Think Fit, Helmet Fit

Helmet Article 1.0

more about balance

"in order for true partnership to develop between horse and rider, there has to be balance. the rider's centre of gravity and the horse's centre of graity have to be aligned. this makes for economy of movement and only the lightest aids to direct our horse. the more balanced we are, the more secure we are.

p.s.
the rider's body must constantly regain any loss of balance

the harmonious picture of hrose and rider acting as one is presented only when the rider is balanced. this is of course, what all equestrians of all disciplines constantly strive for.

--
manual p 69 how to improve position

Good Choice/Bad Choice Relay Game

Separate riders into lines. Use shavings to identify a starting line to line up behind.

hang Good Choice/Bad Choice signs on the wall at the opposite end

Instructor reads each statement, and then says GO. One team member from both teams "runs" down and touches the Good Choice or Bad Choice sign for their team.

Keep score for each team.

Is it a good/bad choice to play in a pasture field where cows or horses are grazing?
Is it a good/bad choice to squirt water on an animal when they are not expecting it?
Is it a good/bad choice to wear sandals in the barn?
Is it a good/bad choice to keep your pets living area clean?
Wearing a riding helmet is a good/bad choice while riding your horse.
It is a good/bad choice to think “safety” every day.
It is a good/bad choice to not go near animals with newborn or young nearby.
Is it a good/bad choice to consider pinned ears and snorting as a sign of danger?
It is a good/bad choice to wash your hands after petting your horse?
It is a good/bad choice to forget to feed your pet today?

Obstacle Course

The perfect game for everyone, regardless of skill level, is the obstacle course, because you can make the course as difficult or as easy as you wish. What you need: You need a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand. Create your obstacle course with just about anything. Place cones for riders to weave through, or place small jumps such as crosspoles, or assign little tasks, such as opening a gate, backing up through ground poles, or retrieving flags off a stick. Use creativity. The person who runs the obstacle course the fastest and with the most accuracy wins.

Musical Squares

is Musical chairs on horseback!
(use burlap sacs or shavings markers in the centre of the arena)
will the parents sing christmas carols for us for the music?

*

When the horses are travelling around the circle, it would be nice if they could weave through sets of cones. If the riders are able to mount from the ground, it is good to have them dismount and stand on the marker, otherwise i guess i will ask the horse stand on/btwn markers.

How to play:
The person controlling the music starts it, and when he or she stops the music, all the players must rush to get a spot. The last person is out, and music help sing when the music starts again.

The last person left is the winner and gets a prize.

Balance and Motion

This works well as a lunge lesson, thus
PREPARATION/EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:
Create barrier for correct size of circle with poles on ground

lunge line (noseband method)
lunge whip with braiding elastics on handle
side reins, bell boots and brush boots on all 4
instructor's helmet and gloves

Introduction/Explanation:
10 min
Warm up horse each direction, no side reins (including small canters)
Warm up horse each direction, with side reins (including small canters)
[ ] Introduction of Instructor with credentials, and, get students names
[ ] discussion re: benefits of lunging process
[ ] discussion of horse’s suitability
[ ] Tack check with explanations
[ ] Mounting procedure with explanations
[ ] affix reins in throat latch
[ ] positional adjustments at halt before rider rides off
5 min
[ ] assessment exercises

(at walk, identify horse’s leg movement at walk)

Positional Exercise, to work on rider's seat:
let legs completely loose, toes dangling down
practice sitting on your seat bones
torso still, loose in the hips
progress to trot or canter
*
we ride with our seat and thighs
weight and balance

we control the horse's movements with our lower body not our hands


[ ] unknot reins
[ ] dismounting procedure with explanations
think "soldier dismount"

Proper Riding Attire

[ ] Equine Lifestyle Magazine Article Copies
[ ] instructor’s helmet/protective hatbox, and other riding attire
[ ] OEF brochures

[ ] Introduction of Instructor with credentials

DISCUSSION OF FIT, WITH DEMONSTRATION:

It’s important that the helmet fit properly, and equally important that the child wear and secure the helmet correctly. Most helmets come with fitting instructions.

Shake head side to side and back and forth, no movement
helmet should sit top of head with a snug fit that covers forehead, two fingers above eyebrow, without pinching temples and/or tipping back
Snug chinstrap, yawn test
One note on helmet fitting: I frequently see riders with their helmets tipped back like baseball caps. If your helmet is bouncing around, it is too loose! When your helmet is fastened and you move your helmet up and down, the skin on your forehead should move with it.

Boots:
many experts I visited reasearching this topic suggested proper Footwear.is just as important as your helmet.
Sandals are not even allowed in the barn at Manestay.
At Myrddin, riders are expected to wear a firm soled, and heeled (min 1.5cm) boots, that will also provide protection from a horse’s foot if stepped on.

Vinyl vs rubber boot, vs. leather
My favourite is the blundtstones, half chaps combo ($150+$50?)

Tops:
I like to recommend protective vests for jumping, and I think some stables sell them directly to their students.; The first time I fell off wearing one I felt like Superman because I could jump right up without the wind knocked out of me, after hitting the ground hard.

Both Myrddin and Manestay, prefer a shirt with collar and sleeves, and Myrddin she suggests you avoid sitting on your shirt tails and think cuffs that don’t cover your hands. I have a personal warning about hoods. I like a fleece and then down vest in colder months.

Gloves: recommended

Breeches or pants without inseam (tight jeans not recommended); a polo bandage can be wrapped around the lower leg of riders without tall boots or chaps.

Care of riding pants

Tights – most tights are a cotton lyric mix so don’t put them in the dryer or they are likely to shrink both in length and width.

Breeches – it is not necessary to dry clean breeches. Simply wash in cold water. Hang to dry, if there are leather parts, and stretch those leather patches while pants are drying. If the leather becomes stiff, apply a small amount of fabric softener to wet leather every few washings. If they are white breeches, add vinegar to the water instead of bleach to get them white again (this works for saddle pads too!)

Remember that by taking care of them, they will retain resale value if you outgrow them.

Hair: tied back, braided or in a hairnet,

Other Notes: No Jewlery, no scarves, sports bra, no tanks, no chewing gum, rain coat, extra sweater, sun screen, bug spray). Crop recommended, spurs optional.

Thoughts about Branded Clothing Orders:
I am a big fan of the $22 turtleneck, and would take it in a few different colours! I think hooded garments should be marketed as SPECTATOR items. Fleece vests have got to be a no-brainer right? all riders wear/want VESTS, don't we? Why doesn't anyone ever do RAINCOATS?Winter Coats and toques should be provided as good marketing to instructors!

Lesson Plan - Halt

1. show proper position pic for show and tell
2. discuss straight line thing, and balance vs. grip
3. 4 step halt transition process
sit down, heels down, back straight, then hold with your hands

students will go out on the rail and walk and halt at teacher's request.


2nd progression
secret weapon = "whoa"
game of red light green light (i like to throw in trivia questions from the rider level 1 accountabilities as a way to save your backwards)

3rd progression
take and offer to e-mail digital pics of students at halt so they can analyse their own position after the fact

Lesson Plan Changing Lead File - Game

Practice the Hunter Game.
It can be done in an arena or out in the field with more experienced riders. Put all of the riders in a line, they can practice transitions within gates by rating their own horse to keep the same pace and safe spacing with all the other horses. The game starts with the rider in the back pulling out of line and trotting to the front of the line, pulling back in line (watching spacing), then asking for the downward transition to walk. Then the person now at the end of the line does the same. When the whole line has gone, it's time to reverse or change the transitions.

Depending on the level of the rider, you might have the last horse canter to the head of the line or go from sitting trot to extended trot to get to the front of the line. Or you could have the whole line trot and have the person in front pull to one side, transition to walk, let all the horses go by then pick up trot again. The game can go on and on in a variety of paces. It is a fun game out in the open as the leader gets to pick the path, so the line can wander all over the place.

In addition to practicing transitions, this game also develops the control the rider has over the horse, by getting the horse to work independently, while still maintaining the comfort of being with the herd.

Horse Body Language

Let’s talk body language

Have you seen the poster on a horse’s body language in the Family Area of Woodbine Entertainment Centre? I believe it was produced by Equine Guelph and it is terrific!

I have always taught that whereas the vocal cords of the horse are limited, compared to ours, he has a very expressive way of moving and using different parts of his body, to tell people and other horses exactly how he is feeling or what he wants. And also that each horse is an individual with a unique character molded by genetics, environment, schooling, conditioning and circumstances and that it is a combination of movements AS A WHOLE that must be interpreted!

the horses eyes are set at sides of the heads rather than at the front like predator animals like cats, dogs and humans. Remember in a natural state, they grass eaters. Therefore a small turn of the head is all that is required see behind them, as a defense against their predators…. Meanwhile, to see clearly in front a horse must arch his neck in a way that changes the way light hits the pupil -- watch him do this when you carry something close up to him from the front.

My pony friend Peanut proves that when you are riding your horse can see your legs, by the way he would anticipate the crop aid! And a handsome horse I used to ride named Rio proves that when riding a bend or a circle, a horse’s inside eye can make visual contact with yours – he is so easy to position correctly so we could just about look each other in the eye!

Horses do have range of sounds: nickers, are usually friendly, soft and most often submissive;
neighs are stronger and more aggressive (although Rio often used to winny in a friendly way to his friends in the paddock or the barn when I first got underway riding him -- which makes the rider shake on his back). They say a horse will call out very loudly when pancking, but luckily I don’t think I’ve heard any of this first hand.

* *
It is important to notice IMMEDIATELY any pinning of the ears and neck swinging. While mares imprinting a foal may follow this with gently nudges, and nips to the foal, in most other cases when the ears are laid back the horse is usually quite angry. and a bite or kick may soon follow! Ears pricked forwards mean the horse is curious or in a state of complete alertness, while lob sided, or donkey ears crown a resting horse and flicks of the ears usually mean they are paying attention.

In a curious or alarmed state the eyes will widen, and when he is tired or resting, his eyelids will be drooping. Squinting usually means pain but can mean readiness to attack or set in stubborn, so watch the ears too…

Lips and teeth, hooves and tails are explained really well in the poster. Check it out!