Resourceful

Guess what! I actually rode today and it was good :) I do have a series of posts that I want to do but after this I should actually have riding updates including an update from the clinic.

One thing is for sure, not having weekly lessons scheduled has made me way more resourceful. I’ve been working on a few things and thought it might be good for future me to have this written down as well as potentially helpful for others.

Resources:

Podcasts! I’ve been listening to the Dressage Radio Show podcast which is now the official podcast of the USDF. I mostly really enjoy it and learn a lot each time I listen. Even items that I don’t initially think would be helpful often spark something as they’re talking through it. One of the ideas I’ve been thinking through recently came from a freestyle conversation where the person they were interviewing talked about assessing the movements you ride and how strong or weak they are for you and your particular horse.

Youtube: This is a huge one for me! I learn from everything I watch whether it’s motivation, technique, a reminder of something that I’ve learned previously but forgotten, or something completely new. My current favorite channels are; Olivia Towers, Joseph Newcomb, and Texas dressage girl. I’ve put a Joseph Newcomb video below that was especially helpful recently.

Video: One of the things that Joseph Newcomb talks about in the above video is videotaping yourself riding. I’m pretty good at coaching myself when I see what’s going on especially since I watch a ton of really good riders on video or in person. I may have to guess at exactly what’s going on but since I can put together the way it looks with the way I remember it feeling it’s actually pretty effective. At the very least I can clean up a lot and then identify a couple things that I’m not able to fix on my own and help the next instructor I ride with narrow down on what I need help with.

Apps: While potentially not accurate on a ride by ride basis I feel like apps like the Equilab app are helpful at identifying trends. Stride length is one example of a trend that, once identified, can be helpful. One of the features I find to be most helpful is how long you spend going in each direction. Again, while probably not 100% accurate each ride it does help identify issues that you can then work on.

Other trainers: I’m lucky enough that K’s trainer comes to the barn once per month during the winter. Right now she’s scheduled to be here next weekend and toward the end of April and I’m riding with her each time. She’s amazing, I’ve ridden with her once before although not on Katai, and I’m really lucky to be able to ride with her. Some lessons are better than none!

In other news, this is why my pony is always so clean.
This is her stall after a full night. There are a few more poops under
the hay at the back but they're neat little piles <3

There are also non-dressage trainers who come to the barn and I may take advantage of that and do a trailer loading lesson with one trainer who has a very quiet, calm, but firm, approach that I think would be helpful for me and Katai.

Other Students: K really encouraged her students to help each other out when she was leaving. I’ve talked with a few of them and while we’re mostly all at a similar level it’s still really helpful to be able to have someone on the ground watch and call out things that they’re seeing. The sense of comradery is great and the motivation to go and ride with someone vs. just riding on your own is really helpful for me. In addition she also offered that if we get video of each other we could send it to her and get some suggestions. See why I like her so much?