After her Assessment Day we decided that the best option for Beth would be to base her lessons on both Start & Foundation Programmes which gives her a fun mix of balance and seat education on the lunge as well as some influence training on the flat. Beth adores her current riding school and would like to continue riding there which of course is not a problem.
The option we went for for Beth was to schedule regular Intensive Training Days at Hall-Place Equestrian Centre where she gets a bit of a boot camp! She then works on the exercises and skills we introduce at Training Days during her weekly lessons at her current stables.
Here you can see one of the issues we are working on and that are quite common in riders who either don't have lunge lessons or have only a few of them at the very beginning of their riding education. The focus with Beth now is re-educating the mechanics of her rising trot as Beth has some interesting technique under her belt :) She pushes upwards from her stirrups which immediately disturbs her balance. As a result she is having to work really hard to lift herself out of the saddle!
First Balance, then Position, then Influence.
Beth is determined, committed and fun to teach!
This is a screen shot of Beth's Video Feedback session. Beth is practicing standing in the stirrups to find her vertical balance and feeling of symmetrical weight distribution. It's one of my favorite balance exercises, you can do it both with and without the stirrups (for more advanced riders). I use it both with long, medium and very short stirrups to train body and weight awareness. I am yet to see a rider who doesn't find it beneficial in one way or another.
Beth's long term goal is to take BHS Stage 1 exam. I will keep you updated on Beth's progress :)
All the best,
Wiola
No comments
Post a Comment