How to get across the importance of free riding to students that want to move up levels in the show ring
Hi y’all! I am a riding instructor in the hunter/jumper discipline. I have a few students with their own horses that are currently riding and showing around 2’ at the local and rated levels. They have very talented horses and are naturally talented riders as well, which got them many year end championships at the x-rail and 2’ level. In previous years they had been lessoning 2-3x a week and free riding 1-2x a week. However this past summer, for different reasons, both dropped free riding entirely and tried to move up levels, one to 2’3” and another to 2’6”. Predictably, both struggled through this show season. Both riders and their families questioned the horses’ ability to take them up to the next level. I have been riding these horses as well to keep up with their conditioning/ training and be able to give the kids the proper instruction based on their horse. Both horses are more than capable and proven at these levels. I’ve explained to the riders and their families the the shortcomings is not their horse, but the riders’ commitment and time in the saddle. I explained how 2-3 hours a week is not sufficient to be competitive at these levels, how their past success came from the hours in the saddle, and the importance of time spent practicing the skills they learn in lessons as well as refining their relationships and communication with their horses. However, as we head into our off season, where we set up our preparation for the coming show season, both students have shown no intention of changing their commitment level and still express an expectation to move up this coming show season. I can’t figure out how to communicate to both student and family that next show seasons training starts NOW and if they want to move up, their training needs to adjust accordingly NOW! I have no problem with them coasting at 2’, but they do. I don’t want to offend them by calling out their lack of commitment, or by ‘holding them back’ at the level they are capable of doing according to the time they put in. I would love some phrasing, talking points, and articles that articulate the necessary steps to move up to where the students want. Or to get them comfortable with staying at their current level. Feeling frustrated and afraid of losing good clients by either insulting them or them perceiving that I have failed them.
You can lead a horse to water…
I think what you have said is straightforward. I doubt they don’t understand. A lot of people start out with a lot of enthusiasm and see that instant pay off at shows, but don’t care to sustain the effort once the novelty wears off.
“Do you plan to show next season?”
If the answer is no or maybe… there you have it.
If the answer is yes:
“Awesome.
Coming to lessons maintained your skills and I’ve been riding your horse for you, but you’ll need to greatly increase the time spent working outside of our lessons -starting now- in order to be competitive next season, and to demonstrate this horse’s talent.
When you were consistently practicing, you and Horsie were a great team. We saw what happened when your time in the saddle dropped off between your first and second seasons. Consistency and dedication will beat talent any day of the week.
There’s no replacement for practice.
Now, how many hours will you commit to free riding each week between now and show season?”
If the answer is none or “meh, I don’t know, I have this test and then we’re going on vacation and blah blah blah. Maybe I can start in a few weeks”. Ok. Minimize your expectations.
If the answer is affirmative, or they say that they want to, but feel like they don’t know what to do during those rides, or that they’re getting bored or something, maybe you can give them some guidance. Give them homework or have them keep a journal.
I think I will ask each student to give me written goals for the coming season, and giving them a written plan on what they ought to be planning to do weekly to make these goals achievable. So they have a tangible reference to follow, and the same for parents.
I plan on adding some links to articles and quotes from top trainers/riders to my weekly scheduling emails that state this type of stuff, this might be my first one!
That’s 10,000 hours of targeted practice, as in with a specific goal for that ride and active feedback to correct mistakes. Simply free riding with no goal and no plan isn’t exactly what they mean. I know from experience (myself and several people I’ve ridden with at more than one barn) they can compete at 2’3 with 2-3 hours of targeted practice a week. For a while I could not afford to do more than that a week but all of us were improving with each lesson. We did work a lot on the basics with a lot of gymnastics exercises in there and plenty of flat work. You might have to go back to basics to strengthen skills they lack which might be keeping them from moving up. But if they are trying hard every lesson and the lessons are addressing their weak points, then yes they definitely can compete at 2’3 and maybe 2’6 with the time they have available to give.
I’d recommend talking to the parents from a safety approach. The chances of the riders hurting themselves and/or their horses increases each time that the height of the jumps increase. When the kids ride more, they lessen the chance of something bad happening because they are stronger and more in tune with the horses. Let the parents know that if the kids want to continue at their current commitment level, you feel comfortable with them jumping 2ft, but that they will need to put in more hours in the saddle if they want to jump higher.
You can give the kids a similar kind of talk. Let them know that a key part of your job is being responsible for the safety of your students. You want them to achieve their goals, but you need to ensure that you are making smart choices for your students and their horses.
To me, it makes most sense to have this conversation with the parents first and ensure that they are onboard with the plan and then talk to the kids.
Wishing you luck and keep us posted! As someone who was a barn rat and would sleep at the barn in the summers, it feels wild to me that the kids don’t want to spend more time in the saddle. Fingers crossed it all works out. :)
Thank you for for this! Safety is always a big part of our program, and I think when it’s explained from this level, particularly to parents it may drive the point home further. I also don’t understand why they wouldn’t want to be out more! I was also (still am) a barn rat, and they have great horses to be spending time with and learning from. I think some of it is parents overextending the kids, expecting them to be involved in other things. Idk if the kids are burnt out, or parents aren’t interested in getting them out more. They live close together and often carpool to the barn, so hopefully if I can get both families on the same page they either up the commitment or are content to continue where they are. But I do think I need to talk with the parents more, as I’m not sure where the shortcomings are coming from (meaning parents, students, or both). Safety always gets through to parents though, where sometimes I think kids don’t fully grasp it, or realize how important it is.
Thank you to everyone who responded- these are all great ideas! I had a lesson tonight with one of the students in question, I got on her horse during her lesson and her mom was there to see as well. I had a really productive conversation with them both regarding you get out what you put in after they saw that the horse can go around just fine. I will definitely be doing the same with the other student, and holding to the narrative through the winter. If they don’t change their commitment, the message will have been loud and clear that we will be staying at current levels, for the best interest of them and their horses. I will try to update with how things go with the second student, as well as through the winter and show season. We also have some clinicians on the docket through the winter, I will request they drive home the same message if they can work it in to their plans. I find sometimes hearing the same things from a news source helps it sink in even more. Again thank you soo much for the feedback and some different approaches!
Advice from another instructor.
Lay down the law. "I am not comfortable having you compete at this level unless you demonstrate dedication to riding 3-4x/week." I make it very clear that they have a responsibility to themselves, the horse, and to me as their instructor to put in the work. If they'd prefer those hours of riding to be instructed, that's fine, but if they're going to compete there are very clear expectations written out for them depending on the level. These "rules" aren't new for them, as I have a lot of little rules when instructing (no cantering until you can post no-stirrups in control for multiple laps, etc.).
It does require a spine, because when they've failed to work the horse for two weeks before an event, you have to be the one to point at the calendar and tell them that they're not coming to this horse show. I did have one student that just wouldn't get it, so I let her move up. It was an utter disaster, and because she cared more about ribbons than anything else, it really drove home the point that she wasn't ready. If you feel the student will be more or less safe and not harm the horse, letting them fail can be the best learning opportunity.
They are both 14, came up riding together. Both are freshmen in high school, taking multiple advanced placement classes and involved in school activities. Which is great, but I have been wondering if they’re burnt out/distracted from riding and losing their passion, even if they haven’t fully realized this yet.
When you find the solution, let me know. I have some of the same, and some of the opposite. The ones that come to their lesson but do little else with their horse, and have a couple that I haven't seen since the last big show of the season (end of August). I've spoken to each and it's always "oh, sounds good, I will" with no change. You do what you can.
Now the ones that want to and show up and do the work, that's where the magic happens and sometimes when they see that change in others it can be a good motivation.
I really don't think free riding is the issue here. They just need more hours of quality instruction and if they want to keep advancing, they need to keep learning. Unless they're actively trying to blame you for their lack of progress, it sounds like there's nothing you can do to motivate them. Keep it simple and don't add free riding as a complicating factor when you're still trying to sell them on the basic concept of commitment. Just say "you get out what you put in" and leave it at that. Offer extra lesson slots if you have them available. If there's no harm to the horse, maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to let them try to advance and fail; it could be the proof they need that they're not ready yet. Especially if someone else can ride the same horses at that level.
TLDR: if they can't or won't put in more time, it's not your problem. The only way to advance is to put in the hours and if they don't have more hours they can or want to put in, they'll continue to advance at their current pace. None of this is your problem.
If they are taking lessons 2-3x per week that should be enough. You have to practice what you have been taught. You have to go out on trails or at least a hack in the fields with your horse to keep them happy. If you aren't riding alone how do you find out what you don't know so that you can bring it to the next lesson?
Show them, them them what their horses can do if they apply themselves. Sometimes a person needs a little tough love and 2-3 hours a week isn’t even scratching the surface of what is required to ride at any kind of top level, and that’s not even counting ground work and general horsemanship/bonding.
Ask them exactly what their goals are and then tell them exactly what they need to do in order to get there.
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