There are moments when I really do enjoy getting people into riding, seeing their first steps and how they learn to discover the beauty of the sport. However, the organisation, the horse power, the facilities, the way the riding has to be "sold" to the client - it's all mega off putting.
I have about 90 hours left out of the compulsory 500 to complete my AI certificate. Once this is done I am going to find more private clients.
The good thing about teaching at riding schools is that you get a block of hours and you just stay in one place and teach. You don't have to worry about transport, traffic, costs etc. You may, as I did, come across a great team of people to work with which is always great. The bad thing is that the rate is always lower than when you teach privately, you are stuck with beginners 60% of the time (and that if you are lucky as someone told me today they teach almost only total novices) and you are therefore not developing as an instructor.
Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against teaching total beginners - I actually prefer those who start with me over those who already acquired bad habits due to someone's lazy teaching. I also get a lot of satisfaction and pleasure from teaching intermediate and advanced riding schools riders.
However, what I am steadily feeling more and more sure of is that I have best results with competitive, amateur riders. Those who don't necessarily want to get to the top but who want to be the best they possibly can and who want to bring the best out of their horses.
This considering, I will be amending my weekly schedule from the middle of this year.
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...............Little news: my lesson with Anna Ross-Davies is now moved to the 24th of January - very exciting :)
Picture left: taken on Sunday - one of the horses at Barnfield RS enjoys his lunch time roll ;)
5 comments
I love this blog! I've spent some time instructing myself, so I can relate to the ups and downs and challenges you face. I look forward to continued reading. If you don't mind, I'm going to put you in my blog roll. If you check mine out and think it's decent, I'd love if you would add a link to me. Have a great day (or evening, as I guess it is in England).
I love teaching horses, people, not so much!! I guess that means I can relate......lol
Jackie - I added your blog to my links, it's very interesting! Do you have any experiences with teaching autistic riders? I have a 60 ish years old man who rides with me every week. He can't speak and his attention span is one of a 4 year old. He also has various mobility and coordination problems but seems to have a very natural balance. He absolutely loves horses and riding.
Rising Rainbow - I must say I love teaching people but there are days when I would rather school horses all day and not have to say a word! After a few days like that I feel like going out there and teach the human race again ;)
Welcome to the world of teaching...anything! I love it when I teach kids that are interested in my subject, but when I spend the rest of the time trying to explain the use of the semi-colon in English to children that really couldn't care less, it can get a little frustrating! You have to live for the good moments, and it sounds like you get plenty of those - imagine if you taught full time in a riding school! :(
I was thinking that actually the other day wondering how school teachers can bare this obvious disinterest and told myself that at least I am teaching a hobby not a compulsory subject :)
My aunt is a Polish language and Literature teacher and I lived with her for 4.5 years while I was at Uni. She always sat long hours preparing the lectures and I think she is the best sort of teacher you can get. I also saw her really down about some of her students and she is often mega stressed too.
I have always been surrounded by teachers (couple of other members of my close family were lecturers or school teachers) and I think teaching riding is 100% easier than any sort of school teaching :)
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