Equiteam member Gillian Birrell shares her reflections as she returns from her second camp.
I’ve been part of Equiteam for three years now and have attended lots of single day camps, although I have actually only been to two three-day Confidence Camps.
I returned from the second camp yesterday, having had an educational three days with Frankles, and have come home with the realisation that going to camp is not just something you pay to attend so you can have lots of “lessons with Liz” – it is actually a commitment.
Camp spaces are highly sought after and I think they should be accompanied by a contract of the obligations from the rider! Harsh? I don’t think so!
Our behaviours and approach to camp have a huge impact on every one who takes part – camp companions, our horse, and our coach!
My first camp experience
My first camp was not what I thought it was going to be. I never went to Pony Club so was unsure what to expect, and I attended camp at Lindores Equestrian two years ago like a rabbit in the headlights.
I followed the advisory email to the letter – arriving on time with every single thing on the recommendation list – even bringing a woolly hat despite the sunshine – just because it was on the list!
I went with my last horse and expected to be able to solve every issue we were having! Obviously this did not happen, and we were potentially the only pairing that Liz has ever removed from the Cross Country based on safety.
Sounds like an awful camp, right? Wrong! What I did do during camp was to learn a lot about myself as a rider, and built some building blocks that meant by the time Ziggy left me we were happily flying round lots of XC courses. I now realise that I had asked too much too quickly, and had unrealistic expectations of me, of him and of Liz. Liz’s job as a coach firstly was to keep me safe, and secondly give me the resources to start building those blocks – both of which she did.
However, what really made camp for me was the amazing people I spent time with, learning from watching their lessons and seeing them progress over the three days, even though I didn’t immediately feel that same improvement with myself. If only I knew then what I know now!
My second camp experience
I had the loveliest time. The last few months for me have been really challenging and as a result, my riding has been a bit stop-start. I have felt my confidence crumble a bit at times, but over the last couple of weeks had found my focus again with some amazing lessons at Team Oakden, and some fabulous time at our yard.
I booked into camp hoping for the opportunity to have some fun and enjoy myself – and had a real desire to get onto the cross country course for the first time with my new horse!
What I found is that I was again surrounded by a lovely group of people. We had some wonderful weather, some terrible weather and lots of cups of tea while we bonded over discussions about our ponies.
On the first day, Liz explained to me that my camp was not going to be the one where I jumped 1 metre, or pushed my boundaries to the edge. This camp for me was going to be about fun, consolidation and moving out of my comfort zone in little steps.
An insight into camps…!
My biggest realisation has been twofold. Firstly, camp is not a series of unconnected lessons randomly put. There is method in Liz’s lessons as each one builds on something from the previous one. In my first lesson (flat) I worked on responsiveness and Frankie paying attention to me with serpentines and leg yielding and transitions. It finished with me feeling in control, relaxed and confident.
The afternoon session of pole work and small jumps kept the theme of leg yielding but doing this between jumps; and added in lengthening and shortening canter strides and lots of change of rein. By the end of day one, my nerves had gone, and I knew I could control Frankie somewhere new, had advice on things to work on, and could move him with my leg wherever I needed him to be.
The second day was jumping in the morning and our takeaway was that as an inexperienced young horse, he needs me to be confident and reassuring. This was a lightbulb moment for me as I had been relying on him to look after me.
It is the first time that I realised my responsibility towards him, and that sitting worrying was actually unfair on both of us. The afternoon choice of cross country or Biomechanics was taken out of my hands. After purchasing a lovely new saddle from KB Saddlery, Liz advised me that we were doing biomechanics, quoting something that she had heard James Oakden once say that had stuck with her
Don't set yourself up to fail
I would be lying if I didn’t say I breathed a sigh of relief as the 40mph winds and the fact that some of the jumps blew over in the morning had me a little rattled. However, I had handled his spooks when the jumps blew over, I had reassured him, and we worked as a team. Biomechanics was a time well spent as I had guidance about the position I need in the new saddle and gave us both the chance to breathe and relax together.
The final day was course jumping in the morning and the challenge we were set was to have a more forward canter over a 75cm course. Was it perfect? No? But did I use my learning from the day before – absolutely. I managed to problem solve when it didn’t go to plan, rather than Liz needing to instruct me she was able to coach me – giving me more tools than I realised at the time to be able to take away and ride by myself.
I reassured my pony, I kept control, I was no longer worried that he “might” spook – as it had happened already and I now knew how to handle it! So cross country in the afternoon seemed like a true possibility. And what an amazing afternoon we had doing small logs, going through the water, admiring the amazing scenery and laughing. I have always found hacking the bit that panics me the most – but by the end of the afternoon I had hacked up the hill and around the field for an hour and a half, and had the tools to handle everything that came my way.
Every bit of learning over the three days rolled into one in that final lesson with me achieving that goal that seemed so elusive on my first camp. More than that, I realised that I had tools to take home that will be applicable in so many situations – a hack in the wind will not be scary as I can handle a spook; I can hack across stubble fields as I know he isn’t going to take off; and when he jiggy jogs I know putting my leg on rather than sitting like a statue will reassure him and help both of us.
Rider responsibilities
As a rider at camp, I now feel that we have responsibilities just as Liz does when she coaches us, so for anyone considering going to camp, whether they have been there before or not, this is what I have realised and what I will bring to the next camp.
1. Trust the process
The lessons are planned with method and for a reason. It may look random but it genuinely is not and the order they are in are to optimise learning and build confidence for you and for your horse.
2. Be part of the team
Everyone’s story and experience are different and the time between lessons matters so much! If you sit, eating cake and talking you will learn so many nuggets of information and advice. I found it invaluable and it’s free!
3. You'll get what you put in
If you want truly try in all the lessons – even when your shoulders ache from keeping them back and your core feels like you’ve been doing sit ups all morning – then you will be learning so much. If you support the other riders and take videos, or make cups of tea, you’ll find others may take the most awesome pics while you ride, or provide you a flapjack when you’re exhausted.
4. Mindset matters
Your coach is not unbreakable! If you constantly focus on how much you wish you’d done better and the bits that went wrong then as well as affecting your own mindset, you’ll drown the coach! Positivity breeds positivity and affects everyone around you. So each lesson think of what you’ve learned and what you’ll take away. And if a camp mate is struggling, then your responsibility is to try to help them to find the positives that they maybe can’t see!
5. Take camp with you
Camp isn’t just for three days. It is about taking home building blocks for the next bit of your journey. It’s your responsibility to do that homework – not Liz’s!
There is a lot of talk on positive mindset at camp and one of the take away things that stick in my head after listening to Dr Andy Cope’s podcast with Equiteam is that you need six positive things to outweigh a negative. If it dips below 2:1 the positive energy is leaking and seeping away, and there is only so much other people can do to help.
Camp is the most educational journey, but you have a part to play and responsibilities too.
Gill x
