Lesson rant of sorts.

[HalfArabian]

Hi, I give lessons to a lady(sidebar: I don't give lessons as a full time gig, but I do have "training" in how to give lessons via the CHA). Well at first things were progressing great!(we worked 3 days a week). I had a suspiscion(sp) that was the only time the horses were getting worked, but let it go. Now we are not working as much and there is not as much progress. Also, if I mention the horse looks "nqr or a bit off" she seems put out. I think if they were rode more frequently they would be in better shape.

I guess my question is this; how would you address this with someone who is a bit sensitive and has had some riding fear in the past.(note: this is just someone who might want to go down the trail one day and is a recreational rider).

thanks,

KH

[partlycloudy]

I think your question is "How do I get this rider to ride between lessons?"

I used to assign specific 'homework' ie things to work on on their own between lessons. If you ask how the homework went, and they admit that they didn't ride the horse at all, then its time to ask 'Why not?"

If the reason is fear based (can't ride unless you are there to help her) well then, leave it at that and try to help her as much as you can in your lessons. Maybe you could do something like ride with her, that way she could have your watchfull eye present to give her confidence.

If the reason is just pure laziness, then just give your lessons, take her money and put your efforts into someone else who really wants to learn and improve.

[hellerkm]

It sounds to me like she is afraid to ride alone. does she keep her horses at home with no one else to ride with? if NOT then suggest she finds a buddy to ride with at the barn in between lessons. If she is home alone and scared she should not ride. Could you ride her other horse with her a few days a week , or tell her that she will not be making much progress if she cannot use the tools she is learning in lessons several times a week without you.
tough situation, sounds like a fear issue to me.

[slc2]

how will more riding fix lameness?

[gloriginger]

how will more riding fix lameness?

that's what I was confused about...

Also- I don't think I would say to the owner, your horse look NQR...

Perhaps try posing it as a question- does he feel funny to you..it's subtle but he seems to be favoring his left hind...lets try trotting him in the other direction? Yes he definitely looks a little off...

Why is the owner not progressing? I think you have to ask yourself that as the trainer- b/c seems to me that would be your job to figure out.

[coloredhorse]

You will need to accept that if you are teaching a recreational rider, your lessons may well be the only times they ride, particularly if there are fear issues. Those who ride strictly for "fun" may, at times, put aside riding in favor of other life pressures: work, family, weather, etc.

It can be frustrating from the teacher's point of view, but even a rider on a casual schedule will progress, albeit more slowly than one who rides between lessons and diligently works on "homework." For a fearful rider, try giving some unmounted homework -- physical exercises to address weaknesses/stiff areas in the saddle or mental exercises to build confidence.

As far as the "NQR-ness" of a horse, it is possible that the rider is so caught up in her own fear and the feelings that produces in her body that she truly cannot feel any irregularities. You can use this to your advantage; try to get her to focus on the rhythm of the strides, on feeling each leg, to distract her from any nerves. Don't even mention any "off-ness" you might see; just encourage her to feel and let her come to it in her own time, which will likely be a much longer period than you think it should be. Accept that, and believe that you can help anyway, and you will do fine.

[Minerva Louise]

Please do not make your agenda of progress at a certain pace overshadow what the student wishes to accomplish (fun with her horse?) I have experienced this from an instructor and it was disasterously counter-productive. I was upset in lessons, my horse knew it, he was upset too as a result, then he was resistant and she was pushing and pushing which resulted in my horse and myself becoming more and more resistant, and we rode less and less despite her emphatic ruminations that we must ride MORE. More than one ride ended with tears of anger and frustration on my part.

Interestingly, with time off for the horse and myself we are somewhat better but I do feel that my relationship with this horse was SEVERELY stunted by this instructor. I did not look forward to seeing him. He returned the same attitude to me.

We have moved to a different barn. He canters up to me in the pasture now when I go out to catch him! :) He is a character - you never know what he will get into next - his personality has blossomed! On my side of the equasion, I have not ended rides with anger in months now. I ride with my own agenda, no trainer and no instructor. I end every ride on a positive note.

[harveyhorses]

Can you ask things like 'how did he feel last time you rode?' If she is really not riding between lessons, it would be seriously frustrating for both of you.
You need some type of (well I know I do) agenda, whether it is to ride better, feel more centered, or jump a 3' jumper round. Some instructors and students just do not mix. I would suggest finding her a riding buddy.

[eponacowgirl]

Maybe you can offer to do a few rides a week on the horse so he is progressing and she can see how steady he is for you.

Most of my riders are similar. I'm lucky if they come to the barn twice a month, I ride their horses twice a week and give lessons as much as they can. There is no sense of progress, as in "we're ready for a show!" but seeing their personal victories (search for thread "VERY VERY VERY timid adult rider") and helping them become comfortable and safe on horseback is enough.

[rhymeswithfizz]

Please do not make your agenda of progress at a certain pace overshadow what the student wishes to accomplish (fun with her horse?)

Ditto.
Why don't you ask your rider what SHE wants out of her lessons? If she wants to progress at a certain pace, great, then you can suggest a few more rides with "homework" in between. If she is having fun doing what she's doing, then back off.

[HalfArabian]

thanks, all sound like great ideas! I guess I was expecting too much out of someone with fear and she might be afraid to ride alone. Also, wouldn't a horse that is in better condition not get as sore?(vs. one that is ridden infrequently) Maybe I am off base there?

tx,

K

[Minerva Louise]

What about the horse is getting sore? I have never, as a primarily recreational rider, been physically able to give a horse a ride that results in sore muscles for him without being immobile myself for a few days. Something is up if that is the case - or perhaps the reason she isn't riding on her own is she worked so hard in a lesson that she is so sore herself that she can't get on a horse for the next several days?

On the other hand, if the horse has an injury then more work is probably going to make that worse. Or is it sore feet? Does he need shoes?

I would say if the horse is getting sore then the lessons are too much for the horse. Sometimes you get where you are going faster by going more slowly and consistently. (Think tortise and hare story.) This has worked very well for me. It might not be the problem there but at least consider it.

Maybe you could have a little talk with her, as others have suggested. It needs to be "I just wanted to touch base with you to make sure I am providing you with what you want out of the lessons. Are you having fun with your horse? Are you making progress in areas you want to make progress in? Is there anything you would like to work on that we haven't been doing? What are your short term and long term goals? How do you feel after a lesson?" If she gets off her horse and never wants to ride again every time, then hey, she isn't going to ride. You want her to get off feeling like she did at least one thing really well. And like there is something she is getting really close to really good - so practice that if she can. Don't give her homework on something that is really difficult - she will feel overfaced and not ride at all.

And if fear is the thing, that may be the homework on order. Maybe all the homework she can muster is that she is going to ride her horse around the ring one time at a walk.