Disaster Training Course

[Murphysmum]

Oh God I must be thick, but I just cannot get my head around these initials, perhaps someone can PM me with the names. Ta  

[Cobstar]

Yes, sorry Heather, our mutual SC is absolutely renouned here for standing and watching people work their horses for a whole hour while saying nothing at all! And he was charging £60 an hour in 2002. My showjumping guy was SH from the same period of DB. They obviously learnt their training at the same place! I'm still getting over it, and all your support has helped a lot    :P



C.

I'm sure I've seen some video or TV footage of SH and got the impression that he expected people to be working at a certain level if they were to gain anything from his teaching.  Sad really, you'd think he'd be keen to instil the correct basics in even the most novice rider.  Thank goodness not all international riders feel this way!

Also he must know that it isn't always possible to replicate things done with ease at home in a competition or clinic situation.  We're only human and our horses don't always react as we expect.

Sorry you had such an awful experience.  

[Sarah]

I went with a friend for a very expensive flatwork lesson with a person who's initials are LW - her mum is JLC.

Samara (friend) rode her mare who could not be described as being easy, but soon got her to settle nicely and work properly.  The teacher didn't like the way the horse was going (not sure at all why) so decided she'd hop on and 'sort her out'.  After an hour of the mare being totally hollow, bucking, etc, LW finally handed her back to Samara as being a thoroughly difficult mare.  Sammie hopped back on and had her working nicely immediately....

Anyway, I had a great lesson, i was able to ride round the HUGE indoor areana for over an hour by myself working on lots of stuff privately.  Mind you, I can't remember how much i paid for the shared lesson, but I think it was a lot ofr an hour's arena hire.  Actaully, i am doing the trainer down, she did say that I needed to work on our canter transitions.  Fair point.  I wasn't actaully told what to work on or how to do it though, and this was said as she was plunging round the arena on Sammies horse!

[cptrayes]

Well that's what is so upsetting really Cobstar. I am already working at the level I need to be and he nearly ruined it! The fact is that he gave me absolutely the wrong advice on how to ride my older horse (sit and hold, sit and hold) when I had already told him that I ride this horse standing up. The advice worked fine for my second horse, and that's how I ride him at home. The thing I absolutely cannot forgive him for is that he kept on insisting that I do the same thing, and watched it get worse and worse for two whole sessions. He ended that session by telling me that I would hurt myself badly if I tried to event at an intermediate level. I went to my room on the second day and spent two hours lying on my bed working out in my head what was going on. I decided that the next day I would screen his voice out, hear nothing that he told me, and ride my horse as I know how to. Bless him, Tetley took a huge breath, said "boy am I glad you're back to normal", forgave me completely, and did a beautiful round at about 3ft 6, the two girls I was with applauded, and he said "perfect, perfect.... that was perfect.....now THAT'S what makes teaching worthwhile". I had another lesson to go before I could escape, or I would have made it quite clear to him that far from having improved because of his training, I had achieved that result by deliberately ignoring him!. One day I'm sure I'll be able to laugh about it. Meanwhile it's certainly helping to get it off my chest by writing about it here!

C

[cptrayes]

Sarah, your experience is so common, according to this topic's replies, that I have decided never again to go to a trainer who I have not either:

- seen for myself teaching someone I know
or
- had recommended to me by someone that I know thinks the same way as I do.

I'm spitting over Heather's recommendation of Chris Bartle, because my other choice would have been The Yorkshire Riding Centre, which is his place. Shucks, have to start saving again! :P

Caroline.  

[sandpiper]

Think I know who the initials are, definitely the 'old school' if I am right.  I think next time I plan to have a dressage lesson I will ask if I can go and watch the trainer teach before I take the plunge, otherwise it could end up a very expensive and non-productive exercise!

I have also heard that Chris Bartle is very good.  Some people at the top of their tree are very arrogant, and in my opinion shouldn't be teaching.  They have forgotten that they once needed help.   <_<  

[Mandeigh]

Some people at the top of their tree are very arrogant, and in my opinion shouldn't be teaching. They have forgotten that they once needed help.

 unfortunately this isn't just in horsey circles....  

[Cobstar]

Just goes to show that good riders aren't always good teachers.  What an arrogant git that bloke obviously was.

Tetley obviously recognises your skill and understanding.  I'm really sorry you had such a bad deal from Mr Professional Trainer though.  I'd have been livid too.  Hopefully - once your bank balance has recovered - you'll be able to find someone who is value for money and whom you can learn from.

Not riding at anywhere near your level but I'm very wary about having lessons with anyone who doesn't meet the criteria you suggest.  There are several highly thought of dressage trainers round my way and I pity the horses and riders that they train - particularly if they ride the poor horses.

I had a couple of lessons from a Portuguese Trainer on my girl years ago.  He was coming to the yard to do a clinic and it seemed a good opportunity. But having seen the way he treated my friend and their horse the night before, I nearly didn't have a lesson. I'm glad I did though - he rode my girl and showed me what she was going to be capable of.

[Murphysmum]

All these initials, I'm still confused as to who all these C.R.A.P trainers are.
 

[Murphysmum]

Ahh I see, thank you Cobstar.
I must say I am disapointed with DB, I was a big fan as a young un.

[Mandeigh]

OMG I can't stand it any more...can someone PM me with the names    ........mind you I probably don't know them anyway up here in the frozen north!!    

[karen thompson]

Hi Mandeigh,

Have you edited your profile or had I not realised all this time you were in Scotland. I am amazed to have found someone this far north. Where about are you in Scotland ????? I am only 53 miles south of the border - are you near to Northumberland. PM me if you want. Think of the HS CB and MP era and you should be able to guess who my C.R.A.P instrcutor was !!!!

Karen