Bad trail ride experiences (kinda long)??

Question

I went on a vacation with my mom and dad we decided to take a RELAXING trail ride. The place was nice but the lady that owned the place and gave lessons/lead trail rides out was which I noticed soon mean... I told her that I had experience(with English) and she gave me a horse that didn't know its left from right or even leg pressure to move forward. She persuades me that she is a quote "very sweet and nice horse" She was ok by the time the trail ride was over I think I retrained her by using correct ques or something... Anyways she than has nerve to tell me I should take lessons with HER so I can learn the BASICS of riding!! She than says to my MOM that my trainer doesn't know how to train someone to ride and that I would do better in her "program". I laughed and said I don't think so I'll stick to English(She wanted to teach me to ride Western as she put it "Western would be better for me") She continued this c**p the whole hour of the ride critiquing everything I did too!Continued..

Answer 1

probably about 5 or so months back i worked at a western trail riding place, who had a similar boss. I had been trained Australian Stock Horse riding so my style was quite different to western or English, anywho i was champion in a lot of c**p that i went in, so i didn't care about her messed up and tunnel vision opinion of my skills. The whole time I would be leading a trail ride with her, she would be saying to the group of trail riders, see how (my name)  is riding? well she's doing it wrong....completely undermining my authority with the children...these kids used to come for a camp and would be there for 5 or so days and I was one of their main governors, so by saying that, they lost their respect for me, and so were very difficult.

I went up to her they day i quit, and informed her, that western and stock riding were two very different styles, and although they I rode differently i always rode my horse that was trained that way, so i never taught her horses any bad habits. I explained that as an employee of hers and as a governor for the children I expected respect and not to be insulted and degraded for what she decided was not appropriate riding style.

Be strong, may people have tunnel vision and rose coloured glasses when it comes to their perceived style of riding and english riders, are especially picked on, in western circles.

you know that you are being taught by a good teacher and you know that this lady was wrong to ruin your trail ride, and you won't be going back...good luck with future trail rides and have fun with your horses

Answer 2

Well, just breath and know that even though she was mean, she meant to help you. When I was around six, my dad took me to this lady to teach me to ride. She put me on a BIG horse and told me to walk. I knew how to ride but she used split reigns, WHICH I HATE. I kicked the horse to go and soon, she told me to turn. I turned the reign and she screamed at me and said something about adding leg pressure and turning this and doing that. When I asked my dad to tie the reigns together she said No! Just keep walking. I was so frustrated. I KNEW HOW TO RIDE!!!

Answer 3

I can understand how this bothered you. You have have to follow your own path and ignore people like her. You shouldn't care what she thinks and she shows she has no class. I am surprised she gets any repeat business if she acts like that. If she was truly interested in helping you, she would have spoken to you after the ride. She was trying to hustle business by making your current trainer look bad and saying you haven't learned anything to your mom. People like her are petty and you shouldn't waste your time being upset about what she said or her opinions. Just the way she acted would make me not want to use her as a trainer.

Answer 4

That is just a western lady who is not use to the english riders.

My bad eexperience:

A friend, me and another older lady desicied to go out for a hack. Well it started off good, then we came to a feild with those big round hay bales in  them and my friends pony spooked and ran into my pony who was young (5) and I was training. Well my friend fell off and my pony was rearing and running in circles.The older lady got my friends pony and gave it back to her and we started back (all the horses more nervous) We got in sight of the barn and a gunshot went off (the farm hands were hunting groundhogs in the back feilds) So my pony and my friends pony spooked galloped back to the barn and we just got them to stop before they ran in.

Answer 5

That lady is dumb I ride western she should know that english and western are 2 diffrent things. Shes probably just jealous she dont train her kids like your trainer lol!

Answer 6

When i went on a trail ride, it was with a bunch of other people.

And first the horse in front of me that my sister was on kicked a bit.

Later that ride, my horse ended up galloping off the opposite way.

And the man was yelling at me "pull back!".

And i tried but nope.

he only spoke Spanish so it was hard to understand him.

It was soo scary galloping off like that. But now that i remember it , it was really exciting and i felt so free. =)

I cant wait till I learn to gallop. Or even Canter. :D

Oh and by the way, i never went back there again. We found a nice other place with a great view and really great horses.

I was like 10-12 , i think.

Sorry if that wasnt the kind of trail riding experience you meant.

Answer 7

Don't worry about it.  The woman is probably hoping that she will be able to convince someone that they need lessons with her (which of course will line her pockets).  If she was a decent instructor, she wouldn't have to go around telling strangers what sucks about their riding!

Trail riding barns generally don't have very good staff to begin with.  (I know - I used to work as a trail leader at one when I was eleven.  I mean, who hires an ELEVEN year old to be in charge of a group of 10+ adults?  Trail riding barns, that's who!)

Have you read this recent Fugly Horse of the Day article?  It came about after I e-mailed the blog's writer about a problem with a trail riding barn that I was having, and she decided to do an entry on that topic.  Take a look:

http://fuglyhorseoftheday.blogspot.com/2...

Don't let it bother you too much!  As long as you are riding safely, you have nothing to worry about.