Tavia as schoolmistresses for friends to learn the higher level skills. Tavia is doubling up as a Para-dressage horse at the moment as a friend's youngster isn't ready for the open tests yet (she's grade IV so to be competitive the horses really need to be working at PSG level)
 
After 15 years of riding only my springy little Arab, I had a lesson last weekend on an Irish sports horse - WOW. Initially I felt like a ship out of water without my wee horse underneath me, but as the lesson progressed I realised that we were dealing primarily with MY riding whereas previously (on my own horse) lessons had been to improve the way she and I went together. I feel I got more from this lesson personally that I had from previous ones on my own horse. From a confirmed happy-hacker who previously avoided schools like the plague, I am now going back for more - can't recommend it highly enough.
 
Whilst Tia has been out of work, I've had the odd lesson and hack on a riding school horse, as I'm still learning anyway - having only been back riding for just over 2 years. Before she had time off, she and I were having lessons together, as she is also still learning, so it is a good way of us progressing together.

And like Tiga, I'm much more nervous on her than a RS horse! I'm absolutely scared to death about getting on her again, if I'm honest!
 
newrider.com