The concept of learning

Just back from teaching in the rain, we all survived. Pondering on the concept of teaching and learning. It has taken me a good 30 years to really understand the concept of over the back and through. Its easy to see when its right but harder to learn to feel especially when horse and rider are learning together. My pupil Lucie has come a long way in the few months I have been helping her. She has a lovely position in the saddle and a thirst for knowledge but does have a tendency to get frustrated! Why? I ask her frequently. As I said it has taken me a good 30 years and with all that experience of not being able to do it to being able to now ride a passable advanced test, she is gaining her knowledge much more quickly than I ever did. Is it the concept of building blocks that riders find so difficult? Teaching should start with the riders position and seat. Tick that box. Then its all about stretching in the walk and trot to teach the muscles to be more supple and loose. Tick that box. Now we have to bring the horse up by asking with the leg to a forward hand so that he takes the contact not the rider. No tick here yet. This is because for so long riders go along wiggling the horses mouth, neck and poll to get it round. So how can he come into self carriage while he is being manipulated from the front end? 'but it feels wrong!' she says. 'hes not round'. 'Hes pulling/too light not going. blah blah blah!' The thing is Lucie dearest...Rome was not built in a day! I have taken to beating her with a whip (kidding). Just do the exercises and be patient until he finds his balance. You cannot carry a horse around a test, he has to carry you and himself on those there back legs! Stop thinking about the front end. Be light and hand forward then the leg. The rein says stop or slow the leg says go......quote from the wonderful Mr Hester, and thats just for now Lucie. The goal posts keep moving and there is no point in doing any thing else until we have a quality way of going then your lateral work and mediums will be worth bigger marks! Its easy for me to say all this because I am on the floor and I can see what is happening, thats why you have me! When I am on board and not doing as I preach you can tell me!! All joking apart, the work in the middle and at the end was really good so both horse rider and teacher very happy! The satisfaction of the end result is worth all the sulks and frustration and thats why we teach! Just think, riders are learning so much quicker now from those of us who struggled to understand for years. We can be more clear and show the way so that they do not have to wait 30 years to get a horse over the back and truly engaged!!

This is for all my teachers past and present, thank you for all your time and energy teaching me to be patient, tolerant and have a sense of humour!
For Lucie who will be a great rider one day soon.....