In a highly competitive environment, it is easy to become very critical of others “How could THAT horse win, didn’t the judges see that all the changes to the left were late behind” “She couldn’t sit to the trot to save herself” “Who owns that umbrella? It is scaring my horse!” Instead, we would remain in a far happier state of mind if we were more appreciative of other horse/ rider combinations “I liked the way he rode when he corrected that resistance/ evasion” “Every time I have seen that combination they have continued to improve” “Wow it is raining, what a great opportunity to expose my horse to wet conditions” If you tend to get tense and nervous at competitions, try using these strategies Remember that people have different reasons for riding at the … [Read more...]
Strategies for Settling Competition Nerves
Understanding Horses
Have you ever had your foot stood on by a horse? Horses’ brains have been wired to remember the negative/ survival memories. These survival memories have evolved the need to remember danger, potential danger and to act as a herd when another horse is acting suspiciously. They don’t always have the same thought patterns as humans, so if we plan to ride them, train them, teach them and teach with them it is in our best interests to understand them as much as possible. The next time a horse shies, bucks, kicks out or even if one stands on your foot, then try to understand from their point of view what made them do it. Real horse people don’t blame horses; they only continue to deepen their understanding about them. … [Read more...]
Teaching Trot Diagonals
When your student doesn’t understand something (such as trot diagonals), most coaches automatically go back and re-explain in more simplified terms.Part of re-explaining in simplified terms is to break down a complicated skill into steps. As students develop a greater understanding of riding at each level, they are more likely to progress on to the next level without the constant need for revision and to go back and ‘fill in the gaps’. The explanation ‘Just sit each time the shoulder moves back/forward/up/down does not give a student sufficient understanding of trot diagonals. Unless an instructor has a system of how to teach trot diagonals, it can be confusing for their students and anyone watching the lesson. While I may not teach every step every time, these are the steps I … [Read more...]
How many horse ‘accidents’ can be prevented!
I just heard the police minister talking about how rarely a real ‘accident’ happens and that most are caused by preventable actions like drink driving, speeding and fatigue Many horse accidents can also be prevented. Accidents can be caused by unsafe handling and riding, mismatch of horse and rider/handler, inexperienced/ untrained instructors or complete lack of supervision by a competent person So . . . when you are about to do something with your horse, or give an instruction to some-one else about a horse . . . just take a moment to think about what could possibly go wrong and what you could do to make it safer That way, you can prevent those ‘accidents’ happening Happy (and safe) Riding, Glenys :-) … [Read more...]
Uncharacteristic Behaviour in Horses
Price is always a consideration when buying an asset for a business. So when his owner told me that he was selling him cheap because he won’t ‘tuck his head in’ and he throws his head around even after his teeth has been attended to, I was interested. His mouth and back seemed fine so the next step was to ride him. Sure enough, as soon as he started to go forward with a focus on energy, rhythm and tempo with a few bending and flexing exercises then he responded positively. As I said . . . we have a lovely big chestnut school horse called Sunny. We were able to buy him at a very good price because I recognized that the throwing of his head was a response to him not being ridden correctly. The way he was being ridden was the real problem. Horses communicate in all sorts of … [Read more...]
How Does You Experience With Horses Influence Your Opinion On ‘Best Practice’
Have you ever returned from a competition late at night, with two horses to unload, five horses to rug/blanket and feed with three tired, cranky young children in the car? I have! As much as I know about the theory of bringing the horses into an enclosed area and tying them up while their rug is put on, we all tend to take short cuts when we are in a hurry. Especially with horses that we know and trust! On one of these occasions, I fed the horses and while they were eating I put the rugs on. The last one was a young stallion. Just as I had the rug half on, one of the children woke up and started crying. The stallion was unsettled with the strange noise, and he galloped off. Luckily I had done up the back leg straps first, so after a quick buck and kick out, the rug … [Read more...]
First 5 Tips For Teaching Children’s Horse Riding Lessons
If you were one of the people who took our recent survey, THANK YOU! In particular, if you were one of the people who asked for some tips for teaching children then this series of tips for teaching children’s horse riding lessons has been written for you! 1. Keep Children Active And Moving Children like active riding lessons with maximum participation. Once they have learnt their A, B & C’s (attitude, balance and control) they generally love to canter and jump. They like to keep moving, but rather than having the ride go in single file behind one leader for the whole lesson try these suggestions - change leaders - go into and out of open order - leading files in succession to perform a specific arena movement - two rides in single file going in opposite … [Read more...]
Teaching Children To Ride Horses
Tips For Teaching Children’s Horse Riding Lessons If you were one of the people who took our recent survey, THANK YOU! In particular, if you were one of the people who asked for some tips for teaching children then this series of tips for teaching children’s horse riding lessons has been written for you! 1. Keep Children Active And Moving In Their Riding Lessons Children like active riding lessons with maximum participation. Once they have learnt their A, B & C’s (attitude, balance and control) they generally love to canter and jump. They like to keep moving, but rather than having the ride go in single file behind one leader for the whole lesson try these suggestions - change leaders - go into and out of open order - leading files in succession … [Read more...]
The Olympic Question
How often do you meet young riders who want to ride in the Olympics? I love to encourage anyone who sets themselves high goals, but I also like to know if people are serious or if they are just dreaming. Some of the questions I may ask would be . . . what year do you plan to compete in your first Olympics? Tell me about your written step-by-step plan. Some one who is really serious about competing at an elite level could include regular visualization into their daily plan. In this visualization they would picture their lifestyle, what time they wake up, how many horses they ride and compete and what elite level competitions they would be ride at. They would have also worked out the finances for their competitive career and either have a sponsor/ owner or a sound, … [Read more...]
This Is A Good Example Why Lesson Plans And Training Plans Should Be Flexible And Adaptable
I remember the first time I taught Doris. She was a middle-aged woman, not particularly athletic and a little overweight. Her first three lessons were cancelled at the last minute so when the fourth lesson came around I was almost surprised that she turned up. She took ages to get ready and the lesson time was half over when she was eventually mounted. I knew that she was scared. Her breathing was rapid, she was shaking and her acknowledgement of hearing my questions was non-existent. I talked calmly to her about the horse she was riding, told her a couple of stories of other riders he had helped and just kept chatting to her in a one way conversation. Eventually she started nodding and communicating when I asked her a question. After another ten minutes or so (and after … [Read more...]
The Reason Why It Is Simple But Not Easy To Ride,Teach Or Have An Equine Business
When you meet someone who has had no experience with horses, do they ask you “Is it simple to ride a horse?” I usually reply that it is simple, but not easy! Simple means that there is a step-by-step process to learn the A, B, C’’s (Attitude, Balance, Control) to minimize the risk and to maximize the effort. But if you think it is easy, then no! If you want to ride horses then you should have the right - attitude to challenge yourself both mentally and physically often further than you have ever done before - balance to stay on top of a moving, living animal that can go right, left, forward, backward, up and down in a split second with no warning - control to move this animal by a light touch to your wishes, often against their own wishes and … [Read more...]
Are You Half Way Towards Achieving The Goals You Set Six Months Ago?
Are you half way towards achieving the goals you set six months ago? This is a great time of year to reflect on those New Year’s Resolutions. But if you haven’t saved for that saddle yet, or your competition plan isn’t going as expected . . . are you going to extend the timeline for another year? Instead of changing the timeline, why not change your strategy? If you have truly tried your best to work consistently towards your New Year’s Resolutions, but have come up against an unexpected vet bill or a lameness that means you horse needs some time off then don’t use this as an excuse to extend your timeline. Changing the timeline can develop into a bad habit so it is far more preferable to change your strategy! Changing the strategy may mean that you spend less to budget … [Read more...]
The Two Sides of Motivation
We often associate motivation with physical energy. A motivated rider is one who is up early and always rides, usually a number of horses. A motivated instructor creates engaging lessons and continues to learn and improve their teaching skills To balance this physical energy there must be thought and a period of quiet reflection and planning A motivated rider/ instructor trainer will use this time to reflect on what worked well and how to incorporate this in their plans for the future Remember to plan well and stay motivated! Happy Riding, Glenys :-) … [Read more...]
Do You Enjoy Early Morning Rides With Your Friends?
Have you ever woken up to realize that your alarm clock didn’t go off and you are now running quite late for your ride? Did you go into a panic, trying to get everything done as fast as you can? Throwing things around, speaking fast or yelling only to forget where you put your boots or keys? Then do you arrive late and blame it on your alarm clock? How did your horse react when you were like this? Do they get upset, refusing to co-operate and generally behaving out of character? Or did you focus on working efficiently? When something like this happens, do you ask yourself what absolutely has to be done to be ready on time? Do you plan each move ahead so you know where everything is minutes before you need them? Do you focus on your breathing so your thoughts remain … [Read more...]
Have You Taken Your Horse Here?
Have you ever taken one of your beginner students or a young horse to a small unofficial club day so they can gain experience? Did they go out and build their confidence, learn a lot and totally enjoy their experience? What about the judges? Did they judge every class correctly and fairly, following ring etiquette and competition rules while acting like experienced polished professionals? No? Were they inconsistent with their scoring, unfamiliar with the rules or totally unprofessional? Remember that beginner judges need the small unofficial days as well. They need them to gain confidence, learn a lot and enjoy their experience. Many talented people stop judging because they have been abused and treated unfairly by competitors and their supporters. Judges and officials … [Read more...]
Your checklist for Your Horse’s Satisfaction Rating
Methods to measure students’ satisfaction during their riding lessons are fairly well researched, but the horses’ satisfaction in their lessons is also important. Children may jump out of the car and quickly find their favorite horse to say ‘hello’, does your horse have their ears pricked and look forward to visits from humans? When a student is getting ready for their riding lesson they could be excited about their lessons. While you may not want your horse to be excited, are they entering the arena pleasantly without napping, snarling their face or swishing their tail? Even when a student is concentrating on improving their riding, they should be enjoying themselves. Does your horse understand what you ask and do their best to perform? A keen student will want to continue … [Read more...]
Final Step to Achieve Your Horse Related Goals
This final video in this series brings together the final step to achieve your horse riding, equestrian teaching and equine career study goals. In the video we discuss the 'Get Ready, Get Set and Go' of this step to make your horse related goals into a reality! Remember to view the three videos in this series Video One - What Are Your Horse Riding, Teaching and Study Goals? Video Two - Plan Your Horse Riding, Teaching and Study Goals! Video Three - Achieve Your Horse Riding, Teaching and Study Goals! Happy Riding, Glenys :-) (Ms) Glenys Cox Director - Online Horse College P.S. Just in case you missed the previous videos :-) … [Read more...]
Teaching Canter Video
If you were one of the people who used the techniques I suggested for teaching trot, thanks for your positive feedback! When you teach some-one how to perform a skill it makes you analyze the whole process in a lot more depth. So when I am training some-one how to teach a skill I analyze both the skill development and the teaching process in a lot more depth. People have been asking me about teaching canter to beginners, so I have made this video with some tips on both the skill development of the learner and the teaching process for the horse riding instructor. Click Here For A Video With Tips On Teaching Canter Students enrolled in our new updated courses will have access to these videos and many more as part of their Student Resources. If you enroll now, you can save … [Read more...]
Teaching Confidence
I have some potentially bad news for you below. But first... Thanks again for those who have sent me the positive feedback on the tips for teaching trot and canter to complete beginners. Now for those horse riding instructors who would like to have some tips on teaching confidence. How often do you talk to someone who has lost their confidence on a horse? Sure you have. We ALL have! Why? There are many reasons why people lose their confidence! They may have only been on a horse once, or they could have ridden when they were younger or have a bad memory with a horse. Click Here For The Free Video On Teaching Horse Riding Confidence Watch this short video I've prepared for you because I reveal some tips for teaching your riders to be confident in any situations! Now, for the bad news... It … [Read more...]
Ask Yourself These Two Important Questions…
Regular self reflection is essential if you would like to continually improve your horse riding and teaching skills. First you ask you horse/student to perform a movement/ transition. The next step is to ask your self these two important questions. “Did they understand what I was asking?” “What could I have done to improve the communication?” It could be that you need to be more subtle or clearer, or it could even be that you need another visual/ sound/ feel cue to support your message. Go through the process again . . . ask, self reflect, then ask again and self reflect again . . . and again and again . . . Continual improvement will mean that you will be open to ideas, explore other riding/ teaching techniques, and most importantly realise that every horse is unique … [Read more...]
Remember Black Beauty?
Remember Black Beauty, the timeless classic written by Anna Sewell? http://studyhorses.com/fhs/ebks/Ebook-Black-Beauty.pdf There are some words in that book about the first time Black Beauty had a bit in his mouth. I remember them every time I am on a sensitive horse with a ‘fussy’ mouth. “Those who have never had a bit in their mouths cannot think how bad it feels; a great piece of cold hard steel as thick as a man's finger to be pushed into one's mouth, between one's teeth, and over one's tongue, with the ends coming out at the corner of your mouth, and held fast there by straps over your head, under your throat, round your nose, and under your chin; so that no way in the world can you get rid of the nasty hard thing; it is very bad! yes, very bad! “ We, as humans choose to … [Read more...]
What Do You Look For In a Horse?
Just as there are all types of people, there are all types of horses. Some people might prefer a sensitive, high strung horse and others will like a horse that tends to be lazy. From ‘ideal’ to ‘just terrible’, it could also be the way you are looking at them. Are you always finding fault with every horse or do you look for the good points as well? When you look at a horse, do you see faults like a big ugly head, legs that aren’t straight and lack of movement? For a balanced perspective do you also see good points like kind eyes, strong hooves and comfortable trot? They may not be the horse you are looking for at the moment, but if you are someone who really loves and appreciates horses, there will always be something about every horse that you like! Happy … [Read more...]
What is Your Riding/ Teaching Philosophy?
I have had some fantastic feedback from the video interview with Jen Hamilton . . . you know, the one that the survey participants received... Jen has a great philosophy which is to use a sympathetic approach to encourage riders to become 'Students of the Sport” help riders understand the what, why and how of what they are doing produce thinking riders and horsemen/women who understand horses and can communicate with them in a clear simple language be able to problem solve by reading and evaluating the horse’s reactions in order to help do its job to the best of its ability Do you have a philosophy for either your horse activities, you teaching activities or both? If you have one, I would love to hear it! Happy Riding, Glenys :-) … [Read more...]
How Is Your Horse’s Satisfaction Rating Of You?
This is a checklist for your horse’s satisfaction rating Methods to measure students’ satisfaction during their riding lessons are fairly well researched, but the horses’ satisfaction in their lessons is also important. Children may jump out of the car and quickly find their favorite horse to say ‘hello’, does your horse have their ears pricked and look forward to visits from humans? When a student is getting ready for their riding lesson they could be excited about their lessons. While you may not want your horse to be excited, are they entering the arena pleasantly without napping, snarling their face or swishing their tail? Even when a student is concentrating on improving their riding, they should be enjoying themselves. Does your horse understand what you ask and do … [Read more...]
Who is Really in Control
We all know that the rider or handler should be in control of the horse, but are you in control of your thought process? When things go wrong, do you ask yourself what you could have done differently? - “I should have been better co-ordinated when I gave the aids for that transition” - “I should have given a clearer explanation to my student for that arena movement” or do you allow yourself to blame the mistake on others? - “The person who used to own my horse taught them to run through transitions” - “The student should have been listening to what I wanted” It has been scientifically proven that if you have a ‘high internal locus of control’ (looking to yourself when things go wrong), you will be more likely to be successful as a rider and a horse riding instructor. So . . … [Read more...]
How Do you Receive Feedback in Your Riding Lessons?
Feedback should be given regularly to horses and riders for them to continually improve. For riders, there are two main forms of verbal feedback. - The ‘Sandwich Technique’ where your comments are positive-constructive-positive. An example is “Your leg position has improved and is much stronger, remember to keep your hands still and keep up the good work” - The ‘What, How, What Now & Why” is the other form of verbal feedback. An example of this method is “When you rise in the trot, open your elbows and when you sit then close them, this will keep your hands more still so then your horse will be happier without the constant movement in their mouth” The ‘what, why what now and how’ might be used more in a lesson, whereas the ‘sandwich technique’ may be used as a summary at the … [Read more...]
How to Properly Canter on a Horse
When you are learning how to canter on a horse, there are many problems that the movement of cantering can cause. These tips will minimise those problems so you can enjoy cantering a horse. How To Canter Cantering a horse is much the same as sitting trot, the seat (pelvis, thighs and hip joints) will be required to follow the canter movement. The seat should flow and remain in contact with the saddle forming a series of arcs (which may form an outline simular to that of the lower side of an egg which is laid on its side). It can be described that there are 3 sensations to be felt at canter: First, a lowering or sinking of the seat. This coincides with the first hind-leg in the canter sequence coming down to touch the ground. Then, sliding or floating forward in the saddle. The … [Read more...]
