 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
California Riding Magazine • July, 2009 For The Fun Of It by Kelley Fielder |
We love horses. That is why we ride. Rarely do we flinch at the countless amounts of time and money we spend doing this sport. That is because, for most of us, horses are our passion. This is why it is so important for us to have fun doing it. As riders we have all had our ups and downs. Through many years as a trainer I have learned how to weather the emotional ebb and flow of our sport. Setting goals and staying focused on the best interests of my clients and horses allows me to maintain stability within the “A” circuit. The most important thing I have learned is not to take myself too seriously. Being part of a team has been a useful aid in dealing with the stresses involved with riding. For my clients it is extremely helpful to make them feel like they are not alone. We all make mistakes as riders and we all have our successes. It is nice to know that whether we have a great day or a not-so-great day, we are all rooting for each other. Learning from other riders is one of the most important things we can do.
Kelley Fielder with some of her clients. Setting riding goals that are attainable and working toward them creates a positive learning environment. Setting up a plan to go by helps create a structured environment for both horses and riders. Making goals and achieving them is also beneficial for rating our progress as riders. It is a clear-cut way to note our riding developments. Then winning ribbons becomes easier because we are focused on what we can achieve. When we achieve our goals we feel good about ourselves as riders. That is when riding becomes fun! Riding is about the journey, enjoying our horses everyday and being open to the changes that take place. If we are too focused on how we once rode or how we want to ride in the future, we are unable to enjoy our experiences in the moment. Our horses live in the moment and we should too. When I am teaching a lesson I am aware of what my clients’ goals are, but focused on what is going on right then. That mindset comes through to my students and makes their lessons run more smoothly. Then riding isn’t about forced exercises, but it’s about the experience of learning how to ride efficiently.
Samantha Kusinski, a happy rider. Playing To Strengths It is incredibly important for riders to feel like they are progressing. After all, we love horses and we want nothing more than to feel like we are good at what we love doing. For this reason I believe in the importance of seeking out my students’ and their horses’ strengths. Building upon those strengths is a better way of going about teaching than constantly harping on weaknesses. For instance, I have a client who loves to go fast! She loves riding the runaways. Knowing this about her, we chose to buy her a horse that loves to pull and go fast. She has enjoyed a lot of success in the jumpers because of her “need for speed.” When I am teaching her I explain to her that she is good at riding a forward step, however she doesn’t need to go forward all the time. Understanding that her strength is to speed up, she can challenge herself by slowing down and if she gets too slow she already knows how to fix it! Finding our strengths allows us to trust ourselves as riders. Knowing what we are good at helps us improve. If we are focused on our good habits then we can feel more secure about challenging our horses and ourselves. Having this style of training has enabled me to run my business enjoyably. I am able to come to the barn and recognize that everyday we will all learn something new. This mindset makes our day-to-day riding experiences into an adventure. Which is way more fun than just going through the motions teaching lessons and riding horses. It makes for a better experience across the board. My clients have fun, the horses are happy, and my job is very rewarding.
Kelley Fielder runs Surfside Show Jumping in Del Mar. She can be reached at 818-522-5639. |
