If you are anything like me, I work hard for my lessons, and want to get as much out of them as possible. Here are just a few tricks to help you get the most out of your time with your trainer:

1. Come to the lesson prepared. Bring any equipment you might need to the arena (lunging equipment, riding whip, spurs, cooler, side reins, etc.), be on the horse and ready to start your lesson on time.
2. Be honest with your trainer. This includes goals, fears, apprehensions, strengths, weaknesses, limitations, previous injuries, etc. This helps your trainer build a constructive and realistic plan for you and your horse to be a successful partnership.
3. Be ready to learn. There is nothing worse to a trainer/teacher/clinician than a student who isn’t ready to learn, or truly accept their input. Your trainer is there to help you, so check your ego at the door and let them help you achieve your goals!
4. Ask lots of questions! Your trainer is on your team and let’s face it, we need a trainer because we don’t know everything. So take advantage of your time with your trainer and ask questions about exercises you are working on, or things you don’t understand, or anything really! There is no such thing as a stupid question.
5. If you are worried, scared, fearful, uncertain, or confused at any point, communicate that to your trainer. That way they can adjust the lesson (and potentially future lessons) to make it beneficial for you, and help you understand/overcome the issue.
6. Smile! We are taking lessons because we love riding (and might be partially Type-A Personality LOL). So don’t take yourself so seriously. Breathe and enjoy the ride!

Happy riding!