[KZWestern]

My instructor always has me ride her newly broke horses. Only once have I ridden a horse in a lesson that has been under saddle for more than 3 months. Last night she put me on this teeny tiny half Arab half some kind of pony (can't remember) whom had only been under saddle for less than a month. It was ok, but the poor thing spooked at everything, was hard to get to canter (she wont just go into it, i have to trot her first, and she does this wicked fast bouncy trot before she'll move into the lope... by the end I got her to move into it on a slow trot though thankfully!) and basicly I was working harder on getting her to stay on the rail, keep her trot at a decent exstended pace and get her to move slowly into the lope than actually learning new riding skills.

So I guess I'm wondering, would you consider that a good or bad lesson? On one hand, I'm learning how to ride newly broke horses but on the other, they can't do much so I'm not really learning anything more advanced than just riding around in patterns keeping the horse in check, and riding it well enough that he doesn't flip out. Should I request that she puts me on more exsperienced horse so I can hopefully advance my own riding skill? Or should I continue riding green horses so I can learn what different new horses have problems with? I guess I'm just wondering what you would do. She thinks I'm too advanced for her lesson horse but in reality, she has a nice hunter that I rode once and it was much nicer because I was actually working on my own skill, instead of working on the horse's.

[mustangmari7]

If you are not comfortable with the horse your riding, tell your trainer. If she is any good she will listen to you. You are paying her to train you to ride. She is not paying you to break in green horses. Right? On the other hand if your an experienced rider a young horse will challenge your riding skills, and would be good for you and the horse. Maybe switch horses every other lesson.

[KZWestern]

I'm comfortable riding new horses... I think it pushes my abilitie to comunicate. But at the same time... I'm just not doing anything advanced because the horses havn't been taught to do it. I sometimes work with them on teaching the horse something, but more often than not I'm just riding it around.

[mustang_dodger]

i would see if she has other horses for you to ride so you can do different things.

[QHGirl]

Since she has confidence in you to ride the other horse, I would ask her if you could every other week ride the "gelding" or another "dead" broke horse so you can work on your "equitation" more and some patterns.

I do think it is good that you are riding more and other horses, My motto... "You can't learn on a perfect horse"!

[CowGirlUp1833]

When I rode in HS I was always on our green OTTB's. It did teach me a lot about working with green horses.... I like to mix it up... I would like to get on schoolies too so that I could focus on ME stuff, you know?

[cassidy]

i think riding green horse is great for a an already confident rider as they can learn that not all horses are the same an can be unpredictable (thankfully i have had expieranced horses an now have my own green horse to bring on)

but i think a rider itself can learn alot from an expieranced horse an the horse would be teaching you not the other way around plus a more expieranced horase can do alot more jumping ect!

[iluvironcliff]

I agree with the above posts. But maybe you can ask to do both. Ride the more advanced horse that you have an eye on and switch to the younger horses so you don't get bored. I am sure your trainer will understand your point of view and the worst she can say is no. You are paying for these lessons so you should have the choice. Its not your job to break in young horses unless you really want to do so.

[shell]

Sounds like your instructor is trying to get her green horses ridden. You must be a good enough rider to handle it, but I would say that you instructor is not very responsible. If you are paying to have a lesson, you sould be on a lesson horse, not a green broke one.

[CowGirlUp1833]

Originally Posted by cassidy

i think riding green horse is great for a an already confident rider as they can learn that not all horses are the same an can be unpredictable (thankfully i have had expieranced horses an now have my own green horse to bring on)

but i think a rider itself can learn alot from an expieranced horse an the horse would be teaching you not the other way around plus a more expieranced horase can do alot more jumping ect!

That is what I was TRYING to say! LOL... (kim needs some coffee to get her brain going!)