Not-So-Speedy Dressage

CDS Adult Amateur Clinic - Part 3

5/12/2017

I am not sure I've found the funny yet, but best friend and I did laugh our butts off the entire weekend. Sometimes it was even at Hilda's expense, or mine.

There were a few smiles over the weekend. I am still sitting in the front front row, right hand side.

Now that I've had a few days to mull it over, I think I know why this clinic demoralized me so much. Besides hearing about EVERYTHING that I am doing wrong, which would take the wind out of most anyone's sails, I realized that Hilda simply took the fun out of things. I am not saying she's humorless or anything, although she might be, but she just took the darn thing too seriously.

Let's face it. We're adult amateurs. We have jobs, husbands, kids, friends, and other stuff to do besides ride our horses. We love riding, we love showing, but there's a bit more to life. Most of us have no aspirations of being Olympians or WEG competitors. We're just happy to eke out our 60% scores towards a bronze, move up a level now and then, and maybe even get a ribbon or two.

So when Hilda told me I don't react fast enough one day and then told me that I over-react the next day, I just laughed it off. When she told me I need to ride more often, I laughed that off too. She doesn't know I ride five to six days a week, and if she had known, she probably would have been horrified that so much saddle time isn't helping.

She also said I should try to ride different horses. I think she forgot that I also ride a second horse, one that is totally different in shape and attitude than Speedy. If she thought I rode Speedy terribly, she would have kicked me out if she'd have seen me tootle around on the big brown horse.

When she heard that I've owned Speedy for ten years, she actually said that I should have learned to ride him better by now. She then praised him for being such a nice horse (in spite of me is what she was obviously thinking). I couldn't help it when I saucily threw out that I had done his training myself. She harrumphed a little and begrudgingly said that I must have done a good job. I don't think she believed me.

From 2013 - Last place, but it was fun!

I learned a lot from Hilda, and most of it was good. My biggest take away from the weekend though was that no matter how intensely I ride, I actually need a trainer who can keep it lighter and more humorous for me. I beat myself up plenty already; I don't need help doing that. With Chemaine Hurtado, owner and trainer at Symphony Dressage Stables, I know that she's going to teach me correctly, but she's also going to do it in a positive, supportive, and friendly manner.

For a good time, call her!

Tracy link

5/12/2017 05:39:38 am

Being a great rider doesn't mean you're a great trainer OR a great instructor. They all require different skill sets

Bakersfield Dressage link

5/12/2017 05:41:35 am

That's the truth!!!!!

judy

5/12/2017 07:28:21 am

I think this lady needs to sign up for a clinic with you instructing on how to teach in a way that celebrates the joy of learning! She could sit in with your fifth graders, lol! If you cannot enjoy the journey to where ever your goals are leading you....it makes the destination pointless! You trained Speedy & he obviously loves showing his skills off!!

5/12/2017 08:48:14 am

LOL! I haven't mentioned this, but she was a special ed teacher!

I know she wasn't the best teacher for me, but there are probably students who do respond to her "tough love" approach. :0)

Austen link

5/12/2017 09:24:36 am

I've worked with Hilda at shows, and found her to be delightful. I'm surprised you had such a terrible experience. She certainly expects a lot from riders, but as a regular competitor I have found her to be a compassionate judge to those who show under her. I haven't sat in on a clinic, though.

I have found clinicians who teach at high levels expect a lot from those who come to ride with them. They expect a rider who is investing in their clinic to be very serious about improving and work very hard. That is what it takes to improve and move up the levels. My experience has taught me that big name clinicians do not take kindly to a lack of commitment or goofing off. They take a joke, but not if it demeans the effort they are putting in to trying to improve you.

Some methods and personalities don't mesh, for sure. It seems you two are not a good fit, though you at least walked away with a good takeaways. Hopefully you're able to apply those to both of your horses.

5/12/2017 10:12:52 am

I have also found Hilda to be a very kind and compassionate judge. In fact, some of my highest scores have been from her. I've also chatted with her at shows where she was a competitor, and she was very friendly.

I would not say my experience was terrible per se as I learned a great deal. Instead, Hilda's teaching style was not the way I prefer to learn.

I haven't shared this because I do not want to embarrass anyone, but she was very harsh with most all of the riders. I actually felt as though I got off easy. A few times, she looked to the auditors and asked if we had seen anyone worse at " ______________" than this particular rider. As auditors, most of us cringed at her teaching technique.

As a teacher myself, I know that we don't all work well with every student. I try to remember this daily in my own job and work hard to adjust my teaching style to the needs of my students, especially when I know they're not Rhodes Scholars. :0)

It was a tough weekend, but I did learn quite a bit. I enjoy working with different trainers and will continue to do so. :0)

lytha

5/14/2017 12:21:47 am

OK we wanna see the videos of your rides at the clinic!

5/15/2017 05:35:52 am

We ran out of space on my ipad for day 2, and all of the clips from day 1 are less than a minute long. Sorry!

Bubble Butt J

5/14/2017 08:40:54 pm

Smartly written and brave, a hat tip to you for this honest writing. I have a deep fondness for Hilda and have had the chance to spend quite a bit of time with her over the years. I'm definitely a fan and to some degree a devotee. I will say though that the coaching we get from Chemaine has been so perfectly tailored to my learning style that for me she is best in class, period. She has surpassed every clinician I've ever worked with by somehow tuning into my learning style and finding the exercises, and most importantly, the language and descriptions, that have helped me finally understand this weird, nuanced sport. We're lucky to have access to Chemaine's unique ability, she's changed my life! And yeah, it's kind of nice not to be shouted at, as is the style of so many trainers.

5/15/2017 05:41:18 am

Thank you, BBJ. My policy on this blog is (usually) to only write positive comments, but I also need to be truthful. I think Hilda is probably great for some people, but not for me.

I adore Chemaine and wish I could bottle her up and bring her up here. Because of the distance, I only get to see her about once a month, but she's worth the wait.

Chemaine does seem to have a knack for figuring out how to teach you what you need to know while still building you up. She also makes things fun, and she gets that while we all have goals, we still have lives as well.

Next time I'm down your way at the barn or a show, please come and say hi!

Appydoesdressage

5/15/2017 07:03:29 am

It is too bad that the two of you didn't mesh personality wise, that little thing can make or break a great clinic for a rider. There are a lot of teaching styles and not everyone flourishes under each style. Here's to hoping you can get with Christian Schacht more!

5/17/2017 10:08:59 am

I've ridden with other trainers that I didn't really like before as well. When I first started taking lessons, I would clinic with anyone and was surprised that others didn't. Now I know why. LOL I am definitely the kind of student that needs a relationship, however temporary, with my trainer.

Elinor Yee link

5/15/2017 01:31:35 pm

First off, Happy Belated B-Day to Mr. Iz!

Second, I really enjoyed reading your Weekend Write up on the clinic. So many times, I've heard of people going to a clinic, paying for the entire package, and then never gotten any feed back on why/if/how/when they had something to take away from it.
This was a great summary, and I felt with you all the way reading through it.
Eh, and also very glad I am NOT riding in this one when it comes up North next month. I'll be volunteering, and auditing, just like last year, and I have a feeling there will be quite a bit of "picking apart."
Seriously, we all know this is not the best set up for learning... :)
Me myself, I'm a pleaser, so I try my hardest to do what I'm asked, and when I can't make it happen, I tend to shut down, and not be able to ride very well at all. Haha, I can just see myself crack in a clinic like that.
Well done!

5/17/2017 10:13:48 am

I can't wait to hear what you think of the clinic. I've tried to be as ... diplomatic as possible, but I think many of the riders left with bruised feelings. She was REALLY tough on one rider in particular, make that two.

I also try as hard as possible when I am taking a lesson. At another clinic, with an equally well known trainer, I was told that I wasn't trying. I stopped several times and explained that I didn't know how to do what was being asked of me. For me, it is crushing to hear that I am not trying as the opposite is true. I try too hard, which in fact Hilda pointed out, but she made it sound like a bad thing. The way she said it, "You're trying too hard" sounded the same as you're not trying at all.

Please share your experience when you go to the North clinic!

Comments are closed.

CDS Adult Amateur Clinic - Part 3

About the Writer and Rider

About Speedy G

About Izzy

National Rider Awards

Archives
By Topic

Archives
By Date