THINK EQUESTRIAN
THINK EQUESTRIAN
Equestrian & Performance Coaching
Welcome to Think Equestrian
Welcome to Think Equestrian
LATEST NEWS-
(Client Claire Knowles at the 2014 Aachen CHIO Breed day)
Well the Summer Area Festivals including the music classes and Summer regionals are almost completed -congratulations to all of you who have qualified for these classes and good luck to those who have qualifyied for the September Finals. It is still a good time to be thinking about a new floorplan for the 2025 summer AF and 2025 Winter Champiojnships and it's always the right time to improve the way your horse goes, ready for a new level.
If you are a British Dressage member then make sure you have downloaded and read the 2024 HandBook with new rules and clarifications including clothing. In addition the new tests the New tests are available at all levels from Introductory to Advanced . There are 6 tests at most levels and changes include replacing Submission with Co-operation in the collectives and also changing the co-efficients on some collectives. The tests will also have greater directives to help riders and judges.
There are lots of opportunities to try out the new tests at clinics with arena boards or to practice for the AFs/Regionals (in which the old tests will be used)look at the Events page and contact me for more information.
But there is always the question regarding how clear you are on what needs to be improved- are you riding at your best or could you improve this aspect, or does your horse show signs of not being able to perform at their best?
There's no time to lose to get yourself in your best condition to ride to your best. Although 2020 and 2021 did not turned out to be what we all hoped for, 2022 seemed to return us all to normality and 2023 was all systems go. Finances are tight for many now so planning how best to spend the funds you have has never been more important.
Most horse owners make sure that their horses always have the very best treatment, help and support but are not so good at making sure their physical and mental wellbeing is as well taken care of. I am a great believer in Investing in Yourself both to improve and prevent injuries and asymmetries. Investing in yourself will be an ongoing theme, physical and mental wellbeing is vital for all riders
You can also ride Dressage tests and enter them with Official BD online company Dressage Anywhere. They offer training tests and you can always ask for me to judge those for you
If you are looking to compete in dressage to music then come to a Satellite DTM clinic at any suitable venue once clinics recommence. The only difference between these and the standard Equivisions dressage to music clinics is that Julie Geraghty will not be present but the video of the floorplan will be sent to her and she will work with you over the internet to arrange the music.
There are Satellite dressage to music clinics in Bucks, Kent, Beds and Essex when floor plans can be designed, see Event page for information. Please contact Julie Geraghty of Equivisions or myself if you have a suitable venue and would like to arrange a satellite clinic. If you want to make your own arrangements for the music element then you can simply book a floorplan session. A full service clinic with Equivisions will took place in Norfolk on 16th April
South & Eastern Region have again obtained funding for Riders eligible for the Eastern Para Teams so eligible Think Equestrian clinics are available for only £15 when booked through the BD Eastern diary on the BD website once BD recommences events.
You can also book flexi training via Horse Monkey at any venue to fulfill criteria for Regional team selection
The website is regularly updated with new Equestrian & Performance articles and goals on the tips pages. Don't forget to send in your questions for the Question & answer page. There is also a page, Convention Notes with detailed notes which have taken at various conventions.
Stuck for Gift ideas?- then buy a Think Equestrian Gift voucher towards a lesson or Dressage to Music Choreography package or Performance coaching- please contact me for details
WHAT
Think Equestrian is about bringing together the best in equestrian training with modern techniques to maximise the rider's performance. It incorporates a fusion of modern and classical principles of riding and seeks to help the rider to identify their strengths and areas of development.
WHY
Many riders find themselves under performing in the arena, losing confidence, lacking direction or becoming disillusioned with their riding or horse. The aim of Think Equestrian is to help the rider find a deeper understanding and clearer direction and to maximise performance with the best techniques and clear goals.
HOW
The aim of Think Equestrian is to help the rider to build a strong knowledge base in dressage, to develop the rider's seat to work positively with the horse and to help the rider to use techniques to maintain focus and direction. The website will contain some ideas based on the philosophy that I use to coach and the topics will change regularly so come back every month for something new.
Every month there is a "Goal of the month" in both ridden and performance areas for you to work with. I also recommend that all riders keep a journal, to keep a note of anything they have identified and learnt about themselves and their horse. It can also be the ideal place to record your goals and monitor your progress in an objective way.
Performance coaching for individuals is available through a mentoring scheme with me, Kim Ratcliffe, a Neuro Linguistic programming Practitioner. An intitial discussion can be in person or by telephone and will be followed by regular telephone sessions to review progress, goals and issues that may have arisen.
Kim Ratcliffe & Late O'Leary