If a person can’t connect what they see with what they are doing, skip the seeing step. Do a lunge line lesson where they can close their eyes and FEEL the leads and diagonals. Trotting poles can assist with the feel of the posting trot. Also stop making posting diagonals such a big deal, the horse will be fine if they are on the wrong diagonal, and sometimes taking a break from the pressure of something can help the brain finally learn it.
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I see where you’re coming from, and thanks for the ideas on longeing and trot poles. (We’ve done the eyes closed while trotting in the past - along with many of the suggestions above, but they may certainly be worth revisiting) but I’d have to slightly disagree with your last statement: I don’t think skipping the diagonals altogether is the answer. Even if the horse tolerates it physically, being consistently on the wrong diagonal can create long-term imbalances (especially for lesson horses!).
When she was only struggling with posting diagonals, I actually chalked it up to a “mental block” and decided not to make a huge deal out of it. I just quietly reminded her to switch when she was on the wrong one. But now that she’s cantering and also can’t recognize her leads, it’s not just about one skill: I am more concerned about her struggle developing her awareness of the horse’s movement and her own body’s response to it.
And if she wants to show, this awareness is kind of essential. Judges do look for correct diagonals and leads (+ being able to recognize and correct them independently should be a core part of competent riding if she wants to jump/ride distances on the trail, etc).
I totally agree with you that we shouldn’t pressure kids to the point of frustration, but that’s different from removing the expectation entirely.
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I know two people, two smart people, that no amount of tricks ever allowed them to figure out how to tell what diagonal they are on.
On the topic of lunge line and eyes closed - just a heads up that some people find that so stressful there is just no way to feel anything.
I personally have a problem of getting motion sickness any time I try to ride with my eyes closed. It is had to concentrate on what body part the horse is moving while you are getting more and more nauseous.
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Then for this particular student, I would work on her feeling when the inside hind pushes off. There’s a clear tell, it’s when your inside seatbone rises. Doesn’t require a lunge line and closing eyes. It may take this student a little while to get it, but I think it’s going to be less stressful for her than trying to see it.
Make it a game of counting “Now, two, three, four” and “Now, two, now, two” until they’re really solid at the game, and then, and only then, connect it to diagonals and leads.
Let us know how it goes, and thank you for putting the time and effort in to try to make it work for this student.
PS - when teaching a following hand and arm, or a following seat or correct canter departures, you can go back to the counting exercise.
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That is a fair point - looking up with a soft eye can replace closing the eye.
@Kirikou I don’t mean forget about it forever, but just shelf it for a bit until you work out a brand new way to work on it. For example, forget about diagonals, but instead work on having them walk or trot a single pole, and say which leg went over first. Or have them halt and tell you if the horse is halted square, or if one hip is dropped. Or cantering a pole, have them tell you if they hit it on stride or “split the pole”. Create a connection between their feel and the gaits.
The brain can start thinking “I can never learn this” and so won’t even try to put it unto memory/learning mode.
Can they tell if someone else is on the correct lead or diagonal?
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This is great! Thank you for the idea! Will definitely try something next week.
(and no, she can’t tell if others are on the correct lead or diagonal either).
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I did not read everyone’s comments but what I did read was all great advice.
I am definitely on the AuADHD spectrum with a big dose of dyslexia. I train/coach dressage and ride as a pro. If I look down to see if I am on the correct diagonal, sometimes I psych myself out and can’t tell, same with from the ground. However I know when it is right or wrong. I find that the best way for me to learn a thing is to feel it, generally with my coach there to tell me when it is right. If I feel it, I can do it.
So rather than asking her if she is on the correct diagonal, tell her when she is, and have her sit a beat when she isn’t. The more she just practices being on the correct diagonal, the more she will feel it and connect it. This can be emphasized on a lunge line with her eyes closed. For the canter, I would try having her canter up the middle and try turning, first to the side of the lead she is on, and then the other way (counter canter), so that she can feel the difference. Ultimately the “correct” lead will be easier for her to identify.
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FYI, the idea of someone having a “learning style” is outdated cognitive science and is no longer considered accurate with a current understanding of the brain. There is no empirical evidence that matching instruction to “learning styles” improves outcomes. We may have ways that we prefer to learn, and current learning science suggests that the best approach for most is to provide content in a variety of modalities so that the brain can create novel synapses. Neurons that fire together, wire together. The myth of “learning styles” is almost as stubborn as “right brain/left brain,” which we also know as no longer accurate. People use their entire brain for activities.
For the student in discussion, I’d have two suggestions:
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With the student astride the horse, have the trainer lift the front leg and extend it forward, so that the student can see the shoulder moving back and forth slowly while at a standstill.
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consider waiting for six months. Puberty is a time for great development both physically and mentally. This child may have no problem with the concept six months from now, when she is more mature in all regards.
I’m enjoying this discussion and am really grateful for everyone who has chimed in with ideas and their own experience with learning differences. We can all be better teachers learning from each other!
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As THE WORST kid in gym class, and a kid who loved horses but struggled with the athletic side for years and years, I related to what you described so much, and I wish I’d had someone sensitive and understanding as an instructor, versus the typical 80s (and later 00s) riding instructor.
There’s been a lot of debate about diagnosing your student. I’m not a doctor, nor am I qualified, but it sounds a lot like dyspraxia, which can often present with ADHD and ASD and sensory processing disorder, but is not the same thing.
Dyspraxia can also be present with dyscalculia, which affects mathematical abilities, including spatial awareness.
It’s important not to generalize about neurodiverse people. Something I often hear said about neurodiverse individuals is that they are “visual learners.” Some are, but some individuals on the ASD spectrum are highly verbal–being verbal is their “special talent” and turning everything spatial and into a picture can be a nightmare. That might be true of your student.
A few suggestions:
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If possible, have her ride a different horse. Some horses with smooth gaits are harder to feel a diagonal. Some shoulder-less wonders of horses are harder to see. Ditto canter leads. Some horses are so uncomfortable when on the wrong lead!
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Guessing games. Have her “commit to a diagonal” for a few strides, then have her sit and change, repeat, and after a lap or so, start to ask if she thinks she is correct or not.
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Using cones and poles to map out a dressage test.
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Serpentines. Sometimes the sharper, more frequent turning motion can make it so uncomfortable, it’s hard NOT to want to be on the correct one.
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Sitting trot. Sounds counter-intuitive, but to comfortably sit a trot, you definitely get a feel for the different beats (if you don’t, it’s painful).
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Thank you all for the great feedback and ideas! Will keep trying different things and see what clicks for her.
And yes, this! ^
I too have really enjoyed reading insights from personal experiences. Should we start a “teaching thread” so people can share? Not sure in which forum though?
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