Strides for Success

Tag: reviewing

  • Reviewing Your Riding Videos Part 2 – Your Horse

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://pdcn.co/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1347-Reviewing-Your-Videos-Part2-Your-Horse.mp3″ title=”Reviewing Your Riding Videos Part 2 – Your Horse” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

    Working alone without a regular instructor or trainer is tough. And often it’s the ‘little things’ that become the bigger sticking points for riders. Things like staying accountable, using feedback to make tweaks and changes, and creating a regular schedule filled with exercises and activities to move things forward. But all is not lost… It is still possible to move things forward – and reviewing your riding videos is a big part of that.

    I have already given you the 5 things to look for when reviewing your own riding and performance in a previous post HERE. Today I want to give you 5 things to focus on when reviewing your horse.

    Creating regular riding videos will allow you to be your own feedback person. The key is to simply document and make note of what’s happening – without attaching any judgement

    Your Horse is Not You…

    So often, as riders, we can fall into the trap of ‘seeing’ our horse and our own body as 1 when watching videos of our riding. And yes, the idea is that you are moving and working together as 1. However, in order to make that happen, each individual must first become good at their part of the work. And that requires you to separate the reviewing.

    Review yourself first and then turn your attention to your horse. This way you will get a clearer overall picture of whats going on and what needs work individually for you both.

    Here are the things to focus on initially when reviewing your horse:-

    a) Working & Thinking ‘Forward’

    The basics of basics – forwardness. And yet, so often this absolutely essential key ingredient is missing from the work. Your horse MUST be both thinking and working forward when you are working together. This will show up in how he moves and how attentive he is.

    If your horse is lacking forwardness, everything else will fall flat. So take the time to assess this first – and then move on from there.

    There is a training HERE on this topic called “4 Actions to Maintain ‘Forward’ in Your Riding”.

    b) Focus & Concentration

    My next point to look for when reviewing videos of your horse working is to notice how ‘present’ he is with you in the arena or space. Does he seem to want to be there? Or is he giving definite vibes of wanting to be somewhere else? Maybe back at the stables (he might keep drifting towards the gate), or with his friends in the paddock (he is looking and calling for them).

    Keep in mind that concentration may we weak initially if your horse is young, green, or coming back into work after a break. It can be strengthened and developed with time

    There is a training HERE on this topic called “Why Improving Your Accuracy Will Improve Your Engagement in Your Riding “.

    c) Responsiveness

    Responsiveness is key for both you and your horse to work together. When you ask a question, he must respond. And, for the most part, this happens. What I think you should focus on is how prompt the response is from your horse towards your question…

    Do you ask, ask, ask, ask, and on the next go he ‘might’ respond to your question? If so, responsiveness is definitely something that needs work for you both!

    And keep in mind that responsiveness is usually a rider issue – so this may line up with what you’ve noticed about your riding from your review on yourself as well…

    There is a training HERE on this topic called “Improving Your Horses General Responsiveness”.

    d) Rhythm & Tempo

    When looking at the rhythm and tempo, you can actually assess relaxation as well. Neither rhythm nor relaxation can exist for any length of time without each other. You’ll probably notice that your horse has a rhythm – horses are generally rhythmic by nature. However, it’s the quality of the rhythm that your focus will zone in on. And how well your horse can maintain the rhythm when asked different questions or doing something ‘new’.

    The goal for rhythm is to have clarity and definition within each stride. How defined are your horses beats within each gait? And how often are they repeating? Are you happy with the tempo?

    There is a training HERE on this topic called ” Why Not All Rhythm is Equal in Riding”.

    e) Suppleness – Bending (or the lack thereof)

    As you know well, suppleness is another essential when it comes to your horse’s way of going. And, again, just like everything else, our own challenges as riders can have a big impact on this. Is your horse ‘kinked’ or braced the wrong way through turns, bends, and corners? Is he falling in or falling out? How about simple flexion through the jaw, poll, and neck?

    What I would look for here is how well he can bend, flex, or simply flow with the curve of the line that he’s being asked to ride. Any rigidness, bracing, working against, or ‘wrong’ flexion or bend is where you can start addressing the issues.

    There is a training HERE on this topic called “How Flexion Can Transform Your Riding “.

    Reviewing Your Riding Videos

    By investing time watching and taking notes on regular videos of you and your horse working together, you can absolutely move both of your training forward. Even if you don’t have a regular instructor, coach, or trainer.

          • Learn how to set your videos up for the best results HERE
          • And learn how to assess your riding in your videos HERE

    All it takes is consistency, non-judgement, and your time. Then take what you have identified and create a plan to begin working on it over the coming weeks and months.

    If you would like help in your riding, I offer virtual lessons for riders. We will train together from the comfort of your own arena. You can find all the details HERE and HERE.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Episodes to Help with this Topic

    Online Training to Help Your Riding

    Connect with Lorna online:-

  • Reviewing Your Riding Videos Part 1 – You the Rider…

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://pdcn.co/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1346-Reviewing-Riding-Videos_part1-You-the-Rider.mp3″ title=”Reviewing Your Riding Video’s Part 1 – You, the Rider” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

    When you’re working alone without a regular trainer or instructor, you must begin to create ways for self-review. Video is, hands down, the best way to do this, especially if your camera follows you. Automated motion tracking software makes this an affordable possibility for many riders now. But even if you don’t have this technology, you can still simply use your phone, hit record, and ride.

    By creating regular riding videos where you are asking similar questions, riding similar movements, and reviewing them consistently, you create your own feedback. Similar to what a trainer or instructor would do in the arena. 

    However, the key to making this technique work for you is to figure out what to look for. Just watching the videos is not enough.  Many riders get caught up in simply looking at the video passively. Imagine if your instructor did that in the arena when working together?! I doubt that you would learn a whole lot, improve, or be very happy with the outcome! If you’re reviewing your own riding videos, you need to act like your instructor or trainer.

    Look for specific things, for both you and your horse. And do this without judgment or criticism. In fact, you want to actually ‘find’ areas to improve, change, or clean up. Just like an instructor or trainer would… 

    1. Assessing Yourself – The Rider

    Start with what you can truly change or establish more control over; yourself and your own body! When you are reviewing, begin by looking at these key areas in your riding and taking notes on how well you did.

    a) Position & Posture

    So often, when things are not going to plan or do not happen as smoothly or effortlessly as we would like, the issue lies in our posture and position. Assess your lines. There’s the ‘head, shoulder, hip, heel’ line. And also the ‘elbow, wrist, thumb, rein, bit’ line. Are they aligned throughout the ride?

    Or are you:-

        • Tipping (hips, shoulders, or hands usually)
        • Swinging (lower leg & heel)
        • Crunching up (chest and upper body)
        • Gathering up (thighs and knees)
        • Gripping (knees)

    Pay attention to where the alignment is not as good as you would like and notice patterns. This is where you can begin your work the next time you ride. You can find a past episode of the podcast on this topic HERE

    b) Self-Carriage (esp. through Transitions)

    This also falls in under posture, but it is such a chronic issue for so many riders, that I want to give it a point of its own!  Collapsing before, during, or after transitions is a big issue. It is something that will affect both the gait before the transition, the transition itself, and how well your horse works in the ‘new’ gait as well.

    Focus on maintaining your alignment as you prepare the transition, ride the transition, and then allow into the new gait or after the transition. Your job is to set it up and then get out of your horses way to actually do what you’ve asked him to do… 

    There is a past episode of the podcast on this topic HERE

    c) Weight Distribution

    This one sounds a little odd, however, it is VITALLY important to both notice and tweak if and when necessary. Start by looking at what your seat (your bum) is doing when you ride through corners, bends, and turns. Is there a shift to one side or the other? Often you will see your seat ‘slide’ a little to the outside of the saddle… And, because of this, you’ll then usually see that one shoulder is dipping lower than the other to compensate!

    Imagine there is a line from the middle of the cantle to the middle of the pommel of your seat. Ideally, your seatbones should remain fairly consistent in being an equal distance from that line. If one gets closer or further, you’ve shifted your weight…

    You can find a past episode on this topic HERE

    d) Consistency of Legs, Shoulders, and Hands

    Now, this one is a little confusing – simply because it will sound like I’m contradicting myself in the next point. But hold on a moment… Consistent does not mean ‘stiff’ or ‘stationary’. It simply means that those parts are not waving about, high-fiving every passing tree, upright, or post!  And with regards to your hands; keep in mind that. you’re riding – not directing air traffic…

    Another thing to look at when it comes to consistency through your reins is how often you lengthen and shorten your reins… Are you guilty of ‘fiddling’? Consistency is essential for contact – no piano fingers ;) 

    You can find a previous episode on this topic HERE

    e) Moving with the Horse; Seat & Hands

    And just as parts of your body perform better when ‘consistent’, other parts must move with your horse to enable you both to move forward freely and in flow. Your seat and hands must remain supple and follow the lead of your horse. And, yes, I have said that your hands must be consistent. To be consistent and to follow may seem to contradict each other.

    However, all I mean is that you are not conducting an orchestra with hands flying all over the place – instead rather following your horses movement through steady consistent contact. 

    There is a previous episode on this topic HERE

    Reviewing Your Riding Videos

    Paying attention to all of these little things individually at the beginning will allow you to start having a good feel for what you can begin working on changing in the longer term. I do suggest doing regular reviews in order to really get the most out of this. However, even a once-off review will bring up a lot of different points to work on.

        • Learn how to set your videos up for the best results HERE
        • And learn how to assess your horse in your riding videos HERE

    And if you would like to get my eyes on your riding, lunging, or groundwork videos, all the details for a single private virtual lesson (including a video review) are HERE.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Episodes to Help with this Topic

    Online Training to Help Your Riding

    Connect with Lorna online:-

  • Planning a Winning Year in Your Riding

    Planning a Winning Year in Your Riding

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1309_Planning_Your_Year_In_Your_Riding.mp3″ title=”Planning a Winning Year in Your Riding” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

    I want to begin by reminding you that you can start this process at any time throughout the year.  The date is not important.  Planning out the upcoming year in your riding will help you to get really clear on what you and your horse are working towards together.

    I also suggest taking the time to complete a review of the previous 12 months if this applies to you.  This way, you can begin creating a plan that actually works for you and your horse. I have an episode on this for you to work with HERE

    What Are You Working Towards…

    So before you can begin planning, you need to have a clear idea about what you actually want to make happen when it comes to the upcoming year in your riding. Start by clearly defining your equestrian goals. Consider both short-term and long-term things you would like to make happen in the coming year.

    Asking yourself questions can help you to begin to develop some more clarity about this…

        • What specific riding skills do I want to improve or master?
        • Are there specific competitions or events I want to participate in?
        • Do I have any horse-related personal development goals, such as building confidence or developing a deeper connection with my horse?
        • Is there a new or different discipline we can try together?
        • How can I measure progress toward this goal?
        • Is my goal realistically achievable given my current circumstances?
        • Is this goal relevant to my overall long-term aspirations as an equestrian?

    Get a Yearly Planner…

    Okay, now for the fun part.  I love ‘seeing’ the year from afar.  You know, being able to clearly see the full year laid out before me – big picture style! I have a couple of A1 laminated yearly planners that I use each year for different things.  My suggestion is to get yourself one of these, and then get to work…

        • Start by including any significant dates or blocking out any periods where riding won’t be possible (I include school holidays, birthdays, short trips, business appointments, etc. here when I am doing my planning)
        • Then begin thinking about your goals, your available time, your resources, and facilities, and begin to play with ‘end dates’ for your goals and ‘timelines’…
        • Because some goals have specific dates (competitions or events), make sure you also include these in your initial ‘marking out’
        • From here, whip out the Post-it notes…  And on each one, put something that needs to change in order to get you from where you are right now in your riding, to where you want to go
        • Now, it’s simply a matter of adding the ‘stepping stones’ (your Post-it notes) to your planner – and again, spending time playing with this and putting it through the filter of ‘is this possible given all of my unique circumstances

    It can also be helpful, when doing this process, to ask yourself a few honest questions and allow the answers to these to help guide you as well.

        • What riding skills do I already possess?
        • How much time can I realistically dedicate to horse-related activities each week?
        • Do I have access to the necessary facilities, equipment, and support?

    Your Year in Your Riding

    Now, obviously, when we are working with horses, there is a lot of wiggle room for things to go off plan!  And this is especially true when we are taking a whole year in your riding into account!  So, while having the ‘big picture 40,000’ view over the year is great and helpful, I feel that you can only really get specific in the first three months. And, even then, a lot can happen in 13 weeks!

    However, I do feel that month three (and we are working backward here) can be ‘fairly’ fleshed out, month two even more so… And month 1 – the next 30 days in your riding – can be pretty detailed.

    Will it all go to plan?  No, probably not.  But having a plan and making riding and training a non-negotiable, will help you to make progress towards your goals. 

    I also think that this first month is a great time to begin to anticipate potential challenges and obstacles that may show up along the way. Ask yourself questions like:

        • What are the common challenges faced by equestrians working towards similar goals?
        • How can I proactively address or overcome these challenges?
        • Are there potential setbacks I should be prepared for, and how can I mitigate their impact?
        • What, in the past, has slowed me down or caused me to go ‘off track’
        • How can I help or support my horse throughout this training timeframe?

    Regular Reviews & Timely Adjustments

    Finally, I do believe that you MUST make reviews a regular occurrence in your riding… This will help you to both stay on track – and it will allow you to assess each ride or session afterward through the filter of ‘Will this move me closer to the big goal?’.

    Taking an hour or two to really focus on concentrating on what you want to achieve in your riding is fun.  And, in my opinion, if you include Post-its, a planner, and something nice to nibble on or sip – it’s even better!

    And this clarity will help to begin motivating. you to really working towards something special this year in your riding.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! The first and original audio horse riding lessons you can use to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach

    Connect with Lorna online:-

  • Ideas for Reviewing Your Year in the Saddle

    Ideas for Reviewing Your Year in the Saddle

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1308_Ideas_for_Your_Equestrian_Yearly_Review.mp3″ title=”Ideas for Reviewing Your Year in the Saddle as an Equestrian” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” ]

    Isn’t it strange how, sometimes, when we look back over something ‘big’ or ‘long’ – like a year – we only remember 1 or 2 key events or things? And yet, when you truly sit down and begin reviewing your year in the saddle, there is so much more there to be mined!

    Today, I want to give you a few simple ways you can look back over the past 12 months (or whatever time frame you choose), and see it for all that it was for you and your horse.

    Reviewing Your Year

    I have been guilty of ‘skipping’ the whole reviewing process. Thinking about and planning for the ‘new’ definitely feels more exciting. Setting goals and beginning to play with the feelings of actually achieving those goals is a potent and powerful practice.

    But, to truly make that work for you, I think it is just as important to go back over what has happened.  To use the past as a guide for creating more in your future. 

    Identifying patterns is one of the best ways to either create or remove something from your riding.  By going through the year, month by month, you can really see what works and what doesn’t when it comes to you and your horse.

    Use Your Photos as a Guide

    This is one of the best tools you have to help you revisit the year.  Set yourself up with something nice to drink, a quiet and relaxing space and get started.  By going through the photos on your phone, you will get to revisit the whole year, month by month.  When I do this I regularly find photos of different things that happened that I had completely forgotten about!

    And even if the photos are not horse-related, often the memory of something else can trigger a memory about your horse or your riding…

    I am going to suggest writing down all of the different things in chronological order in your riding journal.  This way you can really begin to notice patterns; good ones and the not so helpful ones! It also helps you to really understand your schedule, which will be important when it comes to creating realistic goals for the next year.

    Ask Yourself Questions

    Once you have the year laid out you can begin using this as a reference so that you can find out more about what the year held for you. I do think that it can be helpful to approach your riding and your horse’s training separately.

     1. Skill Development and Training:

    • What new skills or disciplines did you and your horse work on during the year?
    • How has your horse’s training progressed, and what areas still need improvement?
    • Did you achieve the training goals you set at the beginning of the year?
    • What adjustments can be made to your training plan to enhance both your and your horse’s abilities?

     2. Relationship and Communication:

    • How has the bond between you and your horse developed over the past year?
    • Did you effectively communicate with your horse, and were there any notable improvements in your partnership?
    • Were there any challenges in understanding and responding to your horse’s behavior?
    • What steps can you take to strengthen the connection with your horse in the upcoming year?

     3. Equipment, Time, and Facilities

    • Did you encounter any challenges with the logistics of horse care, such as boarding, transportation, or scheduling?
    • Were there any facility improvements or changes that positively or negatively affected your riding, training, or just being with your horse?
    • How well did your current setup meet the needs of both you and your horse?
    • What adjustments or changes in logistics can enhance the overall efficiency and enjoyment of your equestrian activities in the next year?

    Review Your Riding Journal

    If you are not already, let this week be the week you begin tracking your riding.  Trust me, when you begin to do this, you will have a powerful tool to use when you are completing your review.  You can keep track of your horse’s training progress, note achievements, and identify areas for improvement.

    When you begin to regularly record training sessions, noting exercises, challenges, and successes, you can use that knowledge going forward. By reflecting on the effectiveness of different training approaches, you can set your goals for the future – and increase your chances of making them happen!

    Using Your Review to Plan Ahead

    Once you have a clear idea of what the previous 12 months looked like in your riding, you are then ready to begin mapping out the coming 12…  And you can do it in a way that will work for you and your horse.

    Reviewing your year may seem time-consuming and not all that helpful, but I hope that you will take my advice and give it a go for you and your horse this week!

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Get Going in Your Riding:-

    Daily Strides Premium is back! The first and original audio horse riding lessons you can use to improve your riding, train your horse, keep things interesting, have fun… Even if you don’t have a trainer or coach

    Start today:- https://stridesforsuccess.com/dsp

    Connect with Lorna online:-