SchoolMasters

Nookster

Nookster

Active Member
Oct 21, 2002
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From PatchyPonys thread asking us to describe certain words/terms used around horses the one I pick up on the most is the term 'Schoolmaster' and how it is interpreted very differently.

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1515774#post1515774


I personally interpret is as

Educated and experienced horse. Sometimes in all disciplines, sometimes in a chosen discipline.
I do not class a horse termed as a school master as suitable for ‘any’ rider sadly although the term schoolmaster makes them sound like a novice ride.

Schoolmaster for me is more the horse knows their job has done well at their discipline and can help a rider that knows how to ask correctly get further. If that makes sense.

Yet others always see a schoolmaster as a push button ride, a novices ride ?
 
i alays used to think of it as meaning a horse typical of your riding school patent-safety type. as bombproof as can be, suitable for complete novice. I realise now it doesnt always mean that...
 
I tend to think of it as a horse that when asked correctly and ridden well will perform well above novice level, but will also be safe and sure when a novice is on board
 
When I brought my fella I thought it meant that it was a good first horse for a novice, but he was advertised as 'confidence giving schoolmaster' and I was completly honest about my abilities. Only now do I realise that he is a school master because he knows exactly what he is doing (when I ask right!) and the confidence giving bit... well... lets just say he's hiding it well!
 
a schoolmaster is not a novice ride. its a horse that is experienced in a certain discipline, maybe an ex competition horse. for example a teenaged advanced dressage horse who no longer competes, but is used to teach other riders to reach this level.

so say riders learning to ride extended trot, half pass etc. not riders lreaning how to walk,trot etc.

however, they will be patient rides and not worry about mistakes the rider may make, such as confusing aids, they just wont preform the movment correctly, if it isnt asked for correctly.

however there is such thing as a riding school schoolmaster, which is a horse that a begginer can be put on for thier first ride. or a more exxperienced rider can get on and do a course of jumps on.
 
Agree with JoF and Vikki&Milo - I used to have regular lessons on a schoolmaster to help with my canter transitions.

I really learned a lot from him and although he could be a little spooky I felt totally safe on him and he did not seem bothered by my relatively novice riding skills.

I don't think I'm at the novice stage anymore but am still a novice when it comes to certain areas within riding.

Hansel was a fab teacher and when I got to watch my RI ride him to see what he could really do I was drooling!:)
 
Some I know, use the word to describe a horse that will teach any rider and is safe and a novice ride, personally I see a schoolmaster as a horse that excels at its' discipline but only with an experienced rider. It's capable of teaching an experienced rider more, but it has to be asked in the right way else it will not respond and may misbehave. I see most schoolmasters as being established horses but they are usually sensitive.

For example, my friend had a retired advanced eventer on loan. He taught him one h*ll of a lot but you had to ask him correctly because otherwise he dumped you. He went round advanced courses when he was younger, but would dump people at 2ft fences and bolt around the arena if he wasn't ridden correctly. He was a schoolmaster but certainly not a novice ride.
 
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