I recently received an e-mail from a Riding Instructor University reader who wanted to know about common mistakes made by riding instructors. What are the worst sins? How can you avoid them?
I’ve made lots of mistakes throughout my career as a riding instructor. There was the time I accidentally left the tack room unlocked and three saddles were stolen. And the time I thought it would be a good idea to throw a pizza party before a riding lesson and two kids threw up.
But these are minor mistakes compared to the three I want to discuss today.
Mistake #1: Pushing a Rider Too Hard, Too Fast
A riding instructor must be capable of accurately and objectively judging a rider’s ability. Without this skill, it is quite easy to over-horse a rider and cause an accident.
Kids are sneaky. They will try every trick in the book to get you to let them ride the “prettiest horse” or the “fastest horse,” regardless of how far along they are in their riding education. Sometimes the pretty horses and the fast horses are out of a student’s league.
This is why riding instructors should have a stable of diverse lesson horses from which to choose.
It is also possible to pair a rider with an appropriate horse but still push that rider too hard. Asking a rider to jump before she’s ready or taking away stirrups when he isn’t strong enough. These are dangerous mistakes that you should avoid.
However, riding instructors must also know when to push their timid riders. I’ve had lots of students in riding lessons who were perfectly capable, but lacked the confidence to push themselves. So I had to give them a nudge in the right direction. I’ll explore this more in-depth in a future article.
Mistake #2: Getting Too Friendly
This is a trap into which many riding teachers fall, and it isn’t really your fault. You want to like your students, enjoy their company, become friends with the people you teach. However, getting too friendly can cost you in the long run.
Riding instructors must draw the line between congenial relationships with their clients and friendships. When you become friends with your clients, professionalism often flies out the proverbial window.
Why? Because a friend doesn’t have any qualms about paying the board or the lesson tab late when their finances take a tumble. They don’t have a problem asking for big favors or taking advantage of their riding instructors.
Think this can’t happen to you? Think again. I had to learn this lesson the hard way, and this lesson is the kind with teeth.
I want you to understand that you aren’t wrong for keeping a professional distance from your clients. Make sure they understand that you are a service provider and that you have a business to run.
Once that line is drawn, tell all the fart jokes you want and invite everyone out for drinks after lessons if it suits your fancy.
Mistake #3: Neglecting a Contract
No business transaction should take place without a contract, and that includes riding lessons. A riding teacher must get his or her agreement on paper before putting a kid or adult on a horse. Period.
It should outline the length of each lesson, the time and day, the amount each lesson costs and when payment is due. Riding teachers should make sure to include a penalty for late payments, such as a late fee. Address other issues, such as what happens when riders come late or miss a lesson. This will solve all kinds of hassles later.
All this aside, you’re going to make mistakes. You’ll kick yourself until the cows come home (and you might want to take a few jabs at the cows too), but eventually you’ll iron out the kinks and figure out how best you conduct business.
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About the Author: Laura Jane Thompson is the Chief Equestrian Officer of Riding Instructor University and the Feature writer for the horses section at Suite101. She believes that any horse business can succeed provided its owner practices smart strategy.
