For people who have riding experience, have you always had the same trainer or do you switch trainers are you get more experienced?

Many riders switch trainers as they grow and become better riders. There are many great riding instructors that can get you to a good start, but as you begin to develop your skills and focus your riding to a certain area, you will want the best trainer you can get for that area. If you started out riding western pleasure and decided to switch to jumping, you will want to find a trainer that can teach you to jump with proper form. Your trainer will understand if you need to switch to become better at your riding. In fact, many trainers are still taking lessons from even more experienced trainers so that they can train you.

I've been riding for almost 30 years, and, at last count, I've had over that time 18 instructors/trainers. That doesn't include short-term instructors, ground coaches or clinicians that I ride with. I'm also a certified riding instructor in hunters/hunt seat equitation; however, I've been taking dressage lessons since 1996, more consistently since 1999.

My personal feeling is that any instructor who doesn't take lessons, clinics or ground coaching is not a well-rounded teacher. When I used to interview potential instructors, I'd ask the question, "and who do you ride with?" If they said Frank Chapot or George Morris, I would very much consider them. If they said, "Oh I don't take lessons anymore," they were immediately crossed off the list.

Regardless of however long you've been riding, you never stop learning. My current instructor--a classical dressage trainer--is the best instructor/trainer I've ever had and it took me this long to find him. And, yes, after 30 years of riding, lessons and clinics, I'm still learning.

As a riding instructor, I feel most comfortable working with beginners through beginner jump course work. Frankly, I most enjoy teaching dressage as flat work for hunters and would be happy just doing that. Once students have begun jumping courses, I look to move them out to another instructor who prefers working with advanced jumping students. Even so, that instructor will often send them back to me on flat days to work on their dressage. It's a great arrangement and one that is not easy to find in a world where instructors try to steal students or hang on to them so they don't lose a meal ticket.

I switched instructors quiet a few times and mostly it was due to not feeling like I am learning anything new or different and not exceeding with my riding.

KC - Why it is that you don't like to teach the more advanced students?

Adding to what Fancy said...you'll probably get the feeling it's time for someone new when you realize that you're not picking up anything new and every lesson seems like the same and you're stuck in a rut.

Fancy, I really couldn't tell you why I don't prefer the advanced jump students. I guess for the same reasons that I prefer to teach private lessons instead of groups. (I'd make more money teaching groups, but I rather the one-to-one session.) I guess maybe it's because we all become specialists to some degree in the areas we feel most comfortable and enjoy the most. I absolutely LOVE building strong basics in students early on and I really love working with students who have confidence and fear issues. It works out well because many instructors don't like dealing with these types of riders, but I love them. Likewise, some instructors hate flatwork days and prefer jump days...I'm the one that enjoys making the most of the flatwork as dressage days. Just a matter of taste that could be because I began as a fearful rider and had instructors who just made it worse for much of my junior years. I'm very sympathetic to such students.