Ok pros, here's one for ya......if you have followed my posts for the last few months, I've mentioned the fact that I haven't been riding for a while. By Spring, I should be ready to get back to my beloved English lessons. Here's what I'd like to throw out at ya: Last Sunday I went to a Dressage clinic to check it out, learn,etc and I talked to a USDF judge and trainer along with a highly regarded Dressage trainer here in the area. I asked them if you knew you wanted to study Dressage (at some point) but were just learning to ride,should you study with a Dressage trainer from the very beginning? They said yes. Well, the instructor told me that I would need to lease a horse ( even though everyone I've talked to said you shouldn't even think about leasing until you can walk trot  &canter)and you would need to take lessons 3x a week to see improvement.Their thoughts are you should study with a specialist so that you wouldn't have to undo bad habits later on......what do you think? I can't buy/lease a horse, buy a trailer any of that stuff right now?!!  The trainer said that you wouldn't learn that much from a lesson horse.....aren't lesson horses suppose to be ideal for beginners? My thoughts are that I should just find a patient teacher that has plenty experience with adult beginners and go from there.

suzanne

Well, I did the opposite of what you are thinking of... I started out on a trained jumper warmblood I bought. He was very sweet but FRUSTRATING in that he was mainly ridden by pros before me and would only respond to exact aids. He taught me a lot but I became afraid to make any mistake on him as he knew how to ignore me. Anyway, I ended up getting in a bad accident and started back riding a school pony who gave me the confidence I really needed. I'm went from riding 5 days a week to 2. I definitely see slower improvement now, but I'm also much more confident and have better form. And the school pony gave me enough confidence to purchase another horse (as my husband took over my old one) so I can start riding more again but it was over a year before this happened.

Anyway, leasing is OK right off, but I would definitely be confident in all 3 gaits first (what if you're riding alone and the horse breaks into a canter before you know how to ride the gait?). A trailer is usually only needed if you want to go to shows, clinics, or off on trail rides. I have had horses for years and no trailer. If you go to a show barn the trainer willusually trailer you to shows or clinics. I started out at a jumper barn and am glad I did. The trainer is very helpful and had given me wonderful advice all along and can help measure your improvement.

 As I said, I love school horses. They are a great confidence boost and you know you won't get into serious trouble with them. Start with them until you feel confident. Scope out barns, ask A LOT of questions (I grilled my current trainer/barn owner for over an hour before transferring my horse there), and see if there are other adults riding there. I love my barn now because there are many other adult riders there too.

Good luck!

 They might be so far along in their own riding level, that they have forgotten the best thing for beginners: well trained, calm school horses. The LAST thing you want is to buy a horse that you are not ready for. Been there, done that. Wasted 4 years of what could have been good riding expereince but shook my confidence to the bone. It has taken me 2 years and 2 trainers to get it back (not 100% but we are making progress).

Just as you said, you should find someone who gives intro/training level dressage lessons. Plan on a year getting the basics, doing lots of lunge line work. Later on, once you get to First Level and are ready to go up the levels, you might want your own horse and to "study" with an upper level trainer.  I'm sure you'll get lots of really good (and likely similar) advice here! Take your time, take one step at a time, and don't buy or lease a horse unless that is what you WANT to do. I would suggest Jane Savoie's Riding With Your Mind - the first video (dvd) is excellent for helping you get a foundation when you are away from a horse.

I understand where she's coming from that if you want to ride dressage it would be easiest (but not necessary) to start dressage instead of having to relearn a leg position. And that's about all I agree with. We have about 20 of the most amazing school horses known to man, any where from ones for the most complete beginner to those who will be a challenge for our advanced kids. Will the the most beginner horses be able to teach you to execute a haunches in? Well no, but he will be fantastic for teaching you to post and steer. We have some kids who are pretty competitive in the show circuit around here and they all started off on a school horse! Most of my students ride once or twice a week, and while the kids who ride more progress more quickly, 3x is kind of a lot for someone who's just getting back into it. I also think for safety reasons you should wait to lease/buy until you can at least canter. If your horse accidently canters you need to know what to do. Plus, it's difficult to find a horse that's very beginner friendly and talented. They're often very expensive! As a trainer I actually prefer my clients to ride the beginner friendly horses and wait to buy/lease until they're ready to ride something fancier. They tend to keep them longer. And why in the world do you need a trailer? Shouldn't your barn be able to haul your horse to shows/clinics? Sounds like a bit of a high maintenance trainer who's goals for you may not click with what you're looking to do.

Sounds like my hunch was right...... I need to stick with basic lessons on a school horse and then move forward. Thanks to everyone for their  advice and good old common "horse" sense! Thanks again!

suzanne

Agreed!  You absolutely CAN learn so much from a lesson horse!!  Sounds like this trainer is used to working with people who have cash to blow and lots of free time to spend on dressage specializations.  Find someone a bit more laid back with some quiet patient school horses and I think you'll be a lot happier. 

I think you're right, Solaris. I suppose when you get so deep into the sport,you can lose sight of what beginning riders can reasonably accomplish. Thanks!

suzanne 

 I agree with what others have said about starting out with good school horses and I'm sure that you won't regret coming to that realization too.

One other suggestion is that you look for a lesson barn that does focus on dressage & flatwork rather than a h/j barn. --- that may be what the  judge & trainer were referring to re 'undoing bad habits' (not that h/j is 'bad' but it is definitely different from dressage). That way you will be on lesson horses that should already know a lot of the basic beginner level dressage movements & exercises.

Welcome to the wonderful world of dressage  

Good idea, mouse......seems like here( in GA) h/j is more popular......I did find a barn with  a dressage trainer on site and they understood that I would be starting  from ground zero. Thanks for the great advice!

suzanne

The thing with starting out with "basic" lessons, is that most "basic" lesson are going to be hunt seat.  If your goal is dressage, then you are being counter productive in the long term.  Hunt seat and dressage are incredibly different, from leg and body positions, to aids (direct and indirect rein aid as well as contact).  One of the other main things that when you "switch" you will find yourself constantly correcting (and for many riders it takes YEARS) is that hunt seat forward seat.  They are very, very different--including the all important sitting trot.  If you can find a nice school that has lower level dressage school masters, and yes, they do exist you will do yourself a favor, especially if you are an adult.  Look at the GDCTA website and check into dressage instructors in your area, there may be someone who does this.  Georgia is one very active dressage area. 

Well, I haven't thought of it that way, Mikhail, but you're right. When I went for my very first lesson, they put me on a hunt seat saddle. I told them that I wanted to eventually study dressage, so they switched me to a dressage saddle and and a dressage trained horse ( a Lippizaner!- I looooved that horse). I was much more comfortable in the dressage saddle and felt a lot more comfortable on that horse,too! The problem is, that most dressage trainers don't have lesson horses and that leaves me out in the cold.......I will do some more research, of course, but the trainers I've talked to are for riders that are competition ready,not novices who need to get the basics together. I  belong to GDCTA and will investigate this further. Thanks for the advice!

Suzanne

Yeah, that can be a problem.  I know one place in SC that I think does it, but not sure, but that is one of the hardest things about it.  I just know that even with riding in Pony Club and then eventing, it took me a really long time to get the dressage seat that I really wanted to get, and I see a whole lot of Adult riders struggle when they learn hunter first.  That leaning forward habit, dealing with the issue of contact, things like that.  I know very, very little about hunters but the girl who kept her horse with me for a year, basically seemed to "hover" at the sitting trot not really using her seat to influence the horse, like a dressage rider does.  Also, sometimes, if you get to show some, working with bend and things like that can be different.  I wish I could think of someone in GA who could help.  If I do, I'll let you know.

 Remember that the basics of dressage are not so much different from other disciplines - rhythm, relaxation at all gaits,centering and balance of the rider on the horse, etc.  I ride both huntseat and dressage and I'm not an advanced rider.  Lynn Palm rode dressage to a very high level and she teaches dressage principles to western riders altho it is not "western dressage." It's called having a good foundation for riding. I've been watchign Lynn's huntseat equitation video and can see the dressage influence. But the basic WTC is not significantly different from lower level dressage.

I can take what I've learned in my huntseat lessons (which includes use of leg aids and bending) and easily apply that to training level tests. Which I plan to do with a dressage trainer here shortly.

Beyond 2nd level, yes there would be a difference. Most horses can do up to 3rd level. The significant differences between dressage and other English riding are obvious at the higher levels. Personally I wouldn't worry about not starting out with a dressage trainer. Read Sally Swift's first book, she'll keep you straight.

I had my first lesson today and am very happy with my new instructor. She offers lessons in everything from huntseat to dressage and teaches from a classical perspective. She put me in a dressage saddle( a wintec-I really liked it!!) straight away and focused on the walk. I've got a lot to accomplish before I can even graduate to the trot, but at least I'll have a very strong foundation and learn the basics correctly. Competition training is a long way off,but I'm glad to have found someone who will work with me without breaking the bank!!!

Thanks to everyone who offered their 2 cents!! I'm glad I was able to trade ideas back and forth and find a sensible solution......I was very worried that I wouldn't be able to find a lesson barn that could accomodate ($$) my abilities and my pocketbook. The lesson here is: Yes you can if you look hard enough!!

suzanne