Britt had a fantastic post recently about what she hears most often from her trainers, and I just needed to join in!
“Coil the spring”
We talk a lot about getting Frankie’s energy up in front of my leg, and then recycling it back to his hind end to create power. And what happens when you try to compress a crooked spring? It bounces out to the side. She says this to remind me to keep Frankie straight between my aids and bouncing up in front of me.
“We have beautiful hands”
This is a more recent one, as Frankie’s jump has gotten a lot rounder and more powerful (and therefore pops me out of the tack much more easily). This reminds me to keep a soft following hand over the fence to reward this effort. It also makes me chuckle as I’m walking into the show ring.
“SHOULDERS!!!”
Ya girl over here gets fetal sometimes, especially around tighter turns. Hearing this belted across the show ring is just the kick in the pants I often need to get my balance back centered over his and in the driving seat up through the turn.
“Ride the plan”
I really like a thinking ride. That’s 100% of why I like the jumpers- I don’t actually like to go fast. I just really like puzzles and strategy and planning, and for me a well-ridden jumper course is the ultimate in executing a plan. Trainer knows this, and we work together during our course walks to develop a detailed, comprehensive plan that plays to our strengths and accounts for our weaknesses. Sometimes I just need a lil reminder that we come up with a plan for a reason, and I shouldn’t just abandon it in a panic (HAHAHA WHO DOES THAT DEFINITELY NOT ME).
“Go have fun”
My all time favorite thing she ever says. It’s our little ritual every single time I walk into the show ring. No matter how jittery and anxious I may be, no matter how intimidated I am by the course, this makes me smile and remember that I’m doing this because I frickin’ love flying around with my Francis.
hellomylivia 
I really like your trainer. She’s smart, not just about riding, but about the brain stuff too.
Mine constantly reminds me to let go and go faster. Which is a sad state when riding a hunter… Ha.
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She’s absolutely brilliant, a great mix of being a knowledgeable horse person AND a great coach for her clients!
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I chocked a little on my drink laughing when I read your last line! LOL! I think I am laughing harder because I am a hunter on an ex-jumper. Dear God it takes everything I have to slow him down. Lol
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It’s funny because I’m riding mostly ex jumpers too. But they’re were the type that were fast because they were handy, not fast because they move fast. So no everything feels like it’s flying!
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Winifred was both super fast and handy. The handy part comes in perfectly when we have rollbacks in our eq courses but I would appreciate it if he would settle down a bit more. Lol. He actually has been great at home but he still gets excited at shows and Lord help us if there is a jumper “bell” going off while we are on course!
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This is great! LOVE the thought of “coil the spring” – it’s such a good way to describe that! The few times I’ve had lessons it’s been SHOULDERS! as well so yeah haha. And I love the have fun! That’s something I have to remind myself often lol. I love your trainer – she sounds wonderful!
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She’s the best, I adore her! That coil the spring metaphor always helps me- I love the visual 🙂
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This is great! Loved reading all the details on your trainer- she sounds fabulous!
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Couldn’t resist, this was such a fun idea!
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Recently we’ve started asking if everyone is wearing their Depends (adult diapers) in lessons. Because we’re a super serious show team LOL
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HAHAHAH that’s amazing 😀
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The reminder to have fun is great. Why is hard to do that sometimes?? On Gem I always heard “slow down, no slower”. My favorite was “pretend you are an old lady driving on ice.” For making turns.
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Oooh I love that visual. Sometimes it’s those metaphors that help so much!
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Great post!! I have been TERRIBLE about my blog lately. Seriously don’t think I have posted in 2 months but this blog hop makes me want to get back on it. (Plus I have had a couple shows since my last post!) For me I hear two things more than anything else, “sit back” and “GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD!!”
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🙂 🙂 🙂
“Sit up” = “Shoulders”, I too go fetal at the wrong times.
“SIT STILL” I do a lot of extra work/motion/pumping/crap with my back while I ride. I think it really comes down to my reins are too long but that I also have to stay so far back so I can catch Mo if he tries to slip behind me.
“Make your reins longer” Trainer has reverted form continuing to tell me to make my reins shorter to telling me to make them longer…since I don’t listen when he tells me to shorten them. haha, funny guy.
“I’m going to make this difficult” After we have jumped a few easy (or not) courses, trainer will say this and set something up to try to trigger my flaws (looking down, letting Cosmo go out left, getting sucked into a turn). I know he setting up something that he KNOWS I can accomplish if I ride and it usually ends up getting me in gear and I usually execute it well, which brings me to my favorite mantra:
“Really? REALLY?” When I do something well and trainer is proud.
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“I’m going to make this difficult” is such a good one!!!
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