I was wondering if you have any advice on lesson plans? If you had any advice, or any words of encouragement, I would appreciate it!! It's pretty intimidating knowing I'm going to coach women who I rode with years ago...
Don't do 3 people in an hour unless it is just a riding lesson working on position or everyone wanting to learn timing. Way less stressful to start with one person and group them next time after you know their learning styles and problems.
Remember a lesson is not a clinic, don't try and teach everything at once. One thing from different angles can be more productive. As you've heard me say before, lesson plans are for riding instructors. As a coach, the horse will tell you what you need to work on, however, ask what they want to work on, what goals they have, if possible, in advance, to give you time to think of the best exercises. You could develop a form for them to fill out, history, goals, experience, contact info, etc. Most importantly, you need to be able to relate what the rider wants to what the horse needs. Not everyone is a follower of the Chris Irwin method, you have lots of tools to help these people from a place they understand, the goal is to not deviate from your beliefs in the method while helping others. Give them a choice.
You also need to know are they more interested in fixing themselves or their horse.You need both but if they're there for a lope departure and you're working on their sitting trot they won't get the connection. They may need it but they won't get it. Better to work on haunches in, counter bend, Go means Go from halt to walk, walk to trot and lightly touch on them needing sitting trot without stirrups because their horse thinks they're going to fall off and is afraid to canter.
On the other hand if they're there to learn how not to fall off and you need them to stop, back up, roll over the hocks and correct a naughty horse if may be time to put them on a lunge or lead line or borrow a different horse for their lesson and offer to ride theirs at the end of the day or instead of the lesson but only if you think you can improve it in an appropriate way and if possible get them back up on it. That's the big difference between Chris Irwin coaches and others. You know you can get on the horse and improve it even if it means "just basics" (in writing that looks like such a small thing :-). Lots of other coaches don't ride.
What your student wants to work on may not be what you work on. You need to be able to quickly assess what basics are missing that they need to have in order to achieve their goal and briefly explain to them why they or their horse needs that first (develop sub-goals). Maybe give them two or three related basics that lead to the final result so they can practice and you can come back again. You can also explain what other maneuvers these basic exercises can benefit.
Explained another way.
Have them show you what they're trying to fix, work on some basic exercises, have them try again and see if there's any improvement. Point out to them where the improvement is. Perfectionists won't see improvement. They need to understand how a horse learns and learn to accept the try.
When all this talking and teaching is going on, don't forget to listen. Acknowledge the knowledge they all ready have, then add to it. If they start trying to teach or convert you tactfully remind them they have paid for your time and you'd sure like to add to their expertise.
Sometimes you need to teach basics before basics. Try solving their problem with correct finished horse signals, assess where the horse is getting lost then break it down as you would when training a colt. A side-pass that won't happen may need to be turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches, it may have to be done at the fence, it may require someone on the ground helping the horse find it (rider or coach). You may have to stand behind and make sure they're not leaning or blocking...
Understanding a maneuver and understanding timing are two different things. Unless they're already Chris Irwin fans, give them the maneuver, tell them when to push or flex, now, now, now. Once they understand the maneuver let them try it and don't tell them the timing. Occasionally someone will get it naturally, most don't. When they can get it with you telling them timing, but not on their own, that's the time to explain timing, they will be ready to learn it. Whether I teach them to feel the belly swing first, get the legs working with the timing or teach them to flex reins with front feet depends on the maneuver and which it requires more of. If it's head down I concentrate on the hands then add legs but most lateral movements I concentrate on legs first then add hands. If you're rider's not getting it one way, try the other. Most lateral movements fail to work because the riders hands freeze and they lock their leg on, blocking on the other side.
I carry a pocket sized notebook, write down their name, horses name, color if group lesson, what they want to work on and right after you teach, what you actually worked on. Save this for next time or in case they ask a question later or by email. You can also list the sub-goals and give it to them so they remember what they need to work on.
Try and leave 15 minutes between lessons in case you go slightly over, if someone can't get something then back up to a part of the maneuver they can do so you quit on a good spot for the horse. Explain this to them. The extra time between lessons lets you have a drink, go pee, talk to the next person coming in...
Consider offering a bonus group lesson to prepaid students the night before or first thing in the morning on putting head down from ground and from the bending button. This will give you an indication of who is interested in Chris Irwin type information and give you a good start to the following work. This would also be a good time to work on the contact exercises with people.
Don't be nervous of teaching people you used to know when you didn't know anything :-) They've signed up to pay you for a lesson, they've already acknowledged your abilities. Approach them as you would anyone else you've never met. Your goal is for everyone to feel like they've improved (or have the tools to improve), have fun and not cry unless it's with joy. You will be nervous until you start then you just do what you've been trained to do, it's like a first ride. :-)
What your student wants to work on may not be what you work on. You need to be able to quickly assess what basics are missing that they need to have in order to achieve their goal and briefly explain to them why they or their horse needs that first (develop sub-goals). Maybe give them two or three related basics that lead to the final result so they can practice and you can come back again. You can also explain what other maneuvers these basic exercises can benefit.
Explained another way.
Have them show you what they're trying to fix, work on some basic exercises, have them try again and see if there's any improvement. Point out to them where the improvement is. Perfectionists won't see improvement. They need to understand how a horse learns and learn to accept the try.
When all this talking and teaching is going on, don't forget to listen. Acknowledge the knowledge they all ready have, then add to it. If they start trying to teach or convert you tactfully remind them they have paid for your time and you'd sure like to add to their expertise.
Sometimes you need to teach basics before basics. Try solving their problem with correct finished horse signals, assess where the horse is getting lost then break it down as you would when training a colt. A side-pass that won't happen may need to be turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches, it may have to be done at the fence, it may require someone on the ground helping the horse find it (rider or coach). You may have to stand behind and make sure they're not leaning or blocking...
Understanding a maneuver and understanding timing are two different things. Unless they're already Chris Irwin fans, give them the maneuver, tell them when to push or flex, now, now, now. Once they understand the maneuver let them try it and don't tell them the timing. Occasionally someone will get it naturally, most don't. When they can get it with you telling them timing, but not on their own, that's the time to explain timing, they will be ready to learn it. Whether I teach them to feel the belly swing first, get the legs working with the timing or teach them to flex reins with front feet depends on the maneuver and which it requires more of. If it's head down I concentrate on the hands then add legs but most lateral movements I concentrate on legs first then add hands. If you're rider's not getting it one way, try the other. Most lateral movements fail to work because the riders hands freeze and they lock their leg on, blocking on the other side.
I carry a pocket sized notebook, write down their name, horses name, color if group lesson, what they want to work on and right after you teach, what you actually worked on. Save this for next time or in case they ask a question later or by email. You can also list the sub-goals and give it to them so they remember what they need to work on.
Try and leave 15 minutes between lessons in case you go slightly over, if someone can't get something then back up to a part of the maneuver they can do so you quit on a good spot for the horse. Explain this to them. The extra time between lessons lets you have a drink, go pee, talk to the next person coming in...
Consider offering a bonus group lesson to prepaid students the night before or first thing in the morning on putting head down from ground and from the bending button. This will give you an indication of who is interested in Chris Irwin type information and give you a good start to the following work. This would also be a good time to work on the contact exercises with people.
Don't be nervous of teaching people you used to know when you didn't know anything :-) They've signed up to pay you for a lesson, they've already acknowledged your abilities. Approach them as you would anyone else you've never met. Your goal is for everyone to feel like they've improved (or have the tools to improve), have fun and not cry unless it's with joy. You will be nervous until you start then you just do what you've been trained to do, it's like a first ride. :-)
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