# English riding lessons.



## miss_thenorth (Apr 10, 2010)

DD and I have decided that she is going to take some english lessons. So far, the closest I can find ( but I am still looking) for lessons is 50 minutes away, cost $20/hour.  Haven't checked her out yet, as I think it is too far away.

Second option is having someone come here to teach on our horses.  but she is also  50 minutes away, charge is $25/hr, plus some gas mileage.  haven't contacted her yet either. I have just started looking for instructors)

My questions are, would it be a good idea or a bad one for dd to learn on our horses?  also, how far would you drive for lessons, and what is a reasonable amount to pay for them.  and also, what should I/she expect from lessons.  

Dd is already very sure in the saddle, but a western one, and she has ridden in an english one a bit, but wants to get more comfortable, and then she wants to jump.


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## freemotion (Apr 10, 2010)

I would suggest that you do both....get lessons on experienced horses to learn how to jump with confidence, then get some lessons on your own horses as you teach them how to jump (guessing they are not trained to jump....or are they?)

Last series of lessons I took, I paid someone to trailer my horse an hour away ($50) and paid $80 for the lesson.  Of course, the trainer was an upper level dressage trainer, as I was getting serious with my dressage and showing.  It was worth every penny.  I spent many years stuck at a low level because I was trying to save a few dollars on lessons.  A $130 lesson was worth far more than a dozen of the $40 lessons I'd been taking.  Remember, though, that I am in a very expensive area.

When I lived in Maine, I would trailer up to 7 hours to get good lessons, and had to stay overnight.  To save money, sometimes I would just drive myself and use one of the instructor's horses.  I would stay for a week with my horse and ride every day, or when by myself, I'd drive down, get a lesson, stay over, get another lesson the next day and then drive home.

So to me, 50 minutes at $20 is a bargain, and so is $25 plus mileage to have the instructor come to you.  Here, the instructors will only travel if you have a clinic with several lessons in a row.

You will have a lot of fun learning new skills with your horses and having fun with your dd!  I envy you!


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## miss_thenorth (Apr 10, 2010)

Well, I guess that is good to hear.  The one who will drive here, I will keep her in mind after we learn the english.  

No, our horses have never jumped before.  My horse--all he ever did was western,-- barrels, pole bending etc  DDs horse is 4, and hasn't done anything but trail riding under western saddle.  So for now, I guess i will look for local english trainers--anything I should look out for when seeking out a good trainer?


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## michickenwrangler (Apr 10, 2010)

When I was in high school, my trainer kept switching barns (long story) and so I kept switching barns to stay with her. We started off driving about 20 minutes, then over 1 hour, then 1 hour, then over 1 hour (just down the road from place #2) then 25 minutes (right down the road from place #1). She charged me about $20 an hour and when I got older, $15 an hour because I had a driver's license and helped haul kids and horses to horse shows for her.

From where I board now, some of us drive down to Frankenmuth for lessons with dressage and/or jumping trainers which is about 1 hr 15 min away. Prices range from $30/hr to $100/hr.

I'm of the opinion that the more horses you ride, the better, especially if you're an intermediate-ish rider, which it sounds like your daughter is.


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## patandchickens (Apr 10, 2010)

The best way to become a good rider and good horseman is to ride lots of different horses, starting on well-trained ones. I.e, go to a good lesson barn.

However if there are particular issues with your daughter's particular horse that she wants to work out, and/or if she is not really interested in riding in *general* just in punting around with this particular horse, then having someone come to your house is arguably the better idea.

_Both _would be ideal, but of course we don't usually live in an ideal world <g>.

Even if she goes to a lesson barn, before starting any sort of jumping work, including crossrails, on her own horse, it would be real real smart to have someone come to YOUR farm at least a few times and start the horse o/f for you, or at least direct your daughter as she introduces it to the horse. Just to make sure things start out the right way.

IMO the most important two things to look for in an instructor are (in no particular order) that she has a good sense of safety and that you get along well with her style of teaching. It is helpful if she also teaches good correct riding and sensible horsemanship, but this is going to be real hard for you to evaluate ANYhow so you may as well just worry about safety and personality-compatibility 

Good luck, have fun,

Pat


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## freemotion (Apr 10, 2010)

I think a great way to evaluate an instructor is to watch a lesson unannounced.  So they don't know who you are and that you are evaluating them.  Better yet, watch from where they don't know they are being watched.  There are some pretty abusive trainers out there.

Also try to watch the trainer riding, and make sure you like the way he/she handles the horse.  Make sure it is something you aspire to.  But remembering that you may catch them riding a very difficult horse, so try to watch one that is reasonably well-behaved but green, or one of the horses that the trainer is showing.

Then ask around among the professionals....farriers, vets, etc.  They usually know a LOT about who is good and who is not.  If you ask enough people, certain names will come up over and over, and that is who you call.

I went with a friend to a new trainer. When the friend was getting her horse ready, the trainer went to grab her sweet little dog that was running loose.  She caught the dog and smacked it a few times, yelling and swearing at it, then threw it into a cage.  She knew I was watching.  I told my friend, and we both wondered what she would do when no one is looking if she was willing to let me see that behavior!  And she is a Grand Prix dressage rider and trainer.  Wow.  Ok, that is an extreme example, but it is not the only one like that that I've come across.  It is far better to take a litttle time now in finding someone than to deal with the jerks.  Both types are out there, and a good trainer can make riding SUCH a pleasure!


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## patandchickens (Apr 11, 2010)

freemotion said:
			
		

> I think a great way to evaluate an instructor is to watch a lesson unannounced.  So they don't know who you are and that you are evaluating them.  Better yet, watch from where they don't know they are being watched.


The problem with this is that it is only possible at *giant* lesson barns. Which are often not the best place to take lessons anyhow, and certainly do not make up the majority of places to take lessons.

In any other setting, I would not TAKE lessons from someone so oblivious that they did not notice a strange person standing around 

Asking around for peoples' opinions is IMO a good way of weeding out some REALLY BAD instructors, but that'll still leave a large pool to choose from. And one person's idea of good training, or a compatible teaching style, is often not the *next* person's idea of those things. So I think the bottom line is really your gut reaction to the instructor.

JMHO,

Pat


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## miss_thenorth (Apr 12, 2010)

Thanks.  I have found a few new barns that offer lessons and will be getting in touch with them shortly.  I also think it would be good for dd to take lessons on another horse, so I think we will go that way, and then once she knows what she's doing, have someone come here and help her with her horse and get them started.


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## ducks4you (Apr 12, 2010)

Here's MY 2 cents worth.  
When I taught riding lessons, I would make an appointment for my inquiries to come and watch a lesson to see if my style of teaching suited their needs.  It's YOUR money, and you deserve to treated like a valued customer.  I am also an educator (certified K-9, and endorsed in almost all MS subjects), and speaking as such, your riding instructor should be flexible enough to help you push through any difficulties.  Much as many here would blanche to imagine, I DID have a few students that had trouble learning to post a trot.  I also had some hard-handed students.  For them, I made a 2nd set of reins from baling twine, tied it to the bit, took OFF their gloves and had them hold THESE reins around their pinkies. THEN, they felt the horses head movement, and lightened up.  This is the kind of creativity you are looking for.  Make yourself a list of priorities--doesn't matter what's most important, since this is YOUR list--cost of lessons, travel time, indoor/outdoor facilities,cost of equipment (do you have to buy breeches, boots, helmet, gloves, crop BEFORE your begin, etc.), can you rent a horse to practice sometimes?, leasing opportunites, and so on.  You can use Excel to make a master list.  Take it with you and fill it out.  Visit several places and take your time with your decision. Doesn't mean you can't take a month's worth of lessons at some place, while you shop. That's another thing:  payment schedule.  When I taught piano, I worked with a man who pointed out that if you take lessons on the same day of the week, you will have 5 lessons every third month.  A LOT of private teachers will tell their students that they get a free lesson that month.  Technically, that's true--just thought you'd like to know that if you buy your lessons by the month, if works out that way.


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## miss_thenorth (Apr 12, 2010)

My goal, since it is my money,   is to get her up to a canter in the english saddle before she goes for the lessons.  Reason being, that way when she goes for the lessons, she's already got a firm grasp of the english style.  I have a friend who only rides english, who can help her with her form,, and then when she feels comfortable, she'll go for the lessons and they will push through any areas she needs work on, and then get to the jumping.  That way I don't have to pay for someone to say "keep your butt down! )

So , as far as gear, for just lessons, is she gonna need britches etc.  Of course she has the saddle, bridle, normal helmet and boots--but no crop.


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## michickenwrangler (Apr 12, 2010)

Depends. I began riding in jeans and only when I began jumping and starting to get serious did I school in breeches. Even when I showed Class A and dressage, I usually schooled in jeans. Breeches or riding tights make it easier for instructor to see leg position and the suede/clarino on the knees make it easier to grip a leather saddle. Full seat breeches are mainly for dressage or gaited trail riders (people who need to keep their butt in the seat) and are actually a detriment to posting and jumping (too much friction).

A nice pair of riding tights or breeches can run from $20-50 dollars for nice brand names. Of course, some German and European made breeches can run upwards of $400, but only ruch people who like to show off get those. Even trainers I've met showing at Prix St. George and Sport Horse Nationals stick with more reasonable priced gear.

Breeches or jodhpurs may help to get her in the right mindset and again can help with her form but if you want to stick with jeans, then go right ahead. Breeches or tights can also help prevent saddle sores since they don't have an inner seam.


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## patandchickens (Apr 12, 2010)

Enh, IMO if you are pretty sure you're going to sign her up for lessons, you are better off *waiting* on the canter thing. Aids for canter are particularly, uh, idiosyncratic to a particular trainer/barn/system/etc. No point in getting her doing something the instructor is just gonna correct her for 

Whether she needs breeches is just dependant on the particular lesson program. Most don't require it for beginners, just well-fitting pants (not baggy) and boots (usually at least ankle-high) with a heel. I would suggest also staying away from very tight breeches or tight "tights" or even just tight jeans, as it interferes with the proper alignment of the muscles for a good seat and good aids. 

She won't need a saddle for lesson-barn lessons - they are unlikely to let her use it, as yer better grade of instructors are *very protective* of their valuable lesson horses' backs, with the lesson horses having their own saddles that fit each of them well.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat


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