Bakersfield Dressage
www.bakersfielddressage.com
  • Home
  • About Me
  • My Horses
    • G Ima Starr FA
    • Imperioso
    • Sunshine
    • Nakota and Gideon
    • Corky
    • Sassy
    • Montoya DSA
    • Mickey Dee
    • Sydney
  • My Show Results
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017
    • 2016
    • 2015
    • 2014
    • 2013
    • 2012
    • 2011
    • 2010
  • Dressage Organizations
    • Memberships
    • 2019 Dressage Tests
  • Educational Stuff
    • Dressage Videos
  • Local Stuff
    • Bakersfield Large Animal Hospital
    • Veterinarians
    • Farriers
    • Feed and Tack Stores
    • Facilities
    • Saddle Fitting & Boot Repair
    • Shopping List
  • Photo Gallery

Peer Coaching

8/12/2013

8 Comments

 
PictureSarah riding King Casanova (May 2013)
Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to do some peer coaching. In teacher speak, peer coaching is having one student help another student. Teachers know that this is an excellent opportunity for both students. The struggling student usually gets an explanation in kid speak, while the helper gets to confirm what she knows by teaching it to a friend. Peer coaching is a win-win in the classroom.

It was really rewarding to realize how much I've learned over the past three years. Sarah probably thought I was doing her a bit of a favor, but the reality is that she gave me the opportunity to demonstrate my understanding of steady contact and rhythm. I guess I should explain what we did.

Sarah's been riding for a long time, probably most of her life. She's been a western rider for most of that time. She trail rides of course, but she was also quite successful as a barrel racer with King Casanova (aka Howdy). At some point in their barrel racing career, Howdy told Sarah that racing was stressing him out so she decided to find him a new job. When I asked why dressage, she responded that it was as different from barrel racing as she could get which would be good for Howdy.

Sarah hasn't had much dressage help this summer, but she's still out there giving it a try. She and Howdy have successfully navigated the first three Tehachapi shows with scores as high as 64%. She's working at Training Level right now, but she's eager to move up once Howdy is happily accepting contact with a clear and steady rhythm. And that's where the peer coaching comes in.

Sarah and I had lunch a few weeks ago with JK, a mutual friend and rider. Sarah had just finished her second dressage show and was looking for some help in understanding the judge's comments and scores. The three of us had a great conversation about contact, using your seat, and showing in general. I invited Sarah to come out to my barn so that I could show her some of the exercises that I've learned from JL, Chemaine Hurtado, and of course, Christian Schacht.

Sarah gave me a call Saturday morning and asked if we could get together. In under two hours, she had Howdy saddled and was warming up in my arena. I am a teacher, but working with adults is slightly different as they tend to bring a lifetime of experiences with them. I didn't quite know how I could help Sarah so I started out by sharing some warm-up work that Chemaine had taught me. From there, I went from exercise to exercise hoping that at least one of them would really click for Sarah.

Coming from the western world, Sarah hasn't really had the opportunity to feel what steady contact actually is. As I was sharing every mental picture that I could think of, I realized that I really do know what steady contact is myself. I could tell by the look on Sarah's face that the things we were trying weren't helping her achieve that feel.

I was worried about insulting her, but I took a chance that she really wanted to feel some steadiness, so I shared Christian's exercise of planting your hands in your thighs. It took a few 20-meter circles for Howdy to trust that Sarah wasn't going to drop the contact, but once he realized that the steady contact was there, he lifted his back and stretched over his top line. Sarah felt it immediately!

While she was only able to get a few strides of connectedness, I think Sarah has a much better idea of what she needs to work on in order to achieve steady contact. I showed her a few other exercises, like tucking your pinkies around a bucking strap, that will help her develop a seat independent of her hands.

Once she and Howdy had had enough for the morning, I had thrown a ton of stuff her way, and I am sure her head was kind of spinning, I asked if it would be helpful to see Sydney do some of those same exercises. She thought it would be a good idea so while she and Howdy cooled off at the walk, I tossed my tack on and joined her in the arena.

I can't tell you how proud of Sydney I was! With hardly any warm-up at all, he was "moving freely forward in a clear and steady rhythm, accepting contact with the bit." Sarah told me that she could clearly see how my contact was very steady as I went through the exercises that I had shown her. At one point, I brought Sydney back to a walk and planned to show her something else. In my mind, I prepped Sydney for a forward cue, and in real-life, he lifted into a perfect canter departure.

I didn't deliberately ask for the canter, but since it was done so perfectly, I used it to show Sarah the canter exercise where you ride counter bent into the smallest canter circle you can manage. I was so pleased to finally get to show off how lovely Sydney is working. We may not have it a show, but we are rocking it at home.

I had a great time showing Sarah some of the exercises that I've been learning. Teaching someone else is one of the best ways to check your own understanding. I hope Sarah finds time to come back and ride with me. While I may be a very good 5th grade teacher, I am no riding instructor so she'll have to take my peer coaching with a grain of salt. I might have gotten more out of the work than she did!

Show write up coming soon ...

8 Comments
Austen link
8/11/2013 11:54:46 pm

I love this, especially from the perspective of a teacher. How awesome when your professional expertise can help you fully embrace situations in the horse world.

Can't wait to hear about the show. I hope you guys had a positive day!

Reply
Karen
8/12/2013 08:41:38 am

I usually find that I don't really want to be a coach when it comes to riding since that's what I do all day! It was easy with Sarah though, as she's a peer with similar experience. It felt more like just helping out a friend than actually teaching. :0)

Reply
Kelly link
8/12/2013 12:34:45 am

What a great experience! I love that your friend listened to her horse and changed careers for him - and what better career than dressage :)

Reply
Karen
8/12/2013 08:42:37 am

I know it was a hard choice to make as Howdy was earning her a fair amount of money racing barrels, but she cares a great deal for her horses so she did the right thing for him.

Reply
Stephanie link
8/12/2013 02:15:22 am

That's one of the reasons I love teaching horseback riding. It helps me recall earlier lessons. Like I was teaching one of my students to get Peanut to move off of leg pressure, and it helped me the next time I was riding her to get her to leg-yield etc which in turn helped our more advanced lessons we're working on.

Reply
Karen
8/12/2013 08:44:23 am

I know just what you mean. That's why peer coaching is so helpful in the classroom; it really benefits both people! :0)

Reply
Val
8/12/2013 10:11:56 pm

I always felt like my riding benefitted when I taught able-bodied lessons. It was also fun to demonstrate like you did on Sydney. I think it takes the pressure off the horse and that helps them perform.

Reply
Karen
8/15/2013 09:18:41 am

I enjoyed it for sure, and you're right; there was less pressure. :0)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    About the 
    Writer & Rider

    I am a lifetime rider. 
    I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010.
    ​Welcome to my dressage journey.

    Picture
    Photo by Lori Ovanessian
    Email Karen

    About Speedy G

    Speedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. We're currently showing Third Level for the 2019 show season. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.

    Picture
    August 2018

    About Izzy

    Izzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are schooling and showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
    Picture
    March 2019

    Picture
    Bakersfield Dressage approved!
    Picture
    FOR THE SMALLER EQUINE ATHLETE
    Picture
    I love her stuff!

    National Awards

    • USDF Second Level Rider Performance Award - 2018
    Picture
    2nd Level Rider Performance, 2018
    • USDF First Level Rider Performance Award - 2015
    Picture
    1st Level Rider Performance, 2015
    • USDF Training Level Rider Performance Award - 2013
    Picture
    Training Level Rider Performance, 2013
    State Awards
    • CDS Ruby Rider Award - 2018
    • CDS Second Level Horse Performance Award - 2018
    Picture
    Ruby Rider Award, 2018

    2020 Show Season

    Show Rating
    (***) CDS/USDF/USEF 
    (*) CDS
    (s) Schooling
    (c) Clinic
    (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic
    (Q) Must Qualify
    2020 Pending …
    ​

    2020 Completed …
    ​10/26-27/19 SCEC (***)

    Qualifying Scores for 2020

    Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC)  
    3rd Level Qualifying
    3 Scores/2 Judges:

    Score 1: 60.405% Atkins
    Score 2: 62.432% Atkins
    Score 3: 

    CDS Championship
    ​
    3rd Level Qualifying
    5 Scores/4 Judges:

    Score 1: 60.405% Atkins
    Score 2: 62.432% Atkins
    Score 3: 
    Score 4: 
    Score 5: 

    Working Towards:

    ​CDS 3rd Level Horse Performance Award
    ​
    3 Judges/3 Shows:
    Score 1: 63.514% Lindholm
    Score 2: 62.105% Lindholm
    Score 3: 63.243% Wadeborn
    Score 4: 60.405% Atkins
    Score 5: 62.432% Atkins
    Score 6:

    CDS Sapphire Rider Award
    Third Level: 63.514%
    Third Level: 62.105%
    Fourth Level:
    Fourth Level:

    USDF Bronze Medal
    First Level - 70.179%
    First Level - 72.600%
    Second Level - 62.879%
    Second Level - 61.970%
    Third Level - 62.432%
    ​Third Level -

    Stuff I Read

    • A Collection of Madcap Escapades​
    • A Horse Crazy American in Germany
    • A Yankee in Paris
    • Avandarre in Dressage​
    • BB Quarter Horses
    • Contact
    • Dream Big
    • Go Big or Go Home
    • Go Pony
    • ​Guinness on Tap
    • ​Journey with a Dancing Horse
    • Mountain Spirits
    • Pony3Express
    • Poor Woman Showing​
    • Printable Pony
    • Raincoast Rider
    • She Moved to Texas
    • SprinklerBandits
    • Stubborn Together
    • Symphony Dressage Stables
    • Tales From a Bad Eventer
    • The $900 Facebook Pony
    • Thoughtful Equestrian
    • Wyvern Oaks
    • Zen and the Art of Baby Horse Mangement

    By Topic

    All
    Art
    Awards
    Books
    Cabin
    California Barn Life
    Captain Awesome
    Centerlinescores
    Championships
    Chiropractor
    Clinics
    Clothing
    Cushing's Disease
    Defeating The Demon
    Dogs
    Double Bridle
    Dressage On The Trail
    EHV-1
    Endurance Photos
    Farrier
    First Level
    Fluphenazine
    Flying Changes
    Fourth Level
    Fox Hunting
    Freedom Feeder
    Frustration
    Gizmos
    Grooming
    Half Pass
    Headshaking
    Horse Maintenance
    Horses Are Expensive
    Horses Are Expensive 3.0
    Horses Are Expensive II
    Hunter/jumper Stuff
    Imperioso
    Introductory Level
    Izzys Leg
    Just For Fun
    Lessons With Chemaine
    Lessons With Lois
    Lessons With STC Dressage
    Local Stuff
    Memberships
    Micklem Bridle
    Mt. Self Doubt
    Musings
    My 5 Things
    My Horses
    Nesting
    On The Levels
    Photos
    Platinum Performance
    Poles
    Polls
    Pulley Rein
    Raac
    Rider Fitness
    Riding Figures
    Right Lead Canter
    Road ID
    Saddle Fitting
    Schooling
    Score Sheets
    Second Level
    Shopping
    Show Costs
    Showing
    Sitting Trot
    Sliding Side Reins
    Soldier
    Speedy's Leg
    Tack
    The Elephants
    The Jar
    The Warm Up Ring
    Third
    Third Level
    Toys
    Trailering
    Training
    Travel
    Ulcers
    Vet Care
    Video
    Videos
    Weird But True
    Year In Review


    Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011


    Picture
    Picture
    Sydney wearing the Riders4Helmets dressage pad I won for a helmet story.

Site Design: Karen Sweaney