I received this lovely email from one of my clients Helen Rance, who is transforming her riding in such a short space of time.
"Tracey thank you for your kind words. I seriously couldn't of done it with out you and the way that you teach. You actually make me like dressage. Something that I never have because I simply didn't understand it. In the horse world many people belittle others and confuse others with there Techno language and if you don't understand your made to feel stupid. Where as you have never made me feel like that. I feel like I could ask you anything and you won't laugh in my face. And because you break things down so simply and make it very visual I understand what your saying so I can go on and do it. You are a very very good teacher. So thank you xx".
I love my job. The art of teaching is being able to share the knowledge. But everyone sees, hears, learns, feels things differently, so to be a good coach you have to work out how to explain a million different things, in a million different ways, to a million different people (and if you cant do that then you shouldn't be a coach/trainer/teacher!)
Sometimes the explanations I make are subtle, sometimes they are incredibly graphic!
Its not rocket science, but so many people have been so confused along the way before I met them that I can understand why they are lost and I love helping them find their way.
Helping Helen train her horse from being a little hollow, with his back not yet part of the ring of energy (no one teaching Helen how to find his back!) to this beautiful round dancing event horse is such a pleasure. Here's an amazing collage of Helen and Ricky looking gorgeous taken by Su Burrows from Desk Jockeys www.deskjockeys.co.uk. Su does AMAZING videos as well as photography and often comes to video my clients lessons so they see and hear how to improve. Check out the desk jockeys website or FB page. I wish Su could be at every competition myself or my clients are at!
Sara Malpass has had an awesome summer.
Basil went to the RC National Qualifier and came back covered in rosettes with 81.8% in the riding test, qualifying them for loads of classes at the RC Nationals! Up at Lincoln little man Bas got 65% in his Novice, team of 4 were 5th and team of 6 came 3rd!
A super ride for Sara on Pingo at the BD Prelim Regionals scoring a whopping 72.17% coming 4th overall. Just out of qualifying for the BD Nationals at Stoneleigh on the day but then they were given a wild card! (after all the Regionals have finished, Southern, Central, Northern etc, a select few of the highest non already qualified %'s from across Great Britain are given a wild card to the championships) With a 72.7% at the Southern Regionals, Sara really did deserve a place.Pingo was awesome at the Nationals and I could (and do!) watch the video again and again. So proud and so pleased for them.
He was also a very clever boy at the Pachesham Area Festival Novice Champs coming 3rd (this was only his 3rd ever Novice!) with 67.6%.
A very successful dressage career lies ahead of this super pair.
Sara is in the process of setting up her own freelance training business so hopefully the next time I log onto here I will be able to give you Sara's website address!
After Lou Koslicki and Oz received some demoralising feedback and % from an unlisted judge at an unaffiliated dressage show, I convinced Lou to do Listed Judges only! At least then I could have some faith in the comments and % especially if it was a judge I knew of and respected. Low and behold under the brilliant List 4 Judge Scilla Lown, (whom I have seen give a range of marks from 50% to 74%!) Lou wins her class on 74.5%!!!!! Thats more like it!
Lou wont mind me telling you that when I first met Oz, he didnt move like he does now. They have both gone from two unhappy souls, not really enjoying it, feeling like it was all too much hard work to both quite literally squealing with delight and next lesson we finish putting together Elementary 59 and the previous lesson we did travers and half pass! I could barely get Oz to trot on a circle myself on our first few lessons!
What a difference.
My beautiful Alfie was Reserve Champ at the Medium Area Festival at Patchetts. Tricky summer with his feet falling apart from the dreadful wet spring we had so although he had qualified for the Medium Regionals he just wasn't ready for the 70% needed at Regional level to qualify for the Medium Nationals, so i opted for Areas instead. A lot of people asked me why i didnt keep him in and i adid argue with myself a lot over this. He needs to go out in the field come rain or shine for both his brain and his body and that's more important to me so that he can be a happy horse. He loves his field, he loves his grass and now he loves playing with his friend.
