Great group exercise...
...but not just for
horse riding!
For the advanced coach you
will recognize the use of visual, kinesthetic and auditory learning,
even neuro-linguistic programming elements. Add in having
the class visualize the exercise and then you have covered most
basics of sports psychology in its many forms. You are
using ALL of your learning and teaching skills.
But...for beginner coaches
just starting to teach kids...it's JUST FUN!!
1. Get your group (this is
ideal for LARGE groups too) to simply go around the arena or marked
area, with good straight lines. This can be in either walk, trot
or canter, depending on the rider's standard and safety.
2. Ask the SECOND rider to
look at the rider in front of them and ask the first rider "which heel
is closer to the ground, left or right".
3. Then, the first rider
circles around to the very back of the line to "fix it", and get both
feet level to the ground
4. Ask the "new"
second rider to ask the rider in front of them "which heel is closer
to the ground, left or right"".
NOTES:
You can use ANY question:
Which ear is closer to the ground, which elbow is closer
to the ground, which spur is more turned in
EQUIPMENT
You can add in
equipment...put even just one pole down, or perhaps a marker,
and have the riders stand up (great
balance exercise) and as they are coming into the
poles, ask them to deliberately lower one foot, or one shoulder, or
even just one ear lower to the ground, and watch how much the horse
"drifts" using the weight aids like that.
FOR ADVANCED LESSONS:
The rider behind might
describe say the angle of the shoulder in of the horse in front, or do
more difficult movements such as extended trot or canter, and ask the
SAME QUESTIONS...which shoulder, which earring, which elbow would be
closer to the ground.
It takes a good lot of
riders to be able to do this exercise in extension down the long side,
and perhaps collection around the short sides!
This is REALLY using every
part of the brain's many ways of learning.
