Riding
Awareness of the outside world. “According to the World Federation of the Deaf, there are more than 70 million deaf people worldwide. More than 80% of them live in developing countries. Collectively, they use more than 300 different sign languages.” UN: International Day of Sign Languages 23 September.
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So why are we having so much trouble finding an instructor? I think it is structural. [Instructor Woes]
Supply Side
Dressage. Several folks come to the area on a regular basis. Ship-in is possible at some locations. (We got spoken to on this issue.) OTOH, I really don’t need an expert in piaffe when I’m trotting around Intro C. Waste of my time & theirs.
Eventing. Ditto. I don’t need cross-country expert if I can’t get around a handful of logs in a field. I don’t need an expert in solid fences when I’m jumping crossrails. Which leads to …
Hunter/Jumper. My impression is that it is heavily weighted towards kids with trainers. Also, small but well-funded.
When I first came down here, the adult classes had trouble filling. Adults would come to a show and be unable to ride when their classes were canceled. The association finally put the adults in the kid classes. At least you got to ride.
Most folks keep their horse at an instructor’s barn & work under that person’s program. The trainer/instructor supervises the horse’s care and trains the horse. You take lessons with this person and/or any assistant trainers at that barn.
There appears to be enough money floating around that everyone has the amount of business they want. Therefore, they have little interest in messing with a non-standard income stream, i.e. us.
Demand Side
I can say without a doubt that it is not me. (Not I?) This from someone with a massively overdeveloped sense of responsibility. How I be so sure?
The last time around, we wondered if my oversharing was causing the problem. Well, it certainly wasn’t helping. We let the agnate side of household handle the contact. (Agnate is the antonym of distaff. I had no idea.) He did all the texting and all the talking. I remained quietly in the background. Yes, I can do this. For brief periods.
We still got the raspberry.
Prior Lesson Misadventures
[Milton’s Missing Lesson]
[Looking For Lessons, The Big Nope]
I could quote chapter and verse on how many and what kind of instructors we have tried and how far we gotten with each, anything from ditching phone calls to lessons that didn’t work, see above. I don’t see a need to do that in print. It would a) spread negative energy and b) start to border on personal/libel issues. Should we meet IRL, I would be happy to dish over your brown beverage of choice. Until then, let’s just say that it has been a growth experience.
Yes, I should try again. I will. After I stomp around feeling pissy for a while.
Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
There’s got to be a way.
There’s a way, and you’ll find it. Eventually.
Sounds super frustrating.
Hope.
Hope.
Truth.