TEACHING
TECHNIQUES
LESSON
THREE
Teaching
on the Lunge Line
Teaching
Children
If
you are ever employed by a commercial riding school, or a government or educational
institution, you will more than likely be involved with teaching novice and
beginning riders.
Overcoming the natural fear
experienced by a first-time rider, is the first priority of the good
instructor.
Lunge line lessons can be
instrumental in removing the fear.
Starting first-time or beginning riders on the lunge line is an
excellent way to help them conquer fear, learn balance and gain confidence.
Teaching
on the lunge line can set the stage for continued learning, or it can create a
negative image of riding in the student’s mind, and put an end to further
effort. As the instructor, you have the
responsibility to see to it that the student has “fun” and finds riding an
enjoyable and challenging activity.
Lunge
line lessons require you to not only teach the student, but to control the
horse at the same time. A word to the
wise instructor—be sure you have a horse well schooled on the lunge. Such a horse can make a world of difference
in your success.
Here
are the advantages of a lunge line lesson:
•
You can clearly observe the rider at all times.
•
The rider can be introduced to the gaits and sensations of riding while the
horse remains under your control.
•
The rider can concentrate on what she is doing; her body position and her balance.
•
The rider will develop a confidence in the horse’s movement before being asked
to ride independent of the line.
The
disadvantages include: an unsettled horse can frighten a beginning rider, lunge
line lessons are labor intensive for you and physically demanding for the
horse, lunge line lessons require plenty of room, and some rider’s don’t feel
confident without holding on to the reins.
REQUIREMENTS FOR A GOOD LESSON
To
give a good lunge line lesson, the first consideration is the area available. The area must be at least 100 feet by 100
feet without obstruction. The area
should be away from other activity.
Don’t give a lunge line lesson when another riding lesson is going on
within yards of you.
The
horse should be able to maintain a good consistent cadence with lots of forward
movement and work obediently on a circle of at least 50 feet in diameter. The 50 to 60 foot circle allows the rider to
maintain balance without having the feeling they must lean forward or to the
inside to remain on the horse. Too
small a circle and the rider feels insecure and the
horse’s joints are subject to unwanted torque and stress.
The
choice of work will be dictated by the level of the rider’s ability. You should have assessed the student’s
abilities during your initial conversations and your lesson plan should be
built on those assessments.
Plan
on lunge line lessons of about 30 minutes in duration. Lunge lessons are intensive for both horse and
rider and should be limited in duration to minimize stress. The lesson should start with stretching,
mounting and then loosing and relaxing as the horse begins movement.
You
must be constantly aware of the horse’s way of going so that his movement is
even and rhythmic. The rider should
experience smooth transitions and steady, even strides.
You
must continually read the attitude of the horse and rider, being aware of any
change in the horse’s temperament or in the student’s level of anxiety.
THE LUNGE LINE HORSE
Not
every horse is a good lunge line lesson horse.
The
best prospect is the well-trained, experienced, calm and voice obedient
horse. The horse must be consistent in
his paces, be responsive to any verbal or physical (body language) command, and
work evenly and in cadence in both directions on a large circle.
The
best horse for use with a novice or beginner is the horse with a smooth, but
not exaggerated stride. The horse used
for a more competent rider can be a bigger mover—which will test the rider’s
balance and coordination.
Young
horses, even though well-schooled, are not good candidates for lunge line
lesson work.
Overall
considerations when giving lunge line lessons:
they are usually given to novice riders and beginners who will not have
the vocabulary or understanding of horses possessed by advanced riders. Do not expect such riders to understand all
the terms commonly used. You will often
have to start at the very beginning, by teaching the parts of the horse even
before you have the student mount.
Certainly you will have to teach the student what the
commands you give the horse mean in terms of movement… “ho,” jog or trot, walk,
lope or canter.
The
greatest benefit to be derived from lunge line lessons is the increasing confidence
of the rider and the rider’s desire to advance to full riding. Along the way, the rider should develop good
balance, confidence and a relaxed feeling, although not a carelessness.
Constantly
monitor in your mind the rider’s fitness and physically ability to continue the
lunge line lesson.
Before
asking the horse to change gaits, speed or cadence, tell the rider what is
coming and what she can expect.
Explain
clearly what aids to apply. You cannot
explain too many times. Never assume the
rider’s knowledge or ability. Your
earlier assessment of the rider’s skills should be your guideline.
TEACHING CHILDREN
Teaching children is a challenge
not all riding instructors enjoy.
But
if you make riding instruction your career, you will eventually, like it or
not, have to teach children.
Enjoy children or not, as a
professional, it is your responsibility to provide the very best lessons within
your power.
To make your lessons enjoyable
and valuable, your lesson plans should be built around the special
considerations connected with teaching children.
Children have limited
concentration; the younger the child, the shorter the attention span.
Children under the age of five
will seldom do more than improve their balance and coordination in handling
reins. Do not expect to actually teach
them to ride.
It
is essential that the lessons you give are fun…..and safe!
Do not try to make the lessons
too serious; instead allow the children to express themselves and communicate
with the horse. Laughter during a lesson
on horseback is a very good sign…the child is enjoying the experience and will
want more lessons.
Make
sure you have thought through each step of your lesson. You must make each event as predictable as
possible so that there is little opportunity for things to go wrong. If the child has one bad experience, it can lead
to fear. If the child becomes fearful,
the desire to continue lesson is lost.
Children
can actually handle situations that are somewhat fearful and less than
comfortable for them if they are given the feeling that you are there to
protect them.
Explain,
even to the youngest rider, exactly what you expect to do. For example, tell the child you are going to
ask the horse to walk forward all the way over to the fence, and then
stop. Tell the child you’ll keep your
hand on her leg to help with balance.
Ask
if the child understands. If the child
says “yes,” then present the child with additional information…such as, you
want the child to pick up the reins and tell the horse to walk.
Given
enough information, and the feeling that you are there to assist them, most
children will not become frightened.
With
a more advanced child, the principle remains the same. Provide all the information they will need to
understand what will occur. If you are
going to teach them to trot, for example, explain that the trot will be faster
than the walk, and that they will “bounce” if they don’t post. Explain how to post and have them practice
while the horse is standing still.
Reassure them that you will be there and have control over the horse.
You
must do all that you can to avoid any “unexpected” occurrences. It is the “unexpected” event that creates
fear.
Young
children like to learn in “group” situations…they gain confidence from each
other. If you teach groups, encourage
the children to communicate with each other.
Groups make it easier for you to use all three learning styles in a single
lesson.
For
audio learners explain everything, and then allow them and visual learners
watch kinesthetic learners perform the exercise, no matter how simple or
limited.
For
older or more advanced children, progress should be determined primarily by
actual ability.
Do
not allow your enthusiasm at finding a talented student who wants to progress
rapidly, because you “push” the student too rapidly.
All
lessons should begin with the mastering of basics. New information and skills must be added to a
solid foundation. There is no
substitution for the steady accumulation of knowledge and skill through
practice, practice, practice.
If
you find a single student that shows more ability than others in the group, you
will have to be innovative and creative in challenging that individual while
not compromising or over-taxing the others.
It is best to move the more able rider to a group with higher abilities,
or try to get the student to take private lessons.
The
more skillful and athletic students will benefit from greater depth of
theoretical knowledge to back up their physical learning. It is essential that riders learn the
footfall sequences of different gaits, what is meant by rhythm, balance,
impulsion and suppleness.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHILDREN
Children
are dependent on you.
Adults
are much more self-reliant and self-directed.
You
take most of the responsibility for the learning process when teaching
children. When teaching adults, your
role is to develop and encourage their self-directed interest.
Children
have little “past experience” to draw from, while adults have extensive past
experiences to draw from, and such experiences are be a significant resource
for learning.
Children
depend on your input. Adults attach more
significance to what they experience than to what they are told.
Techniques
and information must be introduced to children, while with adults the theory
can be taught, but the techniques are best learned by allowing them to
experience the action.
Children
learn what they are taught to learn in an effort to gain teacher or social
approval. Adults learn when they feel a
need for the information.
Children
are motivated by a fear of failure, especially in front of others. Children can often be taught with
“standardized” lessons.
Adults,
however, allow time and finances to dictate many of their needs and
requirements. Adults will be motivated by
the feelings of increased self-worth and accomplishment.
While
you aspire to be a great teacher, you must always recognize that your ultimate
business and financial success is dependent making your students look good and
feel good.
Assignment:
• Prepare a lunge-line lesson for
a child of 9 years old that has never had a riding lesson.
• Prepare a lunge-line lesson for an adult
who has had some riding experience, but recently fell off a horse and is now
quite fearful.
Send
lesson plans to: cathyhansonqh@gmail.com
Be sure to include your complete name
and email address on all your reports and material sent to the instructor.