which instructor would you choose?

The obvious answer would be to pick the fun one. That said...it really depends. What you might think of as trivial boring stuff that the english instructor does...might be very important stuff. It's not something that I can answer without seeing what it's all about.

If the Spanish instructor is giving your friend a safe and effective lesson, where it's not allowed to just gloss over issues....if there are no real issues....if the english instructor is really just trying to stretch out the time with the pony (some trainers will do this, just to get more money)....then I'd definitely go with the Spanish instructor.

It comes down to one thing for me to see from the Spanish Instructor:

-If the pony and the rider are getting along and there are no issues, no problems happening, and the pony isn't being merely controlled in any way by harsh tactics (spurring, severe bits, etc).....but the instructor is really teaching both.....then the Spanish instructor is definitely my pick.

I also, don't like the idea that the English instructor finds a lot of faults in the pony and doesn't include the rider. This tells me that either this person doesn't really know what they're doing and is trying to cover it up with the excuse of "let me just work on this for you."....or that this person is too much of a perfectionist and is ignoring what the client (the rider) wants, which is to get on with the training and show...

But like I said....if this English instructor really does find dangerous holes in the training and is trying to get them fixed....then that's totally a good reason to keep this person....but to make it clear that the rider is to be better involved (unless the pony is a bucking bronco or something)....

Some instructors are very good at riding and schooling but utterly pants at teaching people how to school. I was like that when I started; I couldn't teach medium-novices, only very wobbly beginners or experienced riders with a definite aim (HOYS in a few cases!). The middle ground was hard for me to get. It takes a while to develop the skill of teaching, some people have it and some people don't; some can get it flowing if they're given the right guidance, but there are some instructors who should not be instructing because they simply have no concept of how to teach the rider, rather than explain how they would school the horse - and that sounds like the English one to me.

I would definitely go for the Spanish instructor in this one. The pony's young and he's part native - two good reasons why fun is more productive than perfectionist schooling. You really can't school the heck out of a native, he won't sit and take it like a TB or whatever, he will switch his brain off and you'll achieve nothing. If the schooling sessions can be fun, rather than trudging round in circles for half an hour, the pony is far more likely to learn. (As is the rider!)

here is my thing on both

english instructor) She may have a reason for schooling the pony as much as she does. If the horse isn't schooled properly then that could really hold your friend back from progressing in her learning and riding. It is not a bad thing to always have something to fix with your horse because honestly there will always be some schooling involved. Your horse will never be perfect just the way you want it believe it or not. There could be a reason that this trainer isn't allowing your friend to compete and join pony club so just ask her what her reasons are. I would be very thrilled if my trainer always offered to ride and tune my gelding as it can really do a lot for the horse.

spanish instructor) Riding isn't all about fun and that seems to be something you are stuck on. Riding is hard work so it will not always be fun or something that you want to do. It seems to me like he is almost rushing things and i would hope that after he taught the flying changes he continued to go over those in further lessons. I would rather be taught slowly and thorough then worried about having fun and cramming my head with all this new stuff.

Since he is only 5 the pony will need schooling! Neither horse nor rider can ever be perfect. He will be a more balanced (mentally and physically) and be a much happier horse learning lots. Sure she can still compete - though not too much at this stage.

They both sound good, but at 5 years the pony is really too young to be doing flying changes. It could lead to problems later on in life.

I do think the English teacher is riding him too much. Your friend has a right, as the pony's owner to refuse to let her ride him so much. Schooling is learning for both pony and rider. I do wonder if there is a bit of pride there, the rider thinking she knows everything?

I would go for the English one with conditions!

Hi, I'm a riding instructor and quite a perfectionist in my teaching, but safety and enjoyment should always come first. Your friend must decide if she simply wants her pony schooling or if she wants to get on and enjoy her time with her pony. The more both she and her pony enjoy their lessons, the quicker they will advance.

Riding lessons should always be fun, and as your friend is paying for riding lessons it is she who should be riding her pony, not her instructor, who should only get on to quickly demonstrate an exercise or if there are problems which need attention.

You sound as if you have some knowledge, so maybe you could help your friend to get her pony going more forward from the leg in between her lessons with an instructor who appears to knows how to keep her pupils and their ponies interested and happy

I hope this helps

take care

Avis.

I would go with the Spanish instructor because he seems more motivated and fun and into actually improving the pony and your friend, whether or not there is some faults or not. I think teaching the rider is more important then schooling. But that is my opinion. Good luck. <><

Well, obviously we know you want the spanish instructor, and I would also.

Then again, I despise people getting on my horses and schooling my horse. It is - MY - horse, it has to be ridden by - ME - and I'm the one who needs to be trained.

I've only had two trainers ever get on my horses before, and it was only just to see what the horse was like. All of my horses either have had previous experience, or are fully trained by me. Once they get into my hands, they are my horses and I am the trainer. If they get ridden by someone else, it's so the other person can enjoy the horse I have created through solid training.

Obviously, you would rather the Spanish one XP but it IS your friends choice. If she is curious, though, I'd coach her to try out the spanish one more.

If you're talking about elementary and secondary schools which have a set curriculum then teachers choose text books based on which texts best fit with the curriculum. In larger areas, such as Ontario where I am, companies will make textbooks specifically for that curriculum, which really makes choosing one a lot easier. Professors on the other hand choose a textbook that fits what they want to teach. I would imagine that they have a general idea of what areas they want to cover and they find a textbook that covers those areas.

I think you need to consider the interest the english instructor has in saying he sees potential in your horse. Much like a vocal coach or dance instructor would lead someone on to keep the steady income. You should be honest with yoursel and the age of your horse and its history. Especially because you seem more casual about the training. It sounds like the trainer who gets down to business isn't trying to milk the situation.

I would have to see them both actually teach to pick as you might over dramatize on the schooling of the pony. He might actually need it and the rider isn't capable of doing that herself yet. But I would pick the spanish one from what you have said though.