A few showers and a bath

My day started awful with a journey on a diverted train which made me ever so late. Had to pay for a taxi from the station to be at work on time - not great.

Pic.left: Killing time snapping pics. My friend phoned too which made the mundane journey a bit more fun.

Apart from that though all went smoothly. Almost. I took proper soaking a few times due to the lovely weather we are having currently. It's a rain cloud's sense of humour perhaps as after each pour down the sun came out to dry the riders and horses out. Only to return and turn the taps back on again!

In a strange way it was actually quite cool ;) I know it probably sounds crazy but when it isn't too cold and if the sun do come back out I find those down pours quite fun ;) 

I had a lady who co-bought Benji with me on a Training Day today and I admit I worked her to the limits. She loved it though and we got some marked improvement in her light seat and canter work. Finished the day with a lovely hack with a fast canter - ponies loved it!

 

Benji behaved himself super for his new mummy and thankfully she loved him and enjoyed riding him (mad me I got her to part with the money without seeing the horse). Although Benjamin is very much a project bought to be sold on I was still a little worried she might say she didn't like him. No problem there though!

Unless something sinister comes up at the vetting on Monday, he will be given a day off to catch his breath after being chased and prodded, then the proper work will start. 

Pic. above: P. trying Benjamin for the first time. Proper photos to follow once all the sale formalities are concluded.

Following a few showers during the day I thought popping myself into a lovely, hot bath would make a pleasant change. My muscles are mega grateful now ;)

Beginner Training Day

Pic.above: Debbie enjoying her hack out in watercolours

Debbie and Nigel, two riders just starting their adventure in the saddle, braved the Training Day today.

Read about their experience on (scroll down to 16th May: Debbie & Nigel): http://trainingdays-equestrian.blogspot.com/ .

We cannot control the evil tongues of others; but a good life enables us to disregard them. Cato the Elder (234 BC - 149 BC)

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.
Muhammad Ali 

Positives and Negatives

We arranged for 5 stage vetting for Benjamin on Monday and I am hoping he passes ok. I am always so picky with horses and seem to only see their faults when I look for something to buy but when I really like something I will know in an instance and just make my mind up straight away. I must have spent my life on the phone in the last 48 hours trying to find someone to co-buy the horse with me, booking the vetting etc

A bit tired but very excited.

This excitement and some other positive things take my attention away from some negative little events happening around me.  Wish people were more genuine.

Subject to vetting...

I will have a super little project horse very soon. Rode him today and he was a little star. Very exciting! Keep your fingers crossed!

Oliver Townend wins 2009 Badminton Horse Trials

CLICK ON THE LINK TO READ MORE: http://www.badminton-horse.co.uk/latest_news/event_news/oliver_townend_wins.aspx

___________________

Are you a freelance instructor/trainer, passionate about your job, experienced and good at it? Would you and/or your centre (yard) like to get involved in a quality training programme project?
Do you live in Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, London - basically SE of the country?
If you do and you feel like doing something interesting that involves training keen amateur riders, BHS students and/or horse owners please drop me a line via www.equestriantrainer.co.uk/contact.
You never know, you might like my idea...

Relax

Pic. left.: Friend's horse playing with water after schooling

It was meant to be another house viewing day off today but in the end we cancelled as no property was really what we want. I am hoping the estate agents who look for our little house will get their act together soon!

Instead I had a lovely, relaxing day seeing my friend and reading some dressage tests for her. 

I reckon it's good to train your eyes on riders other than recreational/novice riders. When you are a beginner every mistake is obvious and very easy to correct. When I watch more experienced riders I try to see through what they are doing or trying to do, what effect it has or hasn't on the horse; how would I correct them if I had to teach them or what I can learn from what they do. I like to observe the horses in work too, figure out what sort of work suits them, how they deal with certain exercises and how what the rider is doing affects their way of going, both positive and negative.

It's more relaxing sort of observation than what I do at work, there is no pressure. I don't have to teach anybody, improve anything, amuse anyone, I am not responsible for anyone's progress but my own. And as much as I enjoy my work I also need those days when I can teach myself. Watch and let myself learn naturally. 

May is gorgeous this year. Watched friend's horse playing in the ford and thought horses are such fantastic creatures. They truly live in the very now. They don't plan their future or dwell on their past. Maybe that's why they are the most relaxing company that never judges you and tells you how to live your life.

I got back home and it was still so nice that convinced Rick to have a late evening picnic so we collapsed on the grass and stuffed ourselves with some Thai chicken soups ;)

Knackered

Spent so much time on my feet, walking with kids around the woods, turning horses out, lunging, then teaching without sitting down at all today;  my legs are aching like mad and my bad knee is not impressed. My plan for the evening involves bed, food and new 'Lost' episode ;) 

Hope I can leisure in my 'coach chair/fence' tomorrow!

Flair Strips - video information

http://www.flairstrips.com/

____________

Are you a self - employed trainer/instructor passionate about your job, experienced and good at it? Would you and/or your centre (yard) like to get involved in a quality training programme project?
Do you live in Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, London - basically SE of the country?
If you do and you feel like doing something interesting that involves training keen amateur riders, BHS students and/or horse owners please drop me a line via www.equestriantrainer.co.uk/contact.
You never know, you might like my idea

"Sacrifice" - Parents of Daniel Neilson, International Show Jumper on what it takes to be at the top of the game...

To listen click HERE or on the picture below:

http://www.danielneilson.co.uk/

_________________________________

Are you passionate about your job, experienced and good at it? Would you and/or your centre (yard) like to get involved in a quality training programme project?

Do you live in Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, London - basically SE of the country?
If you do and you feel like doing something interesting that involves training keen amateur riders, BHS students and/or horse owners please drop me a line via www.equestriantrainer.co.uk/contact.
You never know, you might like my idea...

Riding a Lusitano stallion is somewhat uplifting...;)

A few weeks ago I was chatting to one of my clients and he said he would really want to bring his own horse for lessons and whether that would be ok. More than ok if you ask me! 

So today he arrived with this lovely, grey Lusitano breeding stallion :) They might not be big, might not be as impressive as some dressage horses and might not have the most 'correct' movement as far as modern dressage goes but I can tell you, there is some fantastic positive energy in those horses that make you smile like mad when you sit on them. 

He is an interesting horse as he knows quite a few tricks (like Spanish Walk) and is quite advanced in his training on one hand (tempi changes, half-passes, pirouettes etc) but the foundations are rather wishy washy. We mainly worked on creating some bend in his body today but the main objective of the rider is to jump him. He's coming back again next week. 

Ginger pony was very good on our woodland schooling session, well apart from one mighty spook when a deer appeared on our path all of a sudden! but then I always preferred horses that have some life in them :) She just makes me laugh. Got some nice trot work both uphill and downhill today with her really responding to half-halts and going down and out to the bit when asked. Canter around the field was also better than yesterday. She will probably be sold soon so I am just enjoying the time riding her before it's gone. 

I must make sure not to get my hopes too high but....in the end of this month I am going to ride a horse which I might potentially be able to event/compete. Would be great but guess we'll live we'll see.

_______________________________________

Are you passionate about your job, experienced and good at it? Would you and/or your centre (yard) like to get involved in a quality training programme project? 

Do you live in Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, London - basically SE of the country?
If you do and you feel like doing something interesting that involves training keen amateur riders, BHS students and/or horse owners please drop me a line via www.equestriantrainer.co.uk/contact.
You never know, you might like my idea

Are you a self-employed/freelance instructor/trainer? Livery yard, riding school owner?

Are you passionate about your job, experienced and good at it? Would you and/or your centre (yard) like to get involved in a quality training programme project? 

Do you live in Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, Sussex, London - basically SE of the country?

If you do and you feel like doing something interesting that involves training keen amateur riders, BHS students and/or horse owners please drop me a line via www.equestriantrainer.co.uk/contact.

You never know, you might like my idea...

******************************

Really impressed with improvement in my Wednesday's riders. So rewarding. 

Ginger pony was a sweetheart today for most of the time (minus first 10 minutes when I had to ride in a group behind another horse and she was not impressed by such start). Took her to the woods and up a field instead and rode her around everything that was on the ground asking for lots of bend through the body. She is very stiff on the left rein and doesn't want to stretch her right side much so I worked on that a lot. This and on her accepting my legs on as that's something I find difficult with her. 

Then took her up the field and trotted her as slowly as I managed for about 30 minutes with plenty of short walk transitions and circles to get her to stretch down and out. She is now in a different bit, just a plain single jointed snaffle which seems to work so much better. She doesn't lean on it and is much more accepting of it. 

She was rather worn out by the end of that half an hour and rather sweaty so I thought it would be safe to have a little canter around and she was very good staying in decent control. Good pony. Had to then walk her for 20 minutes or so to cool her down which made me late for my next lesson, oops. Feeling rather guilty I worked the Uni girls quite hard, bless them. 

Someone rode ginger pony again afterwards in the arena with a group and from what I saw she worked really well (but then the rider who rode her is way more effective than I am). I personally find it very difficult to ride her in a group scenario.

Thanks to a lift from a colleague I had a lovely speedy journey home but feel really tired today, need more sleep methinks. 

House Hunting

Spent entire morning today on running around Wokingham and wandering around other people's houses. We saw 4 properties and I must say, I love cottages! 

Although it's tiring and I ran like mad in between the stations to be able to be at work at 2.30pm, it was definitely worth to see a few places. First, it gives us an idea what exactly we are getting for what money. Secondly, it really makes it clear in our heads what we don't want. 

From the four places we saw, each had something great but some essential things were missing here and there.

One of the properties seems to be very close to the ideal...not saying much yet as we are still to have a look around...

We got given a Tenants Guide and I am now trying to get my head around all the fees you have to pay to an agency and all the requirements you have to fulfill! When we moved in to our current place almost 4 years ago we went straight through a landlord so all this agency malarkey is something new to me. 

And a very good me spent almost whole of my day off yesterday on revising to the Intermediate Teaching Test. I started with everything to do with flatwork/dressage. This is because I seem to teach jumping on feel (spent so many years at show-jumping yards in my teens and early twenties that no matter how stressful/demanding situation I am in I know I will always be able to rely on what I learnt back then) while dressage more on knowledge. 

This considering I got through the day with British Dressage Rule Book and a book called 101 Flatwork Exercises ;) 

Cheeky Sunday, we keep learning and The Bad Band in action

If I didn't have so much fun on Sundays it would be a very hard work. I think some riding schools proprietors think instructors are indestructible machines with throats made of steel, possibly only needing a few Duracell's to keep going. 

Wrong.

Scheduling lessons back to back without a single minute of a break is wrong. It doesn't allow an instructor to "leave" one lesson truly and it takes a few minutes to adjust to a new rider in the arena. If an instructor waffles a lot like I can do/tend to do they will suffer from dry throat - not nice. It's very mentally tiring = less quality teaching. 

I am used to it by now and thankfully it's one day a week only that I have to work like this, wouldn't be able to do a few days in this fashion! 

I was super pleased with my morning riders today. Ladies are more and more inquisitive about their riding, transitions they rode today were very very decent and their sitting trot is certainly a massive step up from winter work. Horses always give me the best of feedback and I know straight away whether the rider is trying or not - the way they moved today and how obediently they listened to the riders aids was a treat to watch. 

My teenage riders also showed some super increase in skills and body awareness especially that I took their saddles off for half a lesson and they successfully cantered bareback. Their effectiveness is improving immensely which is evident as naughty ponies don't dare to show their devil horns...!

By lunch time I needed a rest so I popped onto my sofa and browsed 'Horse' magazine catching up with all the 'confidence and riding nerves' articles ;)) (see below post for the reason why)

Afternoon lessons were equally uplifting. Two beginner riders who are now truly hooked (and booked my Training Day in the beginning of June - excellent!) really got the idea of stretching the legs downwards while relaxing through the inner thighs which resulted in much more balanced overall position. They are still working on the lunge without the reins but if they carry on like they are at the moment they might 'deserve' the reins before their Training Day...

Then a super funny lesson with Sara but don't confuse fun with lack or hard work - I bet she will feel her muscles tomorrow. She normally rides in a group lesson in the morning but had a rare chance to have a lunge lesson today so we made a full use of this opportunity. One of the rider's problems is losing her stirrups in sitting trot and canter due to lack of suppleness in the joints (especially ankles and knees) and more sophisticated coordination. The objective for today was to get Sara to feel more centred and balanced in canter with equal weight distribution down both leg as well as improving her coordination/movement awareness. 

The below video show Sara in trot/canter transitions work where she was asked to stand up in her stirrups and find her standing balance while bouncing an imaginary ball off the ground. We laughed so much my face hurt!

After 40 minutes of work focused on above goals made a big difference to Sara's seat though and I am hoping to see those newly found coordination skills on full display next week. 

 

And Mr. Z. rode really well too today with much more positive attitude and the horse happily cooperated. As with the girls in the morning I arranged for Mr. Z. to have a bit of bareback time as I think it is one of the best way to develop feel for the horse's movement in the rider.

 Pic.: Tired but pleased!

P.S. Almost forgot about The BAD BAND...i.e. what we spent our lunch time on...

"The Wonderful World" by W., S. and me ;)  [W. do you think we should ask Jaguar to pay us royalties since you are displaying the logo??]

Intensive Training Days and what I learnt from the last few

Pic.: Someone truly enjoys gorgeous Saturday weather with its 19C and glorious sunshine :)

I am totally loving running my Training Days. Even more so because people who train on them have so many different learning styles that the whole experience allows me to develop my teaching. 

It is said that every instructor/trainer/coach will naturally teach/coach in their own learning style. So for example, if I prefer to know the reasons for doing a particular exercise, how it will benefit my horse or me (or both of us) I will tend to start from explaining to my riders what they are working towards before letting them go and crack on with exercise. This approach might not work with those who are typical 'action learners' i.e. those who like to have a go at an exercise first and find out the know-how through that action. 

It is also said that the best coaches can vary their teaching/coaching styles and match them to the learning styles of their riders. This is something I am working towards - finding out how each individual learns and then trying to teach in a way that will 'get the message through to them'. Educational psychology is so fascinating, I wish I had the brains and the memory to take it all in!! 

I am certainly far away from being so flexible and I definitely prefer teaching in my own learning style as that's when I feel most confident and I know that my instructions or pointers will sound true.   

Running the last couple of Training Days this week as well as while working with some of my regular riders focused my attention on the issue of nerves/anxiety and stress related to riding. 

It's not a secret I am not really good with truly nervous riders. I can deal with competition/performance nerves in them but the 'oh no, I'm going to fall off' sort of nerves or deeply ingrained nerves are something I find myself either helpless or short of patience with.

However, as one of my riders very wisely put on her Training Day:

- "You know, if you were a tennis coach where maybe 0.001% are afraid of fluffy yellow tennis ball you could ignore the nerves issue. But have a look at any riding magazine - more than half of the articles discuss the ways to conquer stress and nerves related to riding 500kg-600kg animals with brains of their own. You have to learn how to help nervous riders as that will make you that much a better instructor"...

Now. You. Just. Can't. Argue.With. That.

So I am trying to get better in that department ;) 

The other thing I learnt on a Training Day I ran on Saturday is the importance of communicating clearly what my plans as to the rider's development are. I may have a very well structured plan in my head and a vision of how I want someone to improve but putting it into words isn't always my strong point. My very regular rider enjoys knowing what exactly are the steps she will be going through and that makes me really focus on how am I going to explain to her what we are working on. 

Although it doesn't come naturally to me as it does to some, I found it actually tidies up my training related  thoughts and in turn clarifies my ideas to me as well. 

Good, good.