I think that is a great idea, that way we may be able to see something that the person may have missed or not noticed. Also sometimes it is hard to explain the situation exactly, having a video would help a lot.

Good suggestion

Hi Almira and Cristina,

That's exactly what I mean.
When I read a question then sometimes I don't see the whole picture. And when the answers are coming it is possible that that person already tried that.
Often we suggest to video it and the person can watch it to see what he/she is doing, but still then it is possible that the person doesn't see it.
We can talk about experiences and argue about it, but even a very experienced person, can not see it at that moment.
Like what we say in Holland Job-blindness in a company. Let's say you've got a company for 25 years and you have a problem, but you don't see what is going wrong. Then you need help from somebody else, who is coming to the company, to see what is going wrong in your company. It can be a simple solution or more difficult, but at the end there is light in the tunnel and you don't have to struggle or waist time and you can work on it to solve it.
When I watch Monty's lessons, I regually are going back and forward in the lesson, to see that part again. It helps me, with his explaination, to understand it more and see what he is doing.
Hope there are more of us who likes this idea.
Kind regards May.

I love it May.
And for those of us who have a video camera it will be great.
Ronda

May
You are right about a video making the information much clearer. If you have your own video camera ask a friend to tape you when you are riding in an arena or small area. You will be surprised on how beneficial it can be. You catch small details about your riding as well as your horse. Great teaching tool.

Cheers

Hi All,

Yesterday, I was for the first time after 4 month after my fall of Renske in the round pen with a mature ladyhorse Grytje. Just to see if I can move enough to do some groundwork.
I was happy and excited (after four month not working!!!). Well, my husband took some pictures AND WHEN I SAW MY FACE, haha... it was so serieus, no smile, no nothing. To concentrated on what I was doing without a smile? Yes, so I relise this now and will work on it, to make things more relaxed and with fun. I am sure that Grytje will feel that as well.
I was very proud of myself and Grytje. This was our first time together and we did Join Up!!! YehYeh... it worked. It still makes me weak and tears in my eyes, but also very happy.
I will put in the future also some video on You Tube, so you can see what a beginner is doing.
Hope some of us will follow me.
Have a nice day, May.

That is just great, May!
Congrats to your progress and courage. Don't worry about the smile! It will come soon as your brain has learned again to relax in the situation. Remember to breathe! ;)

Well done May and it won't be hard to put a beautiful smile back on that beautiful face, you'll see,
Just being with your horses again is making you happy and when you are happy you will smile, right everyone!!!
My husband will be the one to tape me, Oh boy, I can just imagine how many mistakes that will show....
I can watch the videos and read the books but since the brain injury I can't retain and have to do everthing over and over, poor STAR, she is so patient, aren't they wonderful animals.
Ronda

Hi Kicki and Ronda,

Thanks Kicki for the suggesion to breathe. I am glad that some things like breathing is going automaticly, because I would realy forget that when I am working with "my" horses, ha... I understand what you mean about breathing in the right way. It is very good to remind me of that.
Ha Ronda, can you remember what you told me (us) about STAR a few month ago when you went to her in the evening/night?
She felt exactly what was wrong and she reacted on this. How beautifull was that.
And Star feels also that you are doing your best and give all the love you have and attention. So maybe STAR will think: "Oh help, there we go again, how is it possible she doesn't know it? We did this over and over again. I know it now!!! Oké, oké, I will be patient with my leader, because I know what she is doing for me".
I think that you know what your are able to now, and it is a different way of living(correct me if I am wrong), like me with my ADD. That's the most important thing. With that experience and all the mistakes we maybe make, we learn and will do it better the next time and build a lovely and stable relationship with our horses.
Horses in my opinion are healing and give you confidence, energy, love, joy, and a lot more.
Yes, how beautifull horses are. If we do right they will do right. Don't you think?
I am looking forward to see some video from you and STAR and how you are working with your friend. Does it matter that you make mistakes? NO... I hope you will see also what you are doing right and I am sure that's a lot.
Hope you will place them, so I can learn from it as well, if you don't mind.
Have a nice day, May.

May
You bring up an interesting point. If you show your video on YouTube you should also give your critique of your work rather than other people telling you what you did wrong. As far as I am concerned there is no right or wrong, just a level of efficiency. The whole point of video taping is to learn not only what did not work too well but more importantly what was working well. I think that I am my most critical judge when I watch any of my videos. I have one video of a show that I think has been my best performance as far as how I rode my horse and how my horse looked. All my friends that saw my performance say that I should have placed first. I didn't but since I know it was the best I had ever done personally it is now one of my most valuable learning videos. I can see what I was doing correctly as well as the little subtle things that would improve my riding. I am always very critical when I watch this video, but I am only critical to myself!

Cheers

Hi Dennis,

You have a point. Offcourse I shall and will judge myself. And I will learn a lot by seeing me doing my groundwork (in my case). I think you are right when you are talking about level of efficiency. My level is very low, because I am a beginner, but when I learn more it will be going up. Good you are saying that, I didn't think about it this way.
It is good to hear that the video is working for you, so there is hope for me, ha.
But sometimes when a question is coming on the Forum it is difficult to answer, because I don't see the whole picture. Sometimes, it is very difficult to answer a question without seeing the situation, because it is to complex. And when the answers are coming from us it is possible that that person already tried that.

Maybe it is a good idea, when it will come to that and a student will send a video through for example You Tube in connection with the question at the Forum, that that person also tells us what he/she thinks what is happening. It is just an idea.
Thank you for your reaction, Dennis.
Kind regards, May.

May
That is a great idea! You are right about it being easier to understand the question if you see the situations

Cheers

Hi,
Watching own videos (working with the horses or horses among themselves) in slow motion is an excellent tool to study their body language and to realize the misunderstandings between human and horses. When I watched my first video I was astonished, how many uncontrolled movements I was doing and the big question marks in the face of my horse. It is incredible, how much it helps.