From the age of four, Ross Algar wanted to ride. At 19-years-old he wanted to join the army. Having spent, as he says “12 glorious years” in the Army, he then wanted to become an instructor and an author. The result: he has just published his first book, Teaching Riding as a Career.-From A1 to Indispensable Coach.

Says Ross, “Coming from a non-horsey background and living in Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire,  I had not been exposed to horses except probably with a capital ‘H’ preceding the word and a picture of an overweight pony as an association, in a child’s book.

“Then at the age of four my long-suffering grandfather, George Algar, got pressured by my parents to take me to his allotment one afternoon on our bikes. Mine still had the stabilisers attached which, much to my cycling partner’s annoyance, slowed down the proceeding somewhat.

“On route we had to pass a riding school and along a track through a hole in the hedge I stopped to witness a riding lesson in progress. I was mesmerised by what I saw, so much so that as soon as we got home I pleaded with my parents to let me have a go.

“From that day forth I was hooked. I was taken under the wing by Miss Elizabeth Pickard, who owned the local riding school. She taught me to ride. Miss P was a stickler for professionalism and at that age had a big affect on me that has stood me in good stead throughout my life. I was one of the lucky ones to have crossed her path and will forever be indebted to her.”

By the time Ross was eight years old, he had completed his first one-day event. He went on to represent his local pony club in both pony club eventing and dressage

Championships. He even competed his own horses in affiliated events.

“My parents, Bob and Shirley, have supported me throughout my career and still do. Now living in the village of Bourn they even bought extra land to allow me to have my own horses at home when I reached my teens”

When he was 19, Ross announced that he wanted to join the army.

My father,” he says, “ was full of glee and my mother was left sobbing “.

He joined The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. He took part in ................

In 1987 when he was 27 he was posted to The Army School of Equitation at Melton Mowbray as an instructor of 'potential instructors'.  For two-years he was responsible for teaching potential instructors from all the three armed services.

“It was exciting teaching people to teach,” he says. “It gave me a much deeper understanding of how best to teach a variety of different people and realise the importance of becoming adaptable as an instructor”.

What makes the Army such a good place for training riders?

Says Ross, “The Army has a self sufficient system that is second to none. Horses, grooms, instructors, farriers, saddlers, tailors, vets, stables, cross country courses, lots of land to ride on. Everything is at your disposal. The opportunities are immense and the help you get is very professional. Not only are you taught to teach military style you are encouraged to teach civilian style too and the Army teaching qualifications are run parallel to the BHS ones. Apart from the excellent teaching programme you have an opportunity to ride in civilian competitions as well as military ones.

“As a rider I have enjoyed much success up to advanced level in both dressage and eventing. I have also competed successfully abroad at international level dressage, giving me a more world-wide understanding of equestrian techniques.

“One of the most influential times for me was when I trained and competed in Texas with the western riders learning to ride and train American Quarter Horses. The American Quarter Horse is uniquely suited to western riding but what a lot of people don’t realise is that they are good at most equine disciplines. They are used for driving, polo, racing and endurance riding. I was lucky to have the offer of eventing one in England. He was bought off the race track in Kentucky and was highly suited to his new job.

“Not many people can say they have ridden an ex racehorse from India through the Nepalese Himalayas but I have. When I was posted out there to train horses at the Ghurkha Regiment in Dharan, Nepal I did just that experiencing yet another culture in the world of horses.

“The big difference between our approach to horses and the Ghurkhas’ approach was not much different. They loved their horses as much as we do as also they are sometimes the only means of transport for many Nepalese that live in the hills. I can remember we had to post a man out in the field to keep a watch out for bears when the horses where grazing as they would push the fence down and try to go for the horses. A little different to here!”

The time was coming when he would decide to leave the army.

“Having served twelve glorious years learning more about horses and how to teach, I was scared at the thought of standing in front of a group of students having to deliver a perfect lesson,” he says.
“It took me quite a while to get the hang of it but then I realised that I was educating others and getting them interested in what I had grown a deep passion for. Could I see a way of making a living out of my hobby? Well I was getting good results and pleasing feedback so I decided to try and go it alone. The decision was made and I would leave the Army to pursue a career as a freelance riding instructor.”
At first, he admits, he was nervous.
“Leaving the security of the forces was scary at the time but I decided to put the word around that I was now in the Berkshire area and was available to teach. Very soon I was inundated with new clients all wanting lessons. I worked seven days a week and became very popular. I got so busy that there were not enough hours in the day.
“I’ve been very lucky throughout my career. I have always somehow managed to be in the right place at the right time. One day I met a client who was an editor for a national horse magazine. I was talking to her about my life so far, who I had met and what I had achieved. She thought it would be a good idea if I wrote an article.

“It was published a month later and that is where I got the bug to write. She suggested that I start to write a book on the subject making it autobiographical which I promptly did.

“On meeting another new client who had written equine based books I showed it to her and she was impressed enough to suggest I should find a publisher. J.A.Allen came to the rescue and offered me a contract. ‘TEACHING RIDING AS A CAREER’ is the title they chose and it has already got great feedback from people who have read it already.

“I have competed at advanced level both in Eventing and Dressage, I have trained a few National Dressage riders and even helped one of my clients win the World Championship in single horse carriage driving. But writing is my latest challenge and I hope that it will help budding riding instructors have a clearer picture about the job and for all the current instructors to help them maintain or improve their businesses.”

Having achieved so much so quickly, does he had any other challenges ahead of him?

“I still have that buzz every day of being able to help people with their horses and  help riding instructors get the best out of their jobs too. Maybe it’s being able to do my hobby every day and be able to make a good living from it which fills me with passion still!”

A happy man. Thanks to horses.

Buy the book here