EASTERN IOWA DRESSAGE and EVENTING ASSOCIATION
A Charter USDF GMO Since 1973

Rider Development Program - more details

Over the course of the four sessions, riders will be coached through a personalized progression system developed by combining their past and current struggle points with their short- and long-term goals. Riders often become frustrated with their progress due to an incomplete picture of where their weaknesses are, combined with a lack of understanding of how to break the problems into palatable (and therefore attainable) sized pieces, and a realistic perspective of how many palatable steps it takes to achieve their goals.

 This program is designed to place equal weight on coaching the riders through the riding skills and developing the ability to set a goal, then verbalize, visualize and act upon the smaller steps needed to achieve that goal. If the steps become too challenging, the instructor will again coach the rider in ways to create even smaller steps so that the goals become achievable.

 By watching and listening to other riders form this step process to work towards their goals with their horses, the group support system becomes an added motivation to continue to find the grit needed to push through the challenges of practice. Similarly, by observing the varieties of horses, riders, skill levels and goals, the comradery between participants adds to the support network. Even though the riders and horses may be at different levels, have different struggles and be working at differing degrees of quality, the fact that EVERY rider is pressuring themselves to be better than they are at present exposes a common desire to improve. 

 The beauty of this development program is that unlike a competition, where riders are comparing themselves to each other, this creates a group dynamic where riders support and encourage each other to challenge themselves to improve, while under the watchful eye of the instructor making sure that the goals  set and the size of the steps  taken to achieve those goals are both appropriate in size (not too large or small) and that the individual’s goals are realistic (not too easy nor too challenging.)

 By the end of the series, the riders will have developed a  structured series of attainable daily and weekly goals which will lead to their longer term goals, accompanied by a practice routine to step towards those daily and weekly goals, and, equally important, a group network support system to assist them from becoming discouraged if steps that seemed small actually turn out to be more challenging than anticipated. Sometimes the encouragement to just keep going and repeat several days of practice or even back track is all one needs to keep marching towards those goals!  This program equally emphasizes goals and skills, so participants need to be sure to have some of the goals requested on the application well thought out at the first session! Individualized homework will be assigned to each rider in between each session. The homework will reflect skills, concepts or information that is a missing link in the combination. Homework could be as easy as practicing a specific exercise on your horse, or researching definitions of half-halt, or bringing information about fat supplements back to educate the group. There will be multiple group discussions. Dressage and good horsemanship have many, many avenues. If participants come with an open mind they will undoubtedly come away with a deeper understanding of horses,dressage and the structure of success!