Relief coaching at an RDA session.

I was asked to go and instruct at an RDA session the other day at a group because the normal instructor was not able to take the session that day. This was ideal as they have a trainee instructor called Jackie with this session, I was able to to go over various things with her,allowing her to gain some experience in taking an RDA session,as we are working towards her being assessed to take this session on her own.

Because the session is held at a riding school there was a lesson going on before we could get into the arena,we didn't have any time to really set up the arena with much equipment,there was 4 blue jumping blocks in there so we put them in a straight line down one side allowing about 5 paces between them.

The blocks were used in the following ways.

The riders were first asked to walk by them and stop at each block.
Then they were asked to count to a number while they were standing still before walking on.
Then the riders were asked to weave in and out of the blocks.
To add to the weaving between the blocks,the riders were asked to stop by each block making sure they stopped to the left of one block and to the right of the next block.
Adapting this further the riders were asked to count to a number when they were stopped.

I then got Jackie to think up another way of using the blocks for the next two riders.
She came up with the idea of putting the four block to make a large square, the riders were asked to walk around the outside of the square.
Then they were asked to stop by each block.
Jackie then got them to count while they were stopping at the blocks.
Another Idea using  this Jackie came up with was to get the riders to do a circle around the block then walk to the next block and do a circle around that one and so on.
Adapting this exercise the riders were asked to do a circle around a block then walk to the next block and halt beside it ( counting to a number can be added if so wished) then walking to next block and doing a circle around that block,then halting at the next one.
The above can be changed to do a circle around 2 blocks and halt at the third one.
The riders could be asked to stop at each block and then asked a horse care question before walking on to the next block.

All the riders did some good steering and really seem to enjoy their riding today, interacting well with their helpers and Jackie came up with some good lesson ideas.