This post is about intentionally using riding skills to target your riders’ life goals. This concept was introduced to me by the evaluator Sandy Webster at the Advanced Workshop I attended at Heartland Therapeutic Riding. It is perhaps the most impactful concept I learned from the week, as it has changed my perspective on instructing for therapeutic riding … Continue reading
Tagged with Lesson planning …
Components of a Great Lesson
The following is a great list of what makes a great lesson! We use something similar at my barn for evaluating new instructors. For new instructors: use this list to evaluate yourself after you teach a lesson! If you do this enough, you’ll start remembering the components during your lessons and improve your teaching! For … Continue reading
Mini Lesson Plans
Some instructors write detailed lesson plans. Some instructors have it all in their heads. I started out with the former, and have refined it to a shortened version I keep in my pocket all day. It’s super helpful when you have lots of students, and then you can mark notes on the paper to remember … Continue reading
Lesson Plan Template
I just found this in my notes from a conference. I like the fresh perspective it offers to The Basic Lesson Plan. Lesson Plan Template Transition Calm Down Relax & Stretch Review & Remember New Skill Practice, Figure it out Have Fun (Activity) Hugs & Bonding Do you have any lesson plan templates to share? … Continue reading
Skills Curriculum for Veterans Program
As instructors we are to think in the short term with lesson plans and objectives, and long term with goals and curriculum. Both are forms of skill progression – but one is focused on today, and one is focused on the whole session or year. A friend sent me this curriculum that she has used … Continue reading
Riding Lesson Planning – template by Amanda
Amanda at Running Shoes and Cowgirl Boots recently wrote a simple great post about how she plans her riding lessons – and I’m not just saying that because she refers to this blog, but because I think it’s a great resource, complete with a PDF template for you to use. Check it out! Riding Lesson Planning (http://balancingonhoney.com/2013/07/30/riding-lesson-planning/) … Continue reading
Group Arena Management
There are some ways to use the arena that make teaching larger groups more manageable. Here are some I’ve seen and wanted to share. Keep riders together so you can see all of them at all times, and they all can hear you. If they get too far or close to each other, instruct them … Continue reading
Warm Ups
This guide to warm ups is a combination of lots of resources I have. More detailed descriptions for various exercises can be found in the resources listed at the end. What A warm up is an activity that prepares the student for their riding lesson by warming up both their upper and lower body and … Continue reading
Resources from the Special Olympics website
I love these resources, so I’m pointing them out in a post! (They are also listed on my Resources page). Equestrian Special Olympics Coaching Guide – explains how to train a student over several months for competing aka lesson planning, various skills and riding information the student needs to know, warm up exercises, stretching and strengthening, correct body … Continue reading
How to Lesson Plan and Create Game Ideas
When I first started writing lesson plans I easily got overwhelmed – how do I decide what to teach? Where do I start? Here are some tips from my own experience as a perfectionist, easily-overwhelmed, and not-good-on-the-fly person. But first off, why lesson plan? It’s professional. You can show their parents you’re thinking about each … Continue reading