DefinitelyDressage.com

I know many on this board have been successful at progressing their own education and their horses up through the levels (for lack of a better term, whether showing or not) without regular instruction.

I'm entering a period where I will likely be without regular instruction and am worried it will stall my progress, esp with MM since she and I are at 'level' that is new for both of us. How do those of you without regular instructors make it work? Do you have a very clear training plan? do you supplement through online courses/virtual lessons? Are there tools you use that help, like pivo?

Open to all and any suggestions, thoughts, experiences!

I have a friend that comes out and is eyes on the ground. I have done on line stuff the best so far for me has been Karen Rohlf though I may try the Valenca’s at some point. I think pivo is going to be helpful when I get comfortable with it. I’m also not afraid to try and fail. I don’t have any concerns about making mistakes because we are all going to. I have enough of a foundation (as do you blob and most on this board) to know when going down the wrong road.
I also like to audit other clinics even though I’m picky about who I ride with.

I've always been like this. I've rarely if ever had anyone who can even give me eyes on the ground. I've mostly gotten maybe two clinics/lessons a year. Lately I've been lucky and gotten every few months. I do the best I can.

Showing gives me feedback. I use the shadows of the sun to see myself and get what I can. When I do get lessons, I come in with specific things I need to work on and come out not having it solved, but things I can work on for months. The Pivo has been a HUGE help (when I can keep it from getting distracted) in knowing what it looks like versus feels like. Thew new place has a huge covered with mirrors that I rode in yesterday for the first time. That was a massive luxury. I think that will help a lot. My big focus with Quilla now is steadiness and under in the p/p, and seeing in the mirror what that looked versus felt like was great, as was what clean one tempis felt versus looked like.

I don't do anything virtually except like in in here reading. I guess I have a clear training plan. I'm always working on conditioning and strength and thinking about the major issues I have that I get feedback on, like in showing, and focusing on what I can do to improve that. That is not necessarily doing the movement, but working on what can make it better.

I agree with khall, you'll be fine. We all have enough of a foundation, you will make mistakes, but you'll be fine.

you can always try betterdressagescores.com for regular video submissions. It looks like you do show "in real life" as well so that is great!

Definitely do regular video and keep a journal of your rides and goals. I like to look at the tests and plan my rides roughly about what they are asking for the next step. For me, I have had success planning 3 months of goals and then assess. Some coaches do virtual check ins.

Otherwise I have had to up my weekly lessons, so at this point I'm not able to progress to 2nd/3rd unless I get help, however, I know many people do just fine. I am not one of them

Well, we are progressing. Probably not as fast as we could or as smoothly, but still progressing. I had one lesson in 2020. One! My instructor is based out of Florida. Before Covid she came back North once a month during the warmer months, so I would get 8 or so monthly lessons. I like working on my own and appreciate having some time between lessons to work on things - but not a year!

In between times, my BO will act as eyes on the ground from time to time, but she is not a dressage person. Still it is useful to have someone who can assess if he is maintaining the SI angle, etc. Then there is my little cheapie camcorder. I bought it for $10 of a local tag sale list. It records to a mini-DVD. Not great quality but it gives me an idea of what my ride looked like. I set it up on a tripod in a corner and try to plan my ride so that nothing important happens in the "blind corner" . It is really useful in recalibrating my perceptions. My phone is not likely to work well with Pivo and a couple of riders who have one find that they are a bit erratic in following anyway, so I just muddle along.

I am looking forward to Spring when my instructor can come back and I may even get out to a clinic! We are beyond what I have trained before and it will be nice to have feedback at the time rather than after watching the ride.

Ryeissa wrote:Otherwise I have had to up my weekly lessons, so at this point I'm not able to progress to 2nd/3rd unless I get help, however, I know many people do just fine. I am not one of them

This is how I feel, at least with where I am with MM. I think right now RP and I are still at a place where I have confidence and experience. But unfortunately right not getting lessons again will require a barn move

Video video video! I use pivo now, my soloshot finally carked it. I think you know enough to get by Blob, and if you are analytical enough with the video you will be able to work stuff out.
And experiment with things.
I've really had minimal help the past few years - but videoing and trying things out has helped me progress.

I am following an online coaching thing, but I really dont ride the same way, but some of the stuff has been helpful.

if you are going out alone, video is super helpful.

Flight wrote:
I am following an online coaching thing, but I really dont ride the same way, but some of the stuff has been helpful.

can you tell me more about this?

Sent you a PM