Blog 18 – “A Haven”
Toby the miniature Shetland on his bank (photo by Alan and Ines, thank you!) |
Business and people develop and change and some of these
changes are planned, while others evolve naturally.
When we first opened I did not go out freelance at all but
was still coaching some “hit and run” lessons around courses to those not yet
convinced by the benefits of or ready to commit to course-based training. Over the years the client-base grew in numbers
and in understanding the benefits of courses and I was able to coach courses on
courses only.
The exception to this is rule is the sessions I coach on
Strider Brown, our computerised riding
simulator. Strider is a
sophisticated piece of kit and provides stride-by-stride feedback to riders
regarding their balance in the up/down, front/back and left/right plains of
motion and their rein tension and evenness.
Used from time-to-time by “regulars” to check-in and predominately by
newbies who want to get this sort of feedback and as a way of checking out the
yard and my coaching before committing to training with me “properly”. Strider was a huge additional investment that
we were not planning on making when we opened but has been invaluable in
assisting many riders and as an ambassador for my coaching and was a popular
attraction at Your Horse Live for 3 consecutive years. I enjoy coaching on the simulator and clients
are delighted at technology but, a real
horse provides you with feedback on your balance and efficacy as a rider and my
passion lies much more in helping clients understand that feedback and make
change accordingly.
While predominantly at Ashen I am increasing invited to
coach ridden and dismounted
courses at other venues around the world and see this as an area
that will continue to grow over the years.
I used to take horses for backing, schooling and sale
livery. Now choose I to restrict this to
the horses of existing clients and for people keen to embrace clicker
training. This means that I can
congruently train those horses and know that the work done and the changes made
here will be continued at once those horses go home.
My current way of working gives me the “down time”
necessary to take a step back and consider and improve the quality of what I
deliver.
It gives us the opportunity to maintain and improve the facilities
at Ashen without disrupting coaching sessions.
As much as I love having people and their horses here it
is also very special to have a couple of days between courses when the yard is
just for me and for my horses who I can visit in my PJ’s and just hang out
together.
The horses enjoy “free ranging” around the place when it
is otherwise empty too.
Ashen E.C. has provided us with the environment and
opportunity to manage our horses “our way”, to bring up our family and live our
lives in a unique and special way. It
comes with its stresses, will never make us rich (in financial terms) but has
exceeded our hopes and expectations.
One of the most unexpected and delightful things Ashen has
provided is a haven for like-minded, forward thinking horse-lovers to spend
time with one another. It can be very
lonely having horses at home or being on a yard when you are the only one, or
one of only a few who does not resort to gadgetry and “conventional” equine
management. Some very special and often surprising friendships have been forged
here but have been grown and nurtured away from here by some very special
people. Thank you all.
Next time, "Falling Hard" published 6th April.
For those searching online for more “instructional” resources than offered in these blogs please make use of my video downloads www.ashenec.co.uk
For those searching online for more “instructional” resources than offered in these blogs please make use of my video downloads www.ashenec.co.uk
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