06/25/2025
I am copying this. It is so true.
I see a lot of posts from trainers upset about students complaining about their lesson horses, refusing to ride certain lesson horses, or always wanting the same lesson horse every lesson. Here's how we handle it, and what we tell parents and students alike.
1. You don't get a perfect lesson horse. Ours are pretty special, but they all have SOMETHING that students have to deal with. One is weak on a right lead canter; one is heavy in the bridle; one is not always straight; one is best used to walk/trot. If you want a perfect horse, we encourage you to purchase one...for waaaay more than you want to pay.
2. You don't get to pick which horse you ride. I realize that everyone has favorites (heck, we have favorite students) but you take what you get, based on your day/time of lesson and what horses are available then. You have NO IDEA how hard we work on the lesson horse schedule, with 4 instructors tweaking, making deals, trading off, and compromising to get it done. That's why we only re-do our lesson horse schedule 3 times a year...fall semester, spring semester, and summer. Riding different horses is good for you.
3. You don't get to complain. We will let you know if the mistake you just made was your fault, or the horse's fault, or some combination of both. Then, you take that knowledge, fix the mistake, learn something, and next time your lesson horse might just be a teeny bit better when you ask him that question, because you helped him find the answer once.
4. Sometimes people fall off. We are pretty lucky (and conservative), so we rarely have falls...but we DO have them. Occasionally it's the horse's fault (inherently dangerous domestic animal activity and all that), but usually it's the rider's fault. We learn through failure as well as success. Our lesson horses are only allowed to jump 2', so your fall isn't going to be very dramatic (although your reaction might be)...but it's not the fall that's the problem, it's how you land. So, be prepared for occasional failure that's not your horses' fault.
5. Our lesson horses are the foundation of our teaching program and we will always put their welfare first. If, occasionally, your assigned horse is out of commission (for some soreness, or a rest, or recovery from a veterinary procedure undertaken for their comfort and well-being) you may find yourself taking an unmounted lesson. If you're smart, you'll be glad of the opportunity to learn something new and take advantage of the situation.
