Professional tips for choosing the right riding instructor

Guest contribution from Becky the Horse insightful .

Choosing the right trainer will increase your skills, reduce your weaknesses, delight your horse, and shape your entire equestrian journey.

Riding instructors don’t just teach us how to use leg aids and how to ride with steady hands. The right trainer will guide riders to develop equestrian skills that support their values. It also helps them understand themselves and their horses on a deeper level.

So how do you find the right person for this crucial role?

There is no driver version from Match.com, at least not at the time I’m writing this (who knows, I might add this to the Future Ideas box). In the meantime, you should be satisfied with applying my best advice as you browse through the teachers one by one to find the right fit.

The first step to your perfect match is getting to know yourself.

A clear understanding of your personality traits will give you insight into the personality traits you would expect in a teacher. For example, if you are an introvert who is overwhelmed by extroverts, choosing a highly skilled coach with a great personality will not help you. You will lose your vast knowledge when you are overwhelmed by its immense energy.

If you feel like you are digging a little deeper into identifying your natural traits, this personality test is free and gives great feedback without spending a lot of time.

It is also useful to list the most effective and least effective learning methods. Some examples are learning by watching someone else do it first, reading/looking at charts, hands-on exercises, trying things out, step by step, immersion, to name a few.

Once you know how to study more effectively, you can ask potential teachers how they can use these methods to teach their students.

It’s also important to be clear about your values, goals, and expectations. It sounds obvious, but knowing exactly what you want to achieve and what kind of relationship you want with horses will find the right option for you.

The next step in choosing the perfect partner is to gather information about teachers in your area.

• What majors do you major in and in what disciplines are you strong in teaching? A comprehensive careers tutor is usually a master of nothing, be sure to go with someone who teaches the discipline you are interested in at the level you are aiming for.
• What education/qualifications/experience do you have?
• What training theories do you follow? What practices do they use? You want to make sure that their values ​​are aligned with yours to make sure they give you ways you can use them.
• Ask those around you, and your local equestrian community will have plenty of feedback about the professionals in the area. Ask the other horses what he likes about the teaching style and the styles of the trainers.
• Try to see them in action whenever possible. Watching teachers train their students at an event will give you an idea of ​​how they prepare students, how they think quickly, and how they give feedback.
• Are they in your price range?
• Can you fit into their schedule?

Solving all of these questions takes a little work, but make sure you choose a coach who will help you become the driver you want to be.

If you’re looking for tips on how to find the right space for your horse, check out my tips on choosing an indoor home.

insight,