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Need Lesson Advice!

702 views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  Ace80908 
#1 ·
I will try to make this as short and sweet as possible.
I've been taking lessons at my western barn since I was a little kid, I love the BO like a mother. She's taught me everything I know, found me my first horse. Gave me all the confidence in the world when I needed it. She has been so good to me.
But I'm getting bored, I want to compete. She's not into that. I want to go to clinics, not into that either. So I accessed what my horse could be good at (other than the occasional play day in the park) and decided I would try my hand at hunter jumping. (He's a good jumper, a big throughbredy paint horse. 15.3hh. I've seen him free jump at least four feet)
I had my first lesson today, and I loved it. My horse was good at it, I learned a lot. This trainer doesn't just want to help me, she wants to help me make my horse the best horse he can be. I learned more from 2 hours with her, than the past year at my current barn. Ever since I've been getting older my current BO/Trainer has been dedicating more time to the younger students, and less to the older students needs like me. I've mostly just been riding around for fun. I want to work with my horse on suppleness, and lightness. And she simply just doesn't have time to help me go back to square one (a snaffle) and work up again. I can't do it myself, I need a trainer
This hunter jumper trainer I took a lesson with today seemed to have high hopes for me and my horse, and even helped me set future goals.
So I will be taking lessons at her barn twice a week, but still boarding my horse at my BO's barn.
I just know my BO is going to get butt hurt and insulted, but I have to improve. I want to be a well rounded rider. And especially be able to benefit from a trainer that has time for me and my horse.
Anyways, how should I tell her this? (She is very possessive) and how should I react if she gets upset? It's nothing personal, I just want to be the most well rounded competitive rider I can be.
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#2 ·
Keep it simple. Tell your barn owner to take you off her lesson roster, as you have decided to show hunter/jumper - and in preparation you are going to be working with trainer down the road. Tell her you love her, appreciate her guidance thus far, and will continue to board there, but you need the skill set of the jumper trainer, and are happy to have found one close by that seems to fit your needs. Don't get apologetic, don't get defensive - you have no need to be either - just be matter of fact about your needs changing, she'll understand.
 
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