tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post2084757576191225951..comments2024-03-26T05:15:39.663-07:00Comments on Equestrian Ink: Riding LessonsJami Davenporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-30173660516948694732009-10-08T09:59:13.681-07:002009-10-08T09:59:13.681-07:00Anon--I certainly agree with you about kids having...Anon--I certainly agree with you about kids having no time and no space in their lives to figure anything out for themselves--let alone enjoy what they're interested in. That's the biggest problem, in my opinion. Obviously my son is lucky to have a horse, and to be homeschooled, so that he has time to enjoy riding that horse and learn in an unstructured way. His horse has been an incredibly good teacher--much better than I am.<br /><br />And Gillian--yes, I think the big downside to my method is it takes longer, and requires more constant interaction with horses, as Anon pointed out. It won't work out that well if you are taking a one hour "lesson" once a week. Thus, as I began by saying, I no longer give "riding lessons".Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-19489443862033794952009-10-08T08:40:24.100-07:002009-10-08T08:40:24.100-07:00I believe thats how the cavalry folks did it. Roug...I believe thats how the cavalry folks did it. Roughly, anyway. They just kept people on the lunge, no stirrups no reins, until they figured it out, and then started adding more things. They turned out excellent riders (obviously) but it took some time.gillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12116128687769268871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-47146718721061596572009-10-07T21:27:03.816-07:002009-10-07T21:27:03.816-07:00I think much depends on the rider's situation....I think much depends on the rider's situation. If you have unlimited access to a horse and a lot of time, the unstructured way can work. But as an instructor, I find most of my child riders are squishing riding between other activities. They don't own, and may never own, a horse. They get one hour a week for their experience, and they need formal instruction to help make the most of that time. If you intend to pursue a specific discipline and show, formal lessons are necessary to be competitive. <br /><br />I also teach beginning adults, who, in addition to the limited time mentioned above, have also learned how to be afraid. I find many adults enjoy steady feedback, they want to know they are doing well, and they want to have an understanding of how and why something works. Most adults will listen to instruction and concepts, then get a big boost when the intuitive "feel" side kicks in for them, and they really get it!<br /><br />All that said, I find that with children, the skill of figuring things out is lost! I often have to tell their parents to sit back and 'let them do it' - everything from using a hose without soaking their feet to figuring out a buckle. Many people are in too much of a hurry and would rather take something out of a child's hands (because they can do it faster!) than allow them to learn to help themselves. As a result, so many children don't try, they simply hold something out to an adult for help, right away. I am always saying, "Take a good look at it - how do you think you would (untie it, put it on, get around or across it, etc.)?" And given a moment to think, they DO know the answer!<br /><br />I think helping children become confident and independent thinkers is just as important as the other skills they need for riding, and those can and should be taught in formal lessons, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-85394551378085818712009-10-07T13:31:58.907-07:002009-10-07T13:31:58.907-07:00Boots and Saddles--That's interesting. I never...Boots and Saddles--That's interesting. I never did endurance, though I love to ride the trails. I came to riding in a two pronged way. I spent lots of unstructured hours as a child riding the horses out at our family ranch, and I also (being a determined kid) took endless riding lessons. The lessons were not that much fun, but I believe they did teach me a lot about form. I'm not sure without the unstructured hours on horses for balance if I would have been able to sustain my love for riding. As an adult I took many formal lessons (reined cowhorse and cutting) before going to work as an assistant trainer (which was one big lesson). By the time I learned team roping, I was pretty burned out on formal instruction. My friends basically helped me...and I did a lot of figuring it out myself. I never was really competitive at anything other than a beginner level..so I guess that tells you something. In the end, as I said, my approach works for me to create happiness in the way my horses and I relate. So far its working for my son, who rides pretty well for a nine-year-old, but who would not be competitive in any horseback discipline that I can think of. We'll see what the future holds.Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-30979963097116901102009-10-07T12:45:45.042-07:002009-10-07T12:45:45.042-07:00I'm not sure it matters, but FYI my chosen com...I'm not sure it matters, but FYI my chosen competitive event is endurance. I think endurance rewards the feel you get from "figuring it out", but I think some formal instruction to build on that is useful.Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-92006777700218601842009-10-07T11:55:05.692-07:002009-10-07T11:55:05.692-07:00Boots and Saddles and One Dandy Horse--I have take...Boots and Saddles and One Dandy Horse--I have taken many, many lessons in my life, and I will be the first to admit that (particularly as an adult), I learned a lot from riding with various trainers. And some stuff I then needed to unlearn. In the end I feel that I've learned the most from unstructured time horseback, where I've been free to sort out what works for me. I won't say that this will always lead to winning in the show ring. For me, its been a path to being happy with my horses and feeling that they are happy, too. If my son ever wishes to excel in some competitive event, I do believe that formal instruction is inevitable. And if he chooses to go that route, it will be fine with me. I'll support his interest every step of the way and be his biggest fan. Thanks for the insightful comments.Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-87664895325902735202009-10-07T11:10:40.596-07:002009-10-07T11:10:40.596-07:00Totally agree with Boots and Saddles 4 Mel! I lear...Totally agree with Boots and Saddles 4 Mel! I learned to ride on some sort of Halflinger cross. My friend who owned the horse was a pretty good rider, tought me basics, legs to go, turn and such, but the rest came from me... I learned all that I know from what I have experienced. A lot like Mel explained! My friend would occasionally give me tips on posting the trot, etc. I learned to canter while turning bareback! We were mostly left on our own to ride. I had a solid seat, could hardly be unseated... today, I've gained a little weight and am no longer so secure, but I'm working on it! All the while trying to train my mare to be the best.OneDandyHorsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02355057635042941344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-29843209962825494702009-10-07T09:15:41.099-07:002009-10-07T09:15:41.099-07:00I partially agree with you. I learned to ride by ...I partially agree with you. I learned to ride by riding. Most of the time bareback. If it worked, I stayed on, when it didn't, I didn't. I had a good friend who was a good rider. Sometimes she would offer suggestions like you give your son, but most of the time she just let me figure it out. <br /><br />It worked. I felt confident to deal with most situations, I had a solid seat, good hands, and my horses didn't hate me. I knew how to get out of my horse's way and let it do it's job. <br /><br />However, now in my mid 20's I've decided to take formal riding lessons - dressage. Yes I know how to ride the gaits, stop, turn, go. But I don't know how to tell the horse to travel more efficiently or effectively. I don't know how to do lateral stuff, although I've played around. My horse has an awful canter because she's not built for it naturually and she needs some help in getting her hind end under her. I didn't know how to help her. So I took lessons and it's been amazing. I have a trainer who focuses on my horse not my position, and occasionally makes suggestions about my position and voila! my riding ability and my confidence in it has improved dramactically. My trainer also tends to make general comments such as - your right leg tends to come forward and your right arm is straight. This is useful because then I can "watch" for this and correct it. Because of my background of riding, I have enough feel to recognize when it's happening if I know I should watch for it. What she doens't do is say "put your leg back!" or "bend your arm!". <br /><br />I wouldn't ahve my riding experience be any other way than what it was. I have family members who were lesson intensive in the beggining and were rarely just allowed to "ride". Their riding is Prettier and more correct at this point, but I feel something lacking there that is only gotten through experience, hours in the saddle, and experimentation.<br /><br />Just my 2 cents.Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16627065628317652042noreply@blogger.com