This is such a simple game I forgot about it, so I want to remind everyone that it exists!
Simon Says
Yesterday I had a rider who was very nervous about riding her new horse. Playing Simon Says helped redirected her focus from being fearful to being present, focusing on what she was doing and paying attention to directions. We played it through warmups (arms out, arm circles, etc.) and reviewing our skills (grab the reins on purple, turn right, turn left, etc). After messing up one time because she followed the command when Simon didn’t Say, she was much more focused! By the time we started our main activity, she was more relaxed and confident. The rest of her lesson was great! I was surprised by how well this simple game worked for her. I have to thank my volunteers for suggesting it, and wanted to pass the suggestion along to all of you! You can modify it by using their horse’s name instead of Simon.
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Important Announcement!
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Have a great weekend!
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Note: This is not professional advice, this is a blog. I am not liable for what you do with or how you use this information. The activities explained in this blog may not be fit for every rider, riding instructor, or riding center depending on their current condition and resources. Use your best personal judgement!
It’s been really fun incorporating some of these ideas into my lessons, will love to see more!