Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Get the most out of your riding lesson

In order for you to get the most out of your riding lesson may I suggest that you set up your camcorder on a tripod in the arena.

That way, you can review your ride and analyze yourself after the lesson. So many times things are moving so quickly you are unable to hear half of the instructions given to you by your instructor.

Another way to maximize your lesson, is to keep a riding journal. When you finish your lesson, you can jot down some key points and map out your training for the next week. Just a few things I put in my horse training journals are, time of day, horse, temperature, what we worked on, how it went, and what I could have done better.

By trying these two techniques, you can maximize your lesson and improve your skills between lessons.

Happy riding!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Deanna,
As a fairly new rider, I've found the camcorder to be an irreplacable tool. As you know, I use it not only for demonstrations that you provide during lessons, but also occasionally for practice. I will review a "practice" session and sometimes think "what in the world was I doing?" as I find my arm placement totally incorrect or my reins too short. But equally at other times I'll think Dusty and I have had a poor session but when reviewing the tape I realize we both did a whole lot better than I thought! The lense does not lie! You'll see what you are doing wrong, and what you are doing correct. If you have a tripod, great. If you don't, a level and secure place to set the camera will suffice. And don't be concerned if you can't fit the entire practice arena in your visual field - you will still "catch" plenty of your riding to be usefull.
Another suggestion that I found helpfull ... I taped several of Deanna's demonstrations during my lessons, downloaded them onto my computer, organized the clips, and then downloaded that onto my I-Pod video. While waiting for a doctors appointment or waiting for a child to get out of practice, I can review my "lessons" on my IPod... "Portable Lesson Reviews" are great!

Ann
Swiftwater, PA

Deanna said...

Hi Ann,

You have the progress to prove it! You've done extremely well in the amount of time that you have been riding. Not only do you maximize your lessons by coming up with fantastic ideas, you put in a lot of hard work too. Great Job!

Deanna