I’ve been a riding student since I was THIS big.
yeah, that’s really me
I’ve also been a riding instructor for several <cough> decades as well.
I used to emphatically say, “I LOVE to teach!”
And I do….. or I did………well………I love to teach…………
sort of……
I guess what I should have said was……. I love to teach students……. who have a passion for the subject.
Students who WANT it…..
They don’t even have to “get it”…… they just need that obvious amount of “try”.
Some time ago I had twin 9 year old girls come to me who……..
“really wanted lessons”.
Their father made them commit to 6 months of lessons before he would sign them up. I advised him that he might just want to start with a couple of lessons to make sure there were no hysterics………or other issues……… He told me he was teaching them to be committed and that he wasn’t going to let them start something and then quit………… so it was 6 months or nothing…………
By the 2nd lesson it was clear that one of them wanted to brush hair & comb manes, but not ride……
A cheaper option?
….and the other would (I’m sure deliberately) arrive in shorts and flip flops…….
We did make her change clothes with her sister …….so she got her lesson anyway. After a couple more attempts she gave up that angle.
I’m still not sure WHO in the family
“wanted” riding lessons, but it was not those 2 young ladies……….
It was a long 6 months.
Teaching gives you an entirely different perspective on pretty much any subject.
When I was in college I taught freshman Biology and Anatomy for almost 4 years. I never learned the material as well ……as when I had to teach it.
Remember my tales about Riding Instructors (and Part 2)?
Well….here are a few of the students that at times I’ve met, ridden with, taught, and possibly even been.
1. Miss I-think-I’m-Velvet-Brown
This is the young (or old) rider who has watched every horse movie ever produced.
They have a vision in their head of riding a wild mustang off into the sunset bareback with no training…….
or even better……. after 2 lessons solidly on their resume, they think they can find the next Grand National winner at the slaughter plant.
“Miss Velvet” thinks riding is easy…… and that they should be able to go from beginner to the Olympics in the time it took for them to watch National Velvet……
that’s 123 minutes by the way
I’ve found that “Miss Velvet” tends to quit after approximately lesson 3……
….when she figures out that riding horses is dirty, sweaty, hard work and she won’t be winning a national title in 2 hours time.
To Be Continued………….
Bad Eventer,
I have a cousin who's mother (my aunt) and her told me that she could ride and that she goes galloping on trails and jumps and all sorts of stuff. They're "horse-people" so they were using all the correct jargon and at my barn, its not unnatural for younger kids to be doing…really insane upper-level stuff. So naturally, when she asked to ride my VERY quiet horse I said of course, turned out she couldn't ride at all (and I mean…AT ALL) and that she was under the impression that kicking a horse as HARD as possible was how you get it to walk. Needless to say that DIDN'T end well. Have you had any of those experiences? Because I'm feeling like a real idiot..and a little taken advantage of, even though it's my fault. Do you have any experiences like that with lesson students and how do you cope.
I feel your pain, Riding Students Part 2 is just for you!!