Three Crucial Places To Look For Equestrian Riders and Instructors

As a rider, what is your focus?

Do you wander around the arena wishing that you are already a Grand Prix rider?

Or do you really plan and focus on your time in the saddle and work towards your goal of being a Grand Prix rider?

Grand Prix Riders, already know there are three focus/viewing areas when they are riding:

1. Within the Arena
This is your main area of focus. The arena should be safe, but you should also be riding for accuracy. If you really are controlling every step you ride, the track you ride is exactly the track you planned to ride.

2. Your Horse
When you feel something a little different or need to check/ confirm with your horse, you will glance at your horse. This is definitley not riding around looking at your horse’s right shoulder, it is just a glance.

3. Outside the Arena
Awareness of what is happening outside the arena is important to anticipate and elimate problems such as a loose dog, horses galloping in their paddock, and traffic. If you see the problem before the horse does, you can be ready for any potential negative reaction from your horse.

As an Equestrian Instructor, do you wish you were already teaching FEI riders? Or do you already focus on these three areas;

1. The Horse/Rider Combination
They will be teaching the combination, a beginner rider but also making sure the horse is safe and obliging. The intermediate rider while they confirm the horse is listening to the rider and not evading, the advanced rider with the focus on the horse while confirming the rider is not interfering.

2. The Arena
Safety within the arena must be confirmed, although the rider is in control and able to work within the exercises set up for them.

3. Outside the Arena
This is similar to the rider, anticipate and eliminate problems outside the arena.

Please let me know if you have been focusing on the above three areas or is there something else you usually focus on?