Horse Crazy Once Again

One reason I dropped out of teaching and training was the epidemic of anyone who won a few ribbons hanging out their shingle as a trainer.  In some cases, people who rode horses trained by other people were getting their scores and then becoming professional trainers.  I saw people and horses getting hurt under such trainers, but new students were dazzled by the ribbons and medals, so they stayed in business.

“Should we not ask the question, ‘is competition really the only measure of an equestrian?’  No.  It never was, it isn’t, and it never will be!  For ages, for centuries, real horsemanship existed, thrived, and survived without any competition at all.”

Charles De Kunffy, The Ethics and Passions of Dressage

We are now in the second or third generation from some of those instructors – in some cases ignorance has been passed down and magnified.  Unfortunately, there are fewer true masters around than there once were.  Many that are still around are less known to the public, because they have either dropped out of the competition realm, or they are too old to be ‘interesting’ in our youth-oriented culture.  There are also lesser instructors who may be somewhat early in their own journey, but can still be beneficial to the beginning rider.  Whomever you find to help you on your journey, there are some key things to watch for, to ensure that you and your horse are in the right hands.

Are they nice?  This is one of those things that seems to be important to most people, which is understandable.  But don’t let their niceness be a screen for more important things.  I have watched many people tolerate, and even adopt, dreadful treatment of their horses just because their ‘nice’ instructor “wouldn’t ever do anything unkind” … right?  I once knew an instructor who had this affect on her students.  In the span of just a few years, she crippled at least two horses, got one young rider severely injured by over-horsing her, got one horse killed and another nearly killed through negligence.  Yet, her students waved it all away, because she was so ‘nice’ she couldn’t possibly do anything harmful.  Ironically, when her students were not around, she spoke of them in the most derogatory terms.  So, look for someone who is civil, but don’t be fooled by ‘nice’.  Instead, consider …

“Three traits of character are an absolute must with any successful riding teacher: he must have self-control, patience, and be free of any false ambition.”

Alois Podhajsky, The Riding Teacher

Are they kind to horses?  More than how nice they are to humans, the critical aspect of any true horseman is their care for the horses they encounter.  Every horseman I have ever admired has truly loved the horse.  They all greet new horses with a soft tone, usually a kind caress, and often a treat.  They take their role as instructor not only as mentoring the human, but (more importantly) as the guardian of the horse.  As the teacher, they should use their expertise to guide their human student in the ways that safeguard the horse’s mental and physical well being.  In this era, too many trainers see their role as pleasing their clients.  That may help them keep clients – but it handicaps them in being able to prevent their students from making decisions that may harm their equine partner.  On the other hand, many trainers get so driven to accomplish a specific goal – long or short term – that they do not consider the harm to the horse.  If you encounter someone willing to push your horse around, causing undue stress or pain, start searching for a new trainer!

Do they leave you alone?  We seem to be in an era where too many riders are controlled at all times when they ride.  Many have their horses at a trainers stable, and all of their riding is in lessons.  In between, the trainer schools the horse.  Those riders have few, if any, opportunities to just ride on their own – go on a hack, practice what they learned, or just play.  In addition, so many lessons these days are directed throughout.  A good instructor understands that the best learning comes from making your own mistakes, and will give you opportunities to ride in silence during the lesson, occasionally asking for your feedback on how something went.  It is too easy to allow someone to direct you, and the result is that you fail to actually absorb the material.  It is only by being given the freedom to think and apply on your own that you make the necessary connections.

Do they give you homework?  Hopefully you do have time and opportunity to ride on your own, in between lessons.  A good instructor will end every lesson with a plan for what you can work on before the next lesson.  It may be to practice what you just learned; or maybe a progressive plan to prepare for your next lesson.  They should ensure that you understand, and possibly even provide you something in writing – possibly something from an existing text.  They should follow up on that homework in the next lesson, allowing you to show them what you have accomplished, and taking time to review any questions, concerns, or challenges you encountered.

“The pupil’s contribution to success is an honest affection for the horse, confidence in his teacher, and, again, much patience.”

Alois Podhajsky, The Riding Teacher

Do they give you reference materials?  Any instructor with a well rounded, deep education should have a library full of reference materials.  They should either be willing to share, or should make recommendations to you on reading materials that are pertinent to what you are learning.  Reading some of the masterworks can be a challenge, while you are still in the early stages of learning – but your instructor should be just the person who can help you apply what you are reading to what they are teaching.  Bonus: if as part of your homework, they also assign relevant reading material.

Do they tell you why?  This, for me, is a key measure of the quality of your instructor.  They should always tell you why you are doing something, and it should always come before you actually do it.  More importantly, they should never be bothered by any question you have about why you should do something, or why something happened the way that it did.  I have encountered instructors who responded to questions as if you had committed some social affront.  If you encounter this sort of reaction to your questions, get out!  The very best instructors, in any specialty, are themselves lifelong learners and welcome any question as a sign of genuine engagement on the part of the student.

“A conscientious instructor will be only too glad if he can convey the experience he has gained to his pupil and, with awareness of the pupil’s capacities, make learning easy and pleasant for him.”

Alois Podhajsky, The Riding Teacher

I could probably go on all day about the qualities I have found make a good instructor, particularly in the equestrian realm, but I will end with something that is less about learning, and more about your very survival:

Do they have your safety in mind?  Any good instructor will, at times, push you and/or your horse beyond your comfort zone.  Such is the nature of learning any new skill that we will only master it with some slight stress.  The question here is, are they doing it in such a way that does not put you at risk?  I once had a jumping lesson where I needed to borrow a horse.  When I arrived, my instructor was having to rush her dog to the vet, so I ended up riding with her partner – someone I’d known, off and on, for nearly twenty years.  He put me on a very tall, handsome bay.  The entire lesson was a struggle, with the horse attempting to buck many times, especially over fences.  I was continually told that it must be something I was doing to cause it, but I tried everything to avoid interference, keep his attention, etc.  I finally pulled up and quit the lesson – something I had never done.  But I was clearly getting nowhere, and it was distracting from the learning of my students who were also in the lesson.

As I was putting the horse away, my instructor returned and expressed shock at the horse I was holding.  She went inside, and the next thing I knew her partner came out sheepishly and apologized.  It turns out that the horse I was riding had bucked off literally every female rider, including my instructor!  The only two people, in a barn filled with females, who could actually ride the horse was the owner’s husband and the man I’d had my lesson with.  He said he thought I could “handle it”.  Well, handle it I did, as I managed to stay on – but was that situation safe or fair?  The safety of you and your horse should always be paramount to any good trainer.  If you find yourself questioning whether it is, then find yourself another instructor.

“I have stressed the relationship between pupil and teacher and between both and the horse for a good reason: in our world of rapid technical development and of thinking in terms of the masses, the value of the individual is easily forgotten.”

Alois Podhajsky, The Riding Teacher

If you find yourself doubting any of these qualities in your existing instructor, then have a conversation – if you are comfortable doing it, and feel it might help.  Sometimes people are not aware of the effect they have on others, and perhaps it will enlighten that person.  But, if you find that the instructor is not willing to have a discussion on something that would improve the learning experience for you and your horse, then start shopping around!  I have seen talented riders give up because they aren’t willing to put the work in – but I have seen more give up because their instructor has made the experience unpleasant or downright dangerous.

Be good to your horses, and find an instructor who makes the journey magical!

Lia