I've only really had one riding instructor my entire life. I have had short stints at other facilities, but long term it's been J. She's a Morgan trainer through and through. She has the ability to train a winning Morgan show horse, especially in Western and Hunter pleasure. But I don't think I'm learning much from her anymore. My rides consist of me fumbling around, and J occasionally barking some confusing orders.
"turn his head to the inside and use your legs to keep him on the wall!" She'll bark.
"Do not use your outside rein, he needs other ques to keep him on the rail; use your leg, but do not apply constant pressure or he'll grow immune to it..."
As I try to guide the horse to the rail without using the outside rein (we're riding western) it dawns on me what she's trying to tell me. OKAY - is this how you train a horse to use leg yields??? WHAT???!!! Okay, it makes sense to me that in western pleasure you want your horse to respond to your leg as opposed to two handing and pulling him/her to the rail constantly. This was NOT easy as the horse didn't know leg yields yet. We spent alot of time in the center of the ring circling in tiny rings. It did work though, and I felt the horse bending and responding in a way I never before had. It was awesome!
The thing is, I've never heard this before. I've had problems with two other horses - one of which was a problem I created - ahem, Bobby! As I've mentioned before, riding Bobby western in the show ring means a horse who blows off the rail and a frustrated, embarrassed (clueless) rider (ME). I used the outside rein to keep him on the rail during training! Why didn't J explain this new trick to me long ago? Even though I felt elated at learning it, I also felt angry. It dawned on me that all those years of lessons (equitation centered) I was being taught to look pretty on a horse. I learned how to set a head all right and to transition like a champ, but to really really train and ride? I feel so clueless.
J is an amazing trainer - she is great for Junior exhibitors and those wanting to get into the show world. I just don't know if she's an amazing instructor for those wanting to move past the monotonous circles of the show ring. I don't have a great desire to train young horses, I don't care to ride greenies or wild ones. I just want the ability to ride well and confident that I'm not ruining a horse with my bungled training techniques. I honestly don't know if there are Morgan trainers out there who can do this...they all seem very "show ring" centered.
I am thinking about taking Dressage lessons, just so that I can learn some great fundamentals that I can build upon. Any suggestions?
3 comments:
Wow you and I are in the exact smae "place" Thats why i am taking Dressage Lessons starting next month.
It seemed like the best way to learn to be both an effective rider and a more fit horse and rider, using the whole horse and not just how to look pretty doing circles.
Good Luck, and I bet Dressage will open your eyes to a whole new world!
Plus get seom great AB workouts!
do it!
great idea!
morgans make amazing dressage horses.
Horses are forgiving and can relearn things very quickly. So don't think he is being ruined. As for your instructor, I don't like show ring only instructors. I do so much with my animals, I can't have an instructor like that. Maybe you can find just a good riding instructor that is an all around horse person. I have a TWH, so it is hard for me too. I have to have someone that knows about her gaits, and there aren't too many of those kinds of instructors in my parts. Good luck and keep your chin up. And Dressage is good for ALL breeds of horses, so that is a great idea.
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