Two Minute Training Tips – Are you Stuck?

Do you feel like you’re stuck at a particular level in your riding? Getting stuck is easy actually – just go out and do the same thing day after day. Getting unstuck takes some doing but you can do it if you are intentional and purposeful in trying to get unstuck. First, question everything. Like what you ask? Is this the best bit, saddle, bridle for my horse? Is my feeding program optimizing my horse’s strength, balance and flexibility? Is my training program intentional and can I see incremental increases in my horses’ strength, balance and flexibility? Is my training program challenging me and my horse or are we doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results? Am I working on my own strength, balance and flexibility off the horse? Pick your trainer’s brain. How can you shake things up? Have I been videoing my training sessions or taking pictures of my horse so I can see changes I may not be able to feel? What about other options to check on your horses health – like chiropractic, teeth check, massage or shoeing? Have you had a thorough conversation with your vet to see if there are things you can do to optimize your program for your horse? What can you do to shake up training boredom? Go to a clinic or trail riding? Add something you’ve not done before – like riding an obstacle course, run some barrels or do some jumping or dressage? Take a ride on a beach! Get out your test books and think about what test you would like to do that you think you cannot do right now - maybe 1 - 2 levels above where you are riding now. Take some time to memorize that test and ride that test in your mind on your horse even if you cannot do all the movements. Find a horse that has the training at that level and take a lesson on that horse to get a feel what a medium or extended trot feels like. Or what a half pass to flying change feels like so you can see what it takes for the horse to be able to do it and what coordination skills you need to be able to ride it. Then go home and ride your horse at that test level and when you get to the parts you cannot ride right now – like half pass to flying change - do a downward transition to a walk and ride the movement in your head while shaping your horse into the half pass thinking back to how you shaped your body and aids as you rode on the horse that could do it and try to mimic that on your horse. Take your time. As you continue to walk and the flying change comes up sit up, look up and switch your legs as if you are riding a flying change. As you evaluate everything decide to keep the things that are working for you and your horse and enjoy the improvements from asking questions. Try some new things to get a fresh perspective. Move yourself out of your comfort zone. That’s where you get unstuck. Change happens when you start reaching out for something just beyond your grasp and inching your way towards it. Enjoy the journey and get inspired to reach for more! Need some help getting unstuck? Reach out to me and let me know what you need – we can come up with some ideas together!

Stay tuned for next week’s Two-minute Training Tip! If you need help building a training plan you can always email me questions at revelationfarm1911@gmail.com or check out our YouTube channel, revelationfarm.com for upcoming events. Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RevelationFm!

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