Hi all, my baby horse, (well six years old) and I have managed to find a trainer that will come to us at last and I definitely have first lesson nerves of how it will go! The weathers all rain and wind every day so Iām Abit anxious how hel act as he can be sensitive to the weather (I hope we donāt look stupid haha) and I only have a damp field to use for the lesson unfortunately so I feel abit silly about that too!. I wanted to move him to a livery yard with a indoor school but their full up this winter. Does anyone have to have lessons in similar conditions? Does it matter? How did your first lessons go where you anxious? Feel quite apprehensive! Iāve always done everything alone and been trying for a long time to find someone so Iām really hoping itās gonna go well!.Thank you xx
First you tell the coach exactly how you are feeling. Next, as in any first lesson itās going to be evaluation. You will show the coach what you can do with this horse already. You will tell the coach where you think you have issues.
I feel like heās counterbent to the left when we canter.
I have trouble picking up one lead.
Our downward transitions are a bit sticky and he falls on the forehand.
He has started spooking at one tree.
Etc.
This is very different from going for a lesson on a school horse where the coach has a lesson plan in mind. This is more like going to a clinic. So plan the top 3 questions or issues you have in advance.
It may be appropriate to ask the coach to ride him for ten minutes to get their response.
Guaranteed the coach will have a different or better or at least interesting approach to solving one of your basic problems. They may decide of your 3 questions, one isnāt really a problem but the other 2 are inter related and both refer to a basic training hole. Like maybe horse needs to be more relaxed.
Make sure they give you homework that you under and can practice before the next lesson.
There is no need to be anxious because there is no need to do anything you think is risky or above your horses current level. You donāt need to do w t c and then cross rails all in 45 minutes like you would on a schoolie
The big challenge is staying focused on your horse and not let the coach force you into riding him in way thatās unproductive for a short term goal. But also being open to new ideas.
Think of the lesson as you getting help to train your own horse. Maybe the whole lesson will be at the walk while you fine tune things. This is perfectly fine
Remember, horses generally live outside, so theyāre much more used to weather than we are.
I remember one lesson during very windy weather; there were pieces of my buildingās roof that had blown off on my way to my car.
My mare, a very sensitive Thoroughbred with a magnificent work ethic, just squinched her eyes partly-closed against flying debris, and lesson went as usual.
I think that we humans are much more nervous about weather than any animals are.
If the rain stops enough so you can get your lesson you do not want to cut up the grass in your field.
So consider just walking. Both horse and rider benefit from learning how to get a GOOD walk going. Both horse and rider can get benefit from doing curves, turns in place, backing up, lateral work and multiple speeds of the walk.
By just walking you will be giving yourself and your horse enough time to figure each step out when introducing/doing the more advanced stuff. You will give your horse less reason to get upset with you, and horses are usually less prone to getting super excited when they are walking (of course there are exceptions.)
Then he can be sensitive to the weather in slow motion. Your horse also may be less likely to start scrambling in a disorganized manner at a walk.
One time I made the big mistake of cantering my horse on wet grass in a field. His front feet slipped, he fell to his knees, and we skidded maybe 20 feet before he used his nose to lift his forehand up. We came out fine but it could have been a LOT worse for both of us.
When in doubt work on the walk. This is never a waste of time, if your horse canāt do something at a walk he is not figuring out how to move his feet and his muscles do not get fitter while he stays comfortable.
Thank you so much, everyoneās so helpful. I am reading and re reading your reply itās definitely helped me feel much more prepared. Iām screen shotting it so I can refer to it on Friday 
I wish I lived in America and not damp Britain!. Your country looks so lovely and sunny
Absolutely, thatās made me rethink doing much faster work. Itās pretty soggy in parts! Are you in the UK too?Iād really love help with a better stop and lateral work definitely. I can only know so much reading up and trying on my own. I want to know heās carrying himself properly too so I donāt harm him 
thank you for your great advice x
Oh yes, itās definitely me!. If Iām (rarely) feeling confident in the wind, he is a gem and when Iām not which is usually the case, heās much more tense. Your horse sounds amazingā¤ļø was she always like that or did you have to put in lots of work in bad weather etc? She must have lots of trust in you
Haha. Iām in the PNW. I lived in London for a year. Where I live is very similar to British weather but with more rain. I got an automatic picture and feel of your damp pasture where you have to ride!
Wow I just googled PNW, itās stunning. Iād put up with rain for that haha. Does it ever aggravate you though, how it does to me? Aha. What did you think of London?Iād love to move to America one day if I ever found a way, thanks again for your excellent advice
The dressage book I recommend the most is āThe Way to Perfect Horsemanshipā by Udo Burger. When I first read this book I had been riding for over 20 years, my horses were super obedient (usually) and very responsive to my aids, or so I thought.
The first time I rode each of my 4 riding horses after reading this book were wonderful. Stuff I had struggled with for decades worked out perfectly, with the horse saying āOh, THIS is what you want, no problem.ā My halts improved so spectacularly, my turns were better, the horses listened to me and UNDERSTOOD my aids so much better.
Yes, take lessons on your horse. Another pair of eyes can really help. When I try something new I ask my riding teacher to tell me what she saw the horse do in response to my aids and if I had irritated the horse at all. But you WILL become a better rider if you apply the knowledge in this book.
Since reading this book I have had riding teachers with decades of experience ask me how I did whatever, and usually it is halting that really gets my teacherās attention (how did you do that? as their usually resistant horse justāstops square.)
I live in North Carolina. Most of the land around here is red clay, super duper slick when wet, and when cut up it dries like cement, all uneven.
Yep, our fears and the resulting confidence level sure have a strong effect on our animals. Itās like they believe our opinion on whether something is bad, dangerous, uncomfortable, or scary.
That mare was pretty wonderful. She was bred as a race horse and ran six times, so was taught a job by professionals at a young age. You can tell a lot about a horseās background and previous handling by their attitude and behaviors, and this mare was pretty clearly handled by capable folks that required obedience, which got me a horse with no bad habits and near-perfect obedience.
I like a horse to be kind of a pet in addition to riding, and this cold-hearted professional of a horse wasnāt as much fun at first, until we got used to each other. Then, . I think we had mutual trust from the very beginning, as each recognized the capability of the other.
P.s. Iām so glad you both came out of that ok! It sounds heart stopping! I donāt think Il canter on wet grass anymore hearing that to be honest
Eventually it would be a good idea to learn how to canter on wet grass, because horses and the Universe not cooperating for a nice ride.
LATER, after you have worked with your teacher and gotten your horse listening to you.
Iām in the Midwest US & itās currently 39F drizzling rain w/a stiff breeze.
And Iām considering that a mild start to Winter!
Iād trade countries with you in a heartbeat.
So much Horse History in the UK 
I watch a Brit show about people relocating to the country & love seeing people riding in towns & village roads.
Many years ago I visited London & rode in Hyde Park.
That doesnāt happen in the US.
NYC used to have rides in Central Park. No more 
Back to your question:.
Youāve got good advice already.
Just let me add:
Keep yourself relaxed.
We all know how our tension is telegraphed to the horse.
Even a Steady Eddie can pick up a riderās nerves & get tense.
Deep breaths, you know your horse.
Relax & enjoy the opportunity to have eyes on the Ground. 
I used to take lessons with a trainer who flew in 3-4 times a year. Each time Iād take as many lessons as I could afford. One time, a week or so before the clinic, I found myself working very hard to fix a problem so we would be good for the lessons. Then I realized that I was being silly as the whole point of the lessons was to get help with my problems!
I did tell the trainer about it, and we had a good laugh. And I never tried to fix or perfect anything before another clinic, just kept working on the incremental improvements and showed up for my lessons at whatever point we had gotten to.
Youāre taking lessons, not going to a show! Let the trainer help you with all the flaws and silliness your greenie can put out. Youāll be fine, and learn lots. 
I once took my jumper to two lessons with a dressage god. A little bit into the second lesson, he said, āWhat ze hell happened to YOU?!ā. āWhat do you mean?ā I asked. āYesterday you ride like cr@p. Today you ride like God! What happened?ā
Yesterday I was afraid of him!
Take a deep breath and enjoy your lesson!
Yep, you are paying this person to help you, and they will work with your conditions. Some of the worst rides Iāve had on my young horse have been in lessons. Be prepared for the instructor to poke at the problem areas because that is where the work needs to happen. Just have your head on and be ready to take in any constructive criticism. Yep, training is fun!
If Iām going to ride a young horse in inclement weather, Iād rather have someone there in case I hit the dirt. Even better if they know what theyāre talking about.
Ok I have two pieces of advice for this situation, having been there before! One, I have a rule (that I havenāt always followed) that I wonāt ride my horse in a lesson with someone who hasnāt ridden my horse. I just donāt trust their judgement or their assessment of how many jokes my horse has left to give before we need to move back to an area where he feels more confident.
Secondāand I think this one is even more importantādo not ride with someone who undermines your confidence. Yes, instructors have to correct you and push you. But there is a way to do that constructively and by breaking things down into smaller steps, so that neither you nor your horse feels overfaced. With a young horse, you really cannot afford to have a crisis of confidence in the saddle. You have to believe 100% that you understand what you are doing and that you and your horse are succeeding.
IMO, a ābadā instructor will see you and your horse struggling and will double down on what they are asking, repeating themselves in different words (or worse, getting louder) until you canāt help but get frustrated that you are āfailingā to get it. A āgoodā instructor will move on and try something else, giving you and your horse things you can succeed at, until you feel so darn successful that when they come back and ask for the hard thing, you nail it (or, even if you donāt, you walk away feeling mostly successful with your ride). You should spend most of your lesson feeling like you and your horse are awesome and doing a fabulous job, even if you arenāt doing much. The feeling is the most important thing for your horse. To me, thatās the difference between a good and bad instructor (for a green horse, at least): a bad one gets fixated on the lesson plan and getting you and your horse to fit the picture they have in their mind, a good one fixates on the feeling the horse is giving.
Personally, and I am sure I am in the minority if you have a trailer and if your trainer has a good facility, go there with your horse.
One advantage is that you donāt have to deal with slippery ground and that will improve your learning experience. also your horse will get used to other surroundings. That will be a plus if you ever want to go to a show. Your horse is six so he should be able to deal with that. also it will be amazing for your bonding. Your horse will appreciate you more because your are his herd mate in a strange surrounding and you will learn that you can trust him.
I took my young horse (4years less than a year under saddle ) to two 3 day clinics this year. It was pretty amazing how well she behaved. It was less of a deal then I thoughtā¦
good luck and enjoy whatever you decide!!!
