My regular coach ("EC" for the purposes of this blog) asked me this morning how I felt the clinic went.
"It was OK", I said, "but I felt like I heard all the things that need improvement with no follow up as to how to fix them any differently. It's all the same things we are already doing...so I feel like I paid a lot of money to hear the same things and practice the same things as I do with you (for much less money)."
"But that's excellent!", she replied. My look of confusion must have been obvious, because she continued, "If you're getting the same feedback and being given the same exercises you currently use that's good! It confirms that what you're feeling is valid, that you/we are correctly assessing where we're at with Bridget, and that you're doing the right things."
(I feel I should insert a note here, while EC is known more as an eventing coach, she has scaled back her own event riding to the lower levels "for fun" and now rides at a fairly high level of dressage. The clinician that came is a Canadian Olympian and coach of Olympic dressage riders. EC is her student, and I have been benefiting by her passing along all the things she is learning. Absolutely love having a coach that enjoys learning and passing along the knowledge. Anyway, back to our story...)
"So....my homework and take home should be to just keep on keeping on?"
"Yes! She said after you left that with hard work there's a lot of potential there for you to achieve your goals with Bridget"
LOL, even if EC had zero riding or coaching credentials I'd probably still have to keep her around. She's incredibly good at motivating me.
I like EC's positive spin on it! Nice that the clinician thought there was a lot of potential to achieve your goals too! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not entirely convinced the clinician *really* said that in those words, but I'll take EC'S interpretation over my own :)
DeleteI love your coach!! I wish I could teleport myself and Dino up to you and have we could have Bad Pony Camp together with her! What a wonderful way to look at a clinic that you didn't feel great about - love that positive encouragement. :)
ReplyDeleteShe'd love Dino! And Bad Pony Camp sounds exactly like something she'd take great amusement in organizing :)
DeleteSometimes the very best feedback is that you're doing all the right things! And a clinician may be able to say something in a slightly different way that gets it to stick! Sounds like you're very much on the right track!
ReplyDeleteI hear ya on feeling like it's not always worth it to pay more money to hear the same old things. I've definitely felt that way! It is always good tho to be reaffirmed that the holes are where you think they are and no new problems are uncovered!!
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