"Rider Burnout"
Bill Dunigan
Over the years I have noticed a situation that develops much to often. That is the problem of burn out on the part of the rider. How often have we known someone who started riding, and at some point decided to pursue a particular discipline to the exclusion of any other activity involving horses. I am sure you have encountered this just as I have.
The sad part is that it doesn't need to happen. Think back to when you first began to ride. You, just like I, enjoyed doing almost anything you could imagine on horseback. Remember the trail rides, those days at the barn that never seem to have enough hours in them, all the new friends, and what about the different shows you were so excited to attend. It didn't matter what kind of show it was. It had horses and that was all that mattered.
Somehow a lot of riders got side tracked. By that I mean they reached a point where they became enthralled with a particular discipline. Now I m not saying that there is anything wrong with having a real desire to excel in any of these specialties. What I am trying to highlight is the total exclusion of the vary things that attracted us all to riding in the first place. Now I know there are those who really enjoy being completely immersed in one aspect of riding. However, I do believe they are not the majority of those owning and riding horses. Far to many times I have heard someone say, " I'm bored with horses, and selling out and taking up golf". Others are going skiing or traveling or a myriad of other activities. Why is it that these individuals are losing interest in riding while others are almost fanatical about it?
I have been riding, competing and teaching for over forty years. During that time I have had the opportunity to observe and listen to many comments from a wide variety of horse enthusiast. That's why I am so concerned about what I am seeing. At a time when Expos are packing in the spectators by the thousands, how can any of this be true.
As I see it, the real problem is in the limitation of our activities involving horses. Once we embark on a path to focus on one discipline, unless we garner an enormous amount of success, it's only a question of time before the discouragement sets in. While I do firmly believe that people are the happiest when they are learning and progressing in some endeavor, few can sustain interest indefinitely without some obvious success.
Once an individual starts competing, things change. At that moment you are thrust into a world of professionalism. It's tough out there. Then the real costs kick in. It's very difficult for someone to justify the enormous expenses incurred by showing without some real measured level of success. These are simply the cold hard facts.
What I am advocating is a return to those things that first held our interest. I do not feel it is necessary to abandon the interest in a particular discipline. Instead, think of it as adding to, expanding, or enhancing your fundamental interest in horses and riding. Don't allow yourself to become so absorbed by something to the exclusion of everything else. We must protect ourselves from becoming burned out by overkill.
Enjoy to the fullest those aspects of riding that really hold your interest, but maintain a balance. That balance is the key. Remember, the more you limit yourself, the sooner the decline will begin. I don't mean to suggest that we are all domed, I am merely trying to bring your attention to a possibility which could arise for some, if we as a group do not address it.
I would suggest that we look for opportunities to expand our activities rather than limit them. Suggest that trail ride, get a group together and go watch a show in a completely different discipline, not to criticize but to learn, find one of those stable tours. I think you get the idea. Start expanding your exposure and take along some friends and most of all relax, learn, and enjoy. You have permission to copy and reuse this article provided there are no changes made to the article and credit is given to the author and the link to his website remains in place. Please notify him by email if you are going to use this article. You may contact Bill Dunigan through his website: http://www.BarrelRacingClinic.com
"Why All The Fuss About Relaxation?"
Bill Dunigan
If you have ever taken many riding lessons I'm sure you have heard the word "relaxation". It seems to be a staple in every instructors vocabulary. Have you ever wondered why so many teachers, trainers, and top riders place so much importance on it? Sometimes they are refering to relaxation on the part of the horse and other times it's the rider being encoureged to relax more. What is it about this one aspect of riding horses that makes it so universaly important?
Something that we must realize before going any farther in this discussion is that there is a difference between riding a horse and working a horse. If we are simply out for a trail ride or using the ring just to enjoy the beautiful day on horseback, we are riding. On the other hand if we are preparing for competition, trying to progress to the next level of accomplishment in our chosen diciplin, or practicing what we learned in the previous lesson, then we are working our horse. When we are just riding we are not doing anything in particular to bring about specific results within the horse. However, when working our horse we have a real purpose, That purpose is to systematicaly and effectivly bring about improvement in the physical and mental condition of the horse.
When our horses are tense their mussles, tendons, ligaments, and joints are not able to be as fluid in all of their actions as they need to be. Since we are trying to progress and improve, we need the horse able to performe to the best of it's ability. If our horse is not relaxed while trying to accomplish this then there is no way to truly make the kind of progress we are looking for. Not only does it make it impossible for us to atain the desired results, it makes our horse more susseptable to injury. When the horse is tense their movements become suddon and abrupt. This can cause them to strain or pull something quite easily without us ever asking them to do something difficult, or unusual. Remember, even though they are very large animals they are in many ways quite fragil. When we take over the controls and start telling them when to stop or go, how to move, which way to look and bend, etc. we had better be correct, or we put them at a disadvantage when it comes to saving themselves from injury. The more relaxed we can keep them the easier it is for them to take care of themselves when working. That relaxation enablems them to remain fluid in their movements. This is crutial if we want to avoid injuries.
The relaxation keeps the horse mentaly able to understand and acept what we are wanting them to do. When they are not worried about self preservation from injury they are better able to cooperate with us. They must be able to trust us. If every time we attempt to work them we end up with a nervious, excited, frustrated horse then something is wrong. If this is often the case than they will have a very difficult time trusting us. They are creatures of habit, and have excellent memories. Why should they trust us to give them a good experience today if the last time was as unpleasant for them as it would have been for us. They will trust us when we have earned it, and not before.
If we are doing things correctly, each time we work our horse should be better than the last time. We are building on the previous work. Each workout lays the foundation for the next one. Of course, if we don't have the relaxation to begin with than it's not very likely that we will have the progress. The twe go hand in hand. You can't separate them.
Now, what about us as the rider. If we are tense, uptight, worried, whatever, that transfers directly into our horse. If you are worried about something and unable to shake it than it might be better to lunge that day rather than ride. Be realistic about it. How are you ever going to make progress if you upset the horse. Now I'm not talking about letting the horse get away with things, or spoiling, or just taking the easy way out. If you really feel that you are not doing anything to cause tension in your horse, get some other opinions. Most of us are not vary good at self critiquing. None of us has the time or interest in spinning our wheels for nothing. If you are not making progress, something is wrong. With the amount of time, money, and effort it takes to bring along a horse these days, you and your horse deserve to do it right and make progress. Don't hesitate to get the help you need. One of the most common things I see over and over again is a parent who rides and has children who ride. They are more than willing to do anything to enable their child to improve but simply are unable to justify spending the money on themselves. What kind of example are they setting for the child? One that says it's ok to flounder around making mistake after mistake going nowhere. Think about it that way for once and you just might be able to do something about it. Remember they learn much better from example.
So you see relaxation is a crutial element for both horse and rider regardless of the chosen diciplin. All of the top trainers and riders value it because they know from experience how difficult it is to get maximum cooperation, positive performance results, and remain injury free without it. This is not a new concept. It is something that has been an indespencible part of training horses handed down through the centruies. When so many who have gone before us place so much emphesis on this particular aspect of training, why would any of us feel that it isn't that important. We all need relaxation in both horse and rider for hunter/jumper, dressage, barrel racer, roper, etc. It is the foundation that enables us to build everything else. Without a solid and stable foundation
nothing can stand the test of time. Build on a firm correct foundation and your work will enable you to show steady growth and progress with a much happier and relaxed horse. You have permission to copy and reuse this article provided there are no changes made to the article and credit is given to the author and the link to his website remains in place. Please notify him by email if you are going to use this article. You may contact Bill Dunigan through his website: http://www.BarrelRacingClinic.com
"Why Attend a Clinic ?"
Bill Dunigan
Many riders have asked this question over the years. Quite a number of them are self-taught. Likewise, many of them have also trained their own horses. This is a very common situation in the horse world. However, the more involved we become in competing, the more assistance we need. The chances are that the riders who are placing ahead of you have a coach, trainer, or instructor to work with or seek input from.
Look for instance at the equestrian teams of any of the countries competing in international competitions. All of these teams have coaches. The same thing is true of any of the riding teams associated with schools everywhere. If you look at the top competitors in your field competing as individuals, you will find they have a few select, trusted, and knowledgeable friends or family members who constantly give them feedback. This is in itself, a form of coaching. Today the caliber of horses is so high and the talent, knowledge and ability of the riders is so superior, that if you are competing you need someone on the ground.
Most of our friends or family are accustomed to seeing us ride a particular way or our horse going a certain way, and as a result may miss something that really needs to change. When we bring in a new set of eyes it’s interesting how these things suddenly get resolved. Also, most of us tend to hear only what we want to hear from people we already know. Don’t underestimate the value of that outside opinion.
The clinician is there to help as much as possible in a short period of time. As a result of the time constraints, they will tend to zero in on very specific areas. If you approach the opportunity as a real learning experience, it’s amazing just how much you can come away with. I am not suggesting that a clinic will be a fix all event. Instead, it should give you a different perspective from which to view things. It should provide you with some additional ideas on how to resolve some of the issues you may be encountering. Every clinician and clinic is both similar and different at the same time. Each will have their own individual way of expressing themselves.
Hopefully, you will be able to gain enough insight into how best to resolve your particular problems. The clinician is there to help you. The last thing in the world you should want at a clinic is for your horse to go perfectly or for you to ride perfectly. You are paying for the help, so if you are ever going to make mistakes, this is the time to do it. That way you can really get your money’s worth. If the clinician never sees the problem, there isn’t much they can do to help you take care of it. Don’t be timid about asking questions. I know that when I am teaching a clinic I want questions. That shows me that they are paying attention and have a sincere interest. You may not have the chance to work with that individual again so be sure you learn as much as possible. If something is mentioned to either you or another rider and you don’t quite understand it, go ahead and ask. I never want a student to go away from any of my clinics without understanding what was discussed.
In summery let me say that one of the aims of an instructor is to impart as much knowledge as they can, in a given period of time, in such a way that each and every rider can improve and continue to grow in their riding and training abilities. As a participant in a clinic you should watch and listen to everything being said. It may not be something that you need right now, but you never know what you might encounter later with your current horse or the next one. If you have the opportunity to attend a clinic, don’t hesitate. There are many very capable clinicians available today in all riding disciplines. Take advantage of the opportunity to work with someone different and if you make it a real learning experience, you just may gain some valuable information that can help you now and well into the future. You have permission to copy and reuse this article provided there are no changes made to the article and credit is given to the author and the link to his website remains in place. Please notify him by email if you are going to use this article. You may contact Bill Dunigan through his website: http://www.BarrelRacingClinic.com
"BARREL RACING FOR THE FUN OF IT"
BILL DUNIGAN
Here is a sport for everyone. This activity offers to its enthusiasts the relaxation of the outdoors coupled with the excitement of speed and the unparallel connection with an animal many times larger, stronger, and faster than the individual mounted on top. The only judge involved is the clock. You wont find any style preferences, attitude, or subjective opinions here. Either you have the fastest time or you don't.
Barrel racing has been around for years. It has been a game event in numerous competitions for decades where men, women, and children have enjoyed displaying their expertise at top speed for all to see. Most often the first exposure to it comes from watching the Rodeos. The cowboys introduced barrel racing into their list of events so their wives and girlfriends would have something to compete in at the Rodeos. However, throughout the rest of the world it is open to and participated in by all.
The race is relatively simple at first glance. It consists of three barrels placed at specified distances in an arena in a triangular pattern, referred to as a cloverleaf pattern. Different associations have their own recommended distances. A general guideline would be ninety feet from the first to second barrel and ninety feet to the third. These distances vary anywhere from sixty to one hundred and five feet. However, once set, it remains the same for all competitors in that race. The competitor enters the arena at one end and proceeds at top speed around the first barrel and then proceeds across the arena to the second, which must be turned in the opposite direction from the first. Next they proceed down the arena to the third barrel, which must be turned in the same direction as the second barrel. Then it's down the centerline at breakneck speed across the finish line. That's it, fastest time wins.
I have been teaching riding and barrel racing for years and have noticed a dramatic increase in the number of individuals wanting to learn to barrel race. They don't say " I want to learn to ride", instead what I am hearing is "I want to barrel race". Of course like the saying goes, that is really putting the cart before the horse. I normally don't have any problem resolving the situation. Usually the horse explains it rather quickly, and much better than I could. After that they understand just why they need to learn to ride and control the horse before asking for speed. Then there are those who have been riding for some time and desire something different or more challenging. For these riders things move along much more quickly. They already have the basics and simply need the technical aspects. However, even for some of those with experience it takes some getting used to for the speed. Once that is accomplished, there off and running.
Barrel racing is a wonderful activity for anyone who enjoys being outdoors, excitement, an adrenalin rush, and the chance to really communicate with horses. When you travel at top speed your communication skills need to be on time and accurate. This is one sport that seems to hold the interest of entire families. Even the teenagers stay with it. That could be due to the fact that most of the time you win cash and not ribbons.
If you think that your ready for a little excitement, don't hesitate, give it a try. Don't be put off by the idea of competing or even the speed. Many of my students don't go out and start competing right away. Some never want to compete. They simply want to enjoy having the ability to do it and the opportunity to give it a try. Most of all they are thrilled to be able to do something so completely different from anything they have ever done before. Barrel racing provides them that fulfillment and excitement, and I feel certain that it will do the same for you if you let it. You have permission to copy and reuse this article provided there are no changes made to the article and credit is given to the author and the link to his website remains in place. Please notify him by email if you are going to use this article. You may contact Bill Dunigan through his website: http://www.BarrelRacingClinic.com
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