The 5 Essentials of Good Riding lessons (2/5)

Often when I watch people ride I see struggle. I see a lot of frustration and it seems so difficult to learn how to ride. Truth is, that it\’s partially in the way riding is taught, but it doesn\’t have to be like that. Riding and learning to ride can be relatively easy and effortless if only the following prerequisites are met. Riding certainly doesn\’t have to be the struggle it seems to be for most riders.

5 Things I would like to see more of in today\’s riding lessons are:

  • Independent seat
  • Schoolmasters
  • Facts about horse behaviour
  • Positive reinforcement
  • Attention for the horses emotions

The schoolmaster

In an average riding school, children and adults who want to learn to ride, get a \’well broken\’*) horse for their first lessons. I would rather see a novice rider on a \’well trained\’ horse or even better a \’schoolmaster\’.

The definition of a true \’schoolmaster\’ is a horse that has been trained to a very high level in a chosen discipline and won\’t respond to the rider until asked properly. A schoolmaster is a seasoned horse with lots experience and in a perfect condition to do this job. Schoolmasters are always older horses, often in their twenties or even in their thirties.

A \’well broken\’ horse

If one learns to ride on a \’well broken\’ horse, it usually means that the horse doesn\’t respond well (or at all) to whatever the rider is doing. The purpose is that the horse won\’t spook either and therefor is a \’safe\’ horse to ride.

It will walk and trot even if the rider uses the reins for balance, kicks the horse accidentally in the flanks in trot or squeezes his legs tight because he is scared. In other words the horse will do \’his job\’ despite what the rider is doing. Not a good way to learn what the proper aids really are and how they effect the horse. This is a good way to learn bad habits.

Learn to balance first

In my previous post I already emphasized the importance of an independent seat. I would

\"_mechanical

like to see novice riders learn to balance first before they get the reins in their hands. It\’s not only better for the rider, who learns to focus on his seat first but also much better for the horse.

I love the idea of learning the basics of riding on a mechanical horse and building some
confidence in the rider first before riding on a real horse. An alternative is learning to focus on your seat while the horse is being lunged. The person that lunges the horse determines gait and direction while the rider focuses on the movement and feel. It is a great way to experience a horse in motion without fear for the loss of control that may come paired with riding.

I wish I\’d had a schoolmaster when I started to ride. Did you learn to ride on an experienced, sensitive horse?

*) I don\’t like the term \’broken\’ because it refers to a horse that is not \’whole\’ anymore. Unfortunately that is exactly what is going on: most \’broken\’ horses are damaged and therefor they are \’shut down\’ (mentally). I wish that \’well broken\’ would be a synonym for \’well trained\’.
Sandra Poppema, BSc.
Are you struggling with applying clicker training under saddle? Visit my website to book an online consult. I will be honoured to help you and your horse out. I\’ve 2 decade experience with teaching equestrians to ride and train their horses in a horse-friendly way.

Read more in this series The 5 Essentials of Good Riding lessons

Part I: Independent seat
Part III: Facts about horse behaviour
Part IV-a: Positive reinforcement (horses)
Part IV-b: Positive reinforcement (riders)
Part V: Attention for the horses emotions

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5 thoughts on “The 5 Essentials of Good Riding lessons (2/5)”

  1. Barbara Kinsey

    Well said…i think a new paragraph for lunge luessons, i srt every one riding on the lunge….vaulting too
    It makes a beautiful rider in 2 years. ..if rider ficues and attends regular lessons and doesn’t have issues from previous experiences.

  2. Rhonda Simmons

    Yes I’ve been shouted at, ‘get after him…make him…leg on…use your whip…’and I just felt totally inadequate, not to mention sweaty & red faced! Hope to have a lesson soon with someone who gets positive reinforcement so that things can be more enjoyable for me & Billy:-)

  3. Pingback: The 5 Essentials of Good Riding lessons (2/5) | HippoLogic

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