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Post Info TOPIC: one of the best things about teaching kids and beginners to ride
Goatgirl


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Date: Apr 19, 2011
one of the best things about teaching kids and beginners to ride
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I teach beginners/kids to ride.   Sometimes they come to me wanting soooh much to ride but being really unsure of themselves - horses and ponies can be intimidating to people who haven't spent their lives around them.  One of the most rewarding things is seeing a kid who wants to ride but who's nervous gradually blossom into a kid who is starting to gain confidence. Seeing a kid take the first steps from passenger to rider...I have a couple of girls that came to me (separately) - they came white knuckled but determined to ride. 

It's been almost a year now - and the younger one has slowly come from walking to trotting - to starting to canter -- well today was the first day she cantered the pony all the way around the arena - maintaining her steering and asked the pony back into canter when it broke into trot.  

I was sooooh proud of her I had to share......I'm sooooh happy for her -- sooooh proud...Made much of her ...

Seeing her do this just made my day...



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Barnmouser Ash


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Date: Apr 19, 2011
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:) What a truly wonderful thing to witness. Many times my teachers at school used to tell me how their favourite part of any class was when a student had a "lightbulb" moment and finally got "it".. then they were able to do it all on their own. I can imagine how great it must feel to be the teacher and see your student's confidence boost as they finally do something all on their own.

:) Congratulations on a job well done!

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Nikki Salo


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Date: Apr 20, 2011
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Goatgirl -- that is wonderful! Good for you for not pushing these young riders too fast and allowing them to find themselves and their confidence in the saddle aww



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justice


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Date: Apr 20, 2011
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Enjoy the ones you CAN make a difference with : )

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coloradocowgirl


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Date: Apr 22, 2011
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Congrats! I work with kids once in a while when their regular instructor can't make it, but I haven't yet had the privilege of seeing them take those huge steps. Hopefully someday :)

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Barbara F


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Date: Apr 28, 2011
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I have taught beginners to walk and trot, but I admit that I am terrified to let them canter, even when they seem to have enough balance.
How do you know when the person is ready to canter? How do you prepare them? It's a hurdle I haven't been able to overcome. I just picture the person sliding or bouncing off the side of the horse with each stride!!

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Goatgirl


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Date: Apr 28, 2011
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Letting them canter IS scary because so much can go wrong soooh fast. I always do a lot of work with them in trot, with and without stirrups....A LOT of lunge-line work -- before they canter alone they canter on the lunge - first holding the front and back of the saddle - so that they stay centred - I tell them to pull themselves into the saddle - then we get where they can let go of the front then the back - and put their hands on their hips - then arms out - on their head etc in riding position - then we get to where we can take the stirrups away and they're okay...

I always ask them first if they feel ready - I tell them 'I think you are ready to graduate to the next level - would you like to try...' If they say 'Not yet,' I tell them that's fine....we'll see how they feel in a wk or so...That gets them thinking...and usually what happens is they'll say to me 'I'll try it for a bit'. If they hesitate and look scared but say yes...I'll also say 'next wk will be better' and I watch their reaction - if they don't feel ready but just said 'yes' because they want to make me happy or prove something to themselves -they'll look relieved that I've put it off. If they actually really want to try - but need some encouragement they'll look a bit disappointed - so I'll say - or maybe we should try today - and we go from there.
I also make sure they know the pulley rein - circle - emergency brake -- Their first canter on their own I have my son assist me - we just go for a couple of strides - we do the short end of the arena and he is positioned such that he can move at an angle towards the horse to slow her down..(not jump infront to stop her - but justs angle towards her head walking towards the rail so that she'll naturally slow down...)

But yes the first time is always scarry..

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