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Who do you Pivo?

I’m getting desperate to find a regular trainer for lessons, I have a Pivo and I’m totally fine with virtual lessons. We have some excellent local trainers but I have a mon to Fri job and most lesson slots are in the middle of my work day and weekend slots are booked.

I’m looking for a nice dressage trainer who doesn’t mind a out of shape ammy riding a couple ponies and can do Pivo lessons on weeknights or even weekends.

Any suggestions on who to get in touch with?

Hmmm…. Well. Are you completely limiting yourself to live lessons? I currently teach by video but I voice over their video, edit portions that need to be focused on, and often add in clips showing exercises or concepts. The students then send me more more video showing the homework.

After several initial repetitions, the students will begin to be able to see in their own video how things ‘are,’ what they have changed, and whether the change is sufficient, etc. Their efforts to perform the homework provide more material for discussion and theory.

Live lessons are one thing, but developing the ability to review your own video, understand “what,why,how,” etc are extremely valuable. Performance sports have been using video analysis and review for several decades. But with the PIxem/Pivo it is now extremely available for the average horse person to self evaluate, and get feedback from professionals all over the map.

Why limit yourself to ‘in the moment’ coaching, only?

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I have Ride IQ but I’m interested in live lessons, and since I can’t line up with live in person trainers I’m looking to expand my circle to live on Pivo trainers who might be out of my driving range or even state!

Well “Pivo trainers” is really anyone. All the trainer needs to do is click a link. So what you are looking for is any instructor, in your discipline, who is willing to instruct remotely. Pivo is trying to start a platform called “Pivo Circle” but only minimal interest has been drummed up so far.

My suggestion would be to flesh out what discipline, level, goals exactly you are focused on, and then hunt around online for anyone you can connect with who currently works with a trainer who might suit those details. Those current clients might have a good idea of whether their trainer is likely game for it.

But you need to put “out there” what is your discipline, goals, recent practice activities, limitations, etc.

I am looking for recommendations for dressage trainers that people like who also do remote lessons, it’s the reason why I put up this post in the dressage forum. To get suggestions. It’s what I posted in my first post, I thought it was pretty clear. I’ve already taken Pivo lessons before but my schedule isn’t lining up with that person so I’d like to expand my range.

I can talk to that trainer about my goals, I don’t need to put anything else out there.

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I believe Hilary Moore Hebert in MD does video lessons. I’ve never ridden with her myself, though.

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I just started teaching live PIVO lessons and love doing so. Whoever you decide to ride with, maybe what I have learned can be of help.

What I have found really helped my students was to be sure that you are using a strong enough wifi signal or that your phone gets enough signal to transmit a high quality video. I had a student who had too weak a phone signal and not only was the video quality poor, it would stall. The second suggestion I would have is to make sure that you can hear the trainer you choose well. My students favor bone conduction devices that still leave the ears free made for runners like those made by aftershocks. I was going to play around with connecting to my CeCoach as another option but have not done so. Third, because PIVO uses shape identifying software instead of a tracking beacon, if you are not the only horse in the arena , the camera will loose you and refocus on the wrong horse shape. I can take remote distance control of the camera but I really need it to lock onto the one horse and auto follow so that I can devote my full attention to the horse and rider. Finely, make sure you leave yourself enough time to get the camera locked onto you and your horse before the lesson. Try setting it up and getting it to follow you then test it with a non trainer friend to be sure that you understand the process prior to the lesson.

I connect my computer to my TV, and can sit in my living room coaching a student from anywhere. I love that it allows for before, after work or weekend lessons. Not all professionals can have live lessons at “normal” lesson times and this allows me to be much more available to my students. I also bought a PIXEM that I am comparing to the PIVO for the same purpose.

The advise given here has been good. I would approach any trainer you have an interest in riding with and ask if they are open to teaching remotely and at the times and days that work for you. I miss not being present to hop on a horse and fix a problem or demonstrate something but I love the flexibility.

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Lauren Sprieser advertises the ability to do remote lessons.

Thanks!

I tried Pivo lessons. My biggest struggle, by far, is the audio component.

I use bone conduction ear phones and a smart phone with the latest tech and I haven’t had issues

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Do you find the aftershocks have enough range? I keep reading most Bluetooth headphones only go 33 feet from the iphone, and my arena is a regular dressage arena. I just don’t want to be limited to not using most of my arena.

My arena is 100 x 200 and with my Pivo in the middle of the ring I haven’t had any issues.

Great question enjoytheride,

The arena I teach two students in who wear aftershocks is about 260’ long. I have not noticed any sound issues. The Pivo is on one end on the rail. I would note that I love the aftershocks for students as a receiving device because they leave the ears free so you can hear ambient noise and do not fall out of ears. I ended up returning my aftershocks that I planned on using with my CeeCoach system for in-person communication because when I spoke, there was a very small lag that found too distracting for my students to put up with. I like being able to hear them but when they speak the timing does not have to be precise vs. when I speak to apply an aid it needs to be super clear. The CeeCoach came with a Jaber wireless headset which is ok but I do not love. I have tried it with Apple Airpods (lag for speaking but fine for hearing) Bose and Beats (same problem but worse for both). I currently alternate between wiring into the CeeCoach or using the Jaber.

These are the ones I have

YouthWhisper Bone Conduction Headphones Bluetooth, Wireless Open-Ear with Microphones,Titanium Lightweight Sweat Resistant, Answer Phone Call Sports Headset for Running Hiking Driving Bicycling https://a.co/d/fgkcVkC

I have a pixem and it is usually at one end, not in the middle. I wonder if they will still work. We have tried the CeeCoach, but for some reason my instructor can’t hear me but the subtitles work (like closed captioning). I can hear her, however. Not sure what is going on there.