tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post8503712388609272581..comments2024-03-27T20:42:03.076-03:00Comments on Journey with a Dancing Horse: Thoughts on Teaching and LearningTeresaAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-62815166360287203912016-07-16T21:34:11.314-03:002016-07-16T21:34:11.314-03:00You are very lucky to have a talented daughterYou are very lucky to have a talented daughterTeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-74133258948589360202016-07-16T21:33:51.111-03:002016-07-16T21:33:51.111-03:00I did too. I thought it was how things were done. ...I did too. I thought it was how things were done. TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-38643899597181655452016-07-16T21:33:17.727-03:002016-07-16T21:33:17.727-03:00It's not easy and I don't think that they ...It's not easy and I don't think that they need to brilliant at both- they just need to try to be betterTeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-27612042339203562382016-07-16T21:04:14.010-03:002016-07-16T21:04:14.010-03:00Great post! I love a good rant it's good for t...Great post! I love a good rant it's good for the soul. <br /><br />In my 60+ years I've encountered them all. The yellers, the incompetent etc. I've dealt with egos and the trainers who compliment you all the time even though you don't deserve the praise. I realize they're in it for the money most of the time but still have a little pride in your work and help the students to become the best they can be. It reflects back on you, the trainer, when you're students are happy and doing well. <br /><br />I can honestly say I've only had two good instructors that I learned anything from. I'm very lucky to have a daughter who is an excellent trainer and a good problem solver. Without her I would be lost as to why my horse does this or that and how to deal with it. She's an expert at diagnosing what is going on and how to fix it in a gentle way that makes sense to both horse and rider. Unfortunately, she doesn't train professionally anymore but has a day job that actually pays. So we're basically weekend riders. Grey Horse Mattershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05837575441967937196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-42883059094263532162016-07-16T16:34:52.735-03:002016-07-16T16:34:52.735-03:00I learned to ride from a instructor who yelled, in...I learned to ride from a instructor who yelled, insulted, and belittled her students (mostly children). I look back on that, and think how was everyone OK with the way she treated us? The answer is most of the time there were no other adults present. I really learned to ride from her wonderful horses not her. <br /><br />Instructors have hard jobs. They are teachers after all! I wish more of them had training in learning theory, conditioning, and the hierarchy of competence. Good coaches have been hard to come by for me, but as an adult I have learned to be an advocate for myself and my learning style which helps me with all kinds of folks.Golden the Pony Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15230832980797448174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-20479946348209264892016-07-16T12:23:12.655-03:002016-07-16T12:23:12.655-03:00Hey, try it with a language barrier *lol* - they ...Hey, try it with a language barrier *lol* - they don't teach words like pommel, forelock, and shoulder-in at the Integration classes!<br /><br />They have a fancy word for "downward transition" and I always think it means half halt, agh. I'm learning the words for all the parts of the horse (and hoof) but tack, no way, not by far. To be fair, it must be really frustrating to have a student not do what is asked, and just say, "What does that mean?"<br /><br />So many crappy trainers, so few good ones.<br /><br />While searching/observing trainers, I even found one that was a sexist jerk, making fun of a lady's breasts as she rode. Smoking cigarettes while teaching. Another trainer I was checking out made her student cry during the lesson. No way. (They know I'm a potential student, and they do things like that?)<br /><br />I tell potentials, "If you yell at me and make me cry, I won't be in the learning mode, so we won't be able to work together."<br /><br />I really hope I found a good one finally. The last two were problematic - one was afraid of my horse and always rode behind the vertical, the other was great with horses but was utterly unreliable. <br /><br />I agree with what Annette said, they must be able to teach horses and be good with people. Think Buck Brannaman - great with horses, with people? Hm....lythahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01719586193059362084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-80993462915699286592016-07-15T19:48:26.281-03:002016-07-15T19:48:26.281-03:00I find the hierarchy invaluable.I find the hierarchy invaluable.TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-36399863838004768372016-07-15T19:48:11.459-03:002016-07-15T19:48:11.459-03:00Research is important. Sometimes with a clinician ...Research is important. Sometimes with a clinician from away you have to take a leap. Unfortunately it doesn't always work out. I tend to audit those. TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-45682616357997102182016-07-15T19:46:25.018-03:002016-07-15T19:46:25.018-03:00It's a common story- unfortunately. As I get o...It's a common story- unfortunately. As I get older I get less willing to accept things that are stupid. TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-34371213176621825472016-07-15T19:45:54.125-03:002016-07-15T19:45:54.125-03:00Thank you. It's good to know your limits and e...Thank you. It's good to know your limits and explain them. When I feel overwhelmed I will stop and tell the instructor and then regroup TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-74686023687095297532016-07-15T19:44:32.334-03:002016-07-15T19:44:32.334-03:00I hear you on the difficulties of finding an instr...I hear you on the difficulties of finding an instructor! It's hard in this area. TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-83424814499114658512016-07-15T19:42:57.832-03:002016-07-15T19:42:57.832-03:00yes one who gives you false information is also ha...yes one who gives you false information is also harmful. I often wonder if it's about ego or just ignorance. TeresaAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05311118900077951863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-45065445504680952692016-07-15T17:15:10.841-03:002016-07-15T17:15:10.841-03:00I like that hierarchy. All good points.I like that hierarchy. All good points.Nuzzling Muzzleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07649710635013663900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-64157948543230407442016-07-15T14:07:09.884-03:002016-07-15T14:07:09.884-03:00I've been fortunate to have many more good, th...I've been fortunate to have many more good, than bad, instructors. I tend to research trainers before doing a test ride, or a clinic, and the ones who are abrasive and abusive usually have that reputation very visibly. I don't care if they coach Olympians or have been there themselves, I won't ride with them. And, in my experience, the best coaches are not always the best riders. Teaching people and training horses require different skillsets; not everyone has both. My current trainer has both, but she's the only one I've worked with that does. Our previous trainer, in SoCal, was an amazing teacher but didn't have the financial resources (or wealthy clients) to have a horse of her own to compete at FEI. Oak Creek Ranchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02875705582058188289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-14741518608688115282016-07-15T11:55:51.499-03:002016-07-15T11:55:51.499-03:00Hey! I resemble this post! Thank you, excellently ...Hey! I resemble this post! Thank you, excellently done, and a ton of good reminders. I left a lot out of my little story but I think you read between the lines quite accurately :)Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05438372155463437107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-68107567559947094022016-07-15T09:39:39.413-03:002016-07-15T09:39:39.413-03:00Well written and explained. As an ADHD adult, I...Well written and explained. As an ADHD adult, I've always tried to remember to mention it at the onset. Perhaps that's why I enjoy my current instructor. She also leads 4H, so she's used to explaining to people who's minds can wander of and break things down into dance steps. Camrynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12696952736180900465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-50277531688220233142016-07-15T09:05:37.504-03:002016-07-15T09:05:37.504-03:00Great post that I really needed to read this week,...Great post that I really needed to read this week, thank you! <br /><br />Sometimes it can be hard to find the right coach. I had an amazing instructor who I loved and felt like I was progressing well under, but sadly she moved away. I spent two years looking for a new one. I'm in the very beginning stages of riding with a new instructor and hoping it'll be a good fit. TrainwreckInTealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557554448624901955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8459505622378142466.post-13992280262044761282016-07-15T08:26:38.567-03:002016-07-15T08:26:38.567-03:00The worst coach I ever had was actually really goo...The worst coach I ever had was actually really good at building me up, but didn't really know what she was doing. She was great at making me feel like I accomplished something...but I never really progressed. Then I found out it was all lies (her compliments of me, I mean) when I moved barns to find a better trainer and she flat out told me that the only reason I wasn't progressing was because I never listened to her, and that she didn't agree with how I rode my horse. Now I'm with an instructor that is not only great at making me feel good about myself, but also has an amazing aptitude for teaching and Fiction & I are flourishing.<br /><br />Instructors are vital for building self confidence on a horse. I equate them to a personal gym coach.Hawkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05303236534507171227noreply@blogger.com