I hope to make some training DVD's this summer. I will be applying the principles of Taiji to my teaching of a given skill or task on my DVD's. The questions below are the kinds of questions that I will be asking myself and thinking through in preparing to teach a topic.
How do I acheive stillness?
What reactions to what actions (ie distraction) do i need to eliminate?
What reactions to what actions do I want?
To teach a more complex skills what lessor skills do I need to teach first?
If things aren't progressing does my horse lack a work ethic or do they not understand?
Do I need to escalate my communication or change it?
Once I have obtained the "Taiji" of the skill or task at ahnd.....What skill, trick, etc might I want to train next?
12 Step Presentation Format
My DVDs are for use by kids and authored by a kid. The training program for my horses is simple. I plan use a 12 step process for presenting each of my topics.
Step 1: Use of Skills to be taught
Step 2: Goals of the exercises
Step 3: Benefits of these exercises
Step 4: Prerequisites
Step 5: Tools
Step 6: Review / Summary of Exercises
Step 7: Presentation of Exercises or Training Progression
Step 8: Demonstration of Exercises on Various Mounts of different ages, sizes, levels of training and personalities, etc ( applicable for some topics, but not all)
Step 9: Common Horse Mistakes
Step 10: Common Rider Mistakes
Step 11: Case Studys (Veiwers are requested to send videos with there questions. We will select some of the requests for training assistance and provide a video response. Both the original video and response will be posted to YouTube accessable from my website and added to future subsequently cut training DVDS)
Step 12: Cut Loose: Bonus Exhibition Material......Horse and Kids just want to have FUN!
Keypoints – Throughout the presentation, I will give keypoints to help you to be successful with each of the exercises. These keypoints are little tibits of information, insights and checkpoints to help ensure your success with these exercises.
