[eaas123]

Right on Friday I'm having the yard owner as my instructor as my normal one has booked the week off. But the thing is he really freaks me out! He shouts at me for doing what my normal instructor always tells me to do and if I do something wrong he wastes time by making me stop and doing it again even if I do the slighest mistake. He knows that I've got a problem with my right leg yet he always shouts at me to get my right heel down when I can't and it makes me really upset help what should I do?

[templelane]

I've been riding at riding schools for a number of years with several instructors. They all have their own styles, some make you do it over and over until you get it right (an approach I like as I'm a perfectionist) others will try moving you onto a different exercise that might help with the first. They are all different.

Some instructors I've really clicked with and others I've never really agreed with about things like amount of contact. It depends on their own riding philosophy.

However if you really don't like them change! You are the customer, it cost a lot, so why put up with a person you don't like!

It's nice to be taught by different people with different styles but if its not working for you don't put yourself through that.

[eaas123]

Yer that's what I would do but its for one lesson even if I change days and my instructor has the day off then I'll still have him so I don't have much choice whiether I have him or not.

[Tuscany]

I agree with Templene. As both a rider and instructor I have had many years of experience on both sides of the saddle. If your personalities do not click then cancel this lesson and reschedule when your typical instructor is at the barn.

If you cannot ride when the instructor you want is there then I suggest looking at another riding program. There are many good ones out there!

[eaas123]

Yer I would do that if I could but the thing is I don't pay for them my family do and if I say I don't want 2 ride this week because of john then they will be like oh he's not that bad when they don't even really speak to him :(

[ntroyn]

Since you're apparently stuck with this one instructor from time to time, just think of it this way, what's the worst that could happen with all his yelling, etc... he could turn blue, his head could blow off, veins could pop out of his head, he can get hoarse and lose his voice... any of which could actually wind up being kind of funny, and would hurt him a lot more than hurt you. Remember, he's there to do you a service, not the other way around.
As far as him yelling at you to get your heels down, and other such things, when you find you physically can't, then it's not your heels that need the focus. If you're sitting properly and balanced correctly, your heels will drop down on their own. If you can flex your toes up while standing or sitting in a chair, then you should be able to do the same while riding, and thus have your heels be down. You shouldn't, however, try to force them down when you ride, since that will only cause other problems. Try checking out some of the books on centered riding, they should help you out a lot.
Keep an open mind and try experimenting with things on your own while not in the saddle, and you may find the lessons much easier to cope with, and you may also start learning in spite of an instructor you don't work well with.
Good luck

[eaas123]

Ye thanks for that it really helped but it just really annoys me that I know how to canter and am almost up to the point when I'm going to learn how to jump but the thing is he still says ''Oh you need to go back on the lunge'' when with the instructor I've got now I've come much further then I would have if I still had him. It makes me really upset because he makes such a fuss if the horse bucks and says ''oh are you okey'' when he's the one that is making me loose my confidence :( At some point I think I'm going to have to end up moving yards because of him just like everyone else because I can't take his constant shouting and moaning but I really like that yard its just him I can't stand :(

[ntroyn]

If you have an instructor that wants to put you back on the lunge, even if you hate the instructor, revel in it. I know people that beg for someone to put them on the lunge line, and I'm talking about people that have been riding all their lives. Being on a horse that's on the lunge line is a great opportunity to work on your position and feel what happens when you change different things in your balance, leg position, and, in fact, position of any body part. Again, you don't have to focus on his yelling, focus on your inner self and what you feel going on with the horse. It sounds like this instructor just focuses on certain body points instead of the whole rider. You need to figure out what other parts of your body are out of alignment and causing the body points he's focusing on to get out of sync. Again, anything you can get your hands on that deals with balanced/centered riding should help. If nothing else, it will give you some imagery tools to use while you ride that may give you more than you're getting from your instructor now.
If you can change to a different stable, that may help as well, but be sure to audit a lesson first, or at least talk to the instructor, so you know what you're in for.
Good luck