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The New Horse - Will Teach You to Ride
by Tamara Watson
polo. They are currently working on models
with articulating necks, jumping capabilities, and flying changes.
Simon is the most advanced model in the United States with all four
gaits plus a collected trot and canter.
Simon is exclusive to Colleen Reid of Equine
Sports Complex in Sacramento, California.
Reid has been teaching for 30 years and has been
putting Simon to good use by offering simulator lessons to her students
and the general public. Reid claims that by putting a student, whether
beginner or advanced, on Simon, and thus eliminating many of the
distractions which take place in a riding arena, that riding kinks are
able to be worked out and the student is able to then parlay that
success to their live horse. "Riding Simon is a good tool to refine and
clean-up your riding", Reid states. Recently I had the opportunity to
try Simon for myself.
Lesson Day
Other than breeches and boots, preparation
for this lesson was different; there was none. There was no
horse to track down in its stall. No horse to groom. No hoof
picking. No leg wrapping. No saddling. Nothing but getting on
and riding.
Who controls Simon is not without options.
Simon can be controlled entirely by the instructor through
buttons, or thanks to sensors in Simon's head and on his sides
he can be controlled entirely by the rider. Our lesson began
with Colleen controlling Simon, which enabled me to get a good
feel and to focus on my position.
Sitting on Simon
at a standstill felt like any other horse. Reid then pushed a
button and we were onto a walk. Simon had the
rolling movement of the walk, but it lacked the side to side, or the
swagger of a good walk. After a few seat corrections I was settled
in and ready to get down to business. Onto the trot! This was a real
trot. This felt like a trot on horse, granted a horse with a stiff
back, but nonetheless the movement was correct. Never have I
mastered the sitting trot. After years of effort I had resigned
myself to the fact that in order to really 'get' the sitting trot I
needed to commit to months on a lunge line, but that was before I
rode Simon! While bumbling around trying to find my seat, Reid
immediately spotted the riding flaws that were preventing me from
moving with the trot, and with a few corrections I was comfortably
sitting Simon's trot. Plus, I learned seeking tools applicable to
any horse.
Only minutes into the lesson it was evident that
one of the greatest benefits of riding Simon was having an instructor in
touchable proximity. At any moment Reid could reach out and make a
correction in my position or direct me to a form flaw that I could then
check and correct with use of the mirrors. All this is done without
having to worry about interfering with the horse.
Once a consistent sitting trot was achieved I was
ready to take hold of the reins. Reid activated the head sensor, so we
could work on half-halts. As it turned out Simon was even more sensitive
to my tense arms than my own horse. If I pulled too hard (which didn't
feel that hard) Simon made a clunking sound. If I released from a
half-halt too coarsely, Simon made a clunking sound. If I was holding
too much at the sitting trot, Simon made a lot of clunking sounds until
I softened, then there was no sound. Simon makes riding deficiencies
obvious and does not adapt over time.
After gaining the feel of Simon's bit sensitivity,
the leg sensors were then activated. With both head and leg sensors
activated I was able to transition Simon up and down. If too much leg is
used Simon will take off at a gallop. Having always ridden
inappropriately forward horses, it was nice to be able to fully use my
leg. We did several transitions between trot and canter. Simon has a
great canter. It is a very collected, pre-pirouette canter that very few
people get to feel on a live horse. Riding this canter is very addictive
and will leave you wanting more.
Without realization forty-five minutes had passed
and it was time to dismount. Reid had me working the entire time.
Usually Reid limits lessons to 30-minutes due to the intensity. After
all the breakthroughs I experienced, it is without wonder the benefits
to be gained by incorporating simulator training into an aggressive
riding program.
When asked what it was like to learn how to give
lessons on Simon compared to live horses Reid replied, "I had to read
the horse [Simon] just like a new school horse. It was like any other
learning curve." Reid states that when Simon is making strange sounds
she knows something isn't right and can work with the rider to correct
it. For instance if a canter aid is given when the incorrect hind leg is
on the ground, Simon makes a strange noise in the transition.
With a trainer in close proximity all guesswork is
taken out of the mix, as student, Crystal Alatalo states, "it cuts out
the mistake time." Alatalo likes to ride 30-minutes on Simon, then
immediately get on her horse while the information is fresh.
Not only can Simon help hone skills, but can also
be used as a fitness tool. Advanced student, Leslie Jones, uses Simon as
a method of conditioning riding muscles. Let's face it, there are no
strength training exercises or aerobics that work a body in quite the
same way that riding does. If you are looking at some down time due to
horse lameness, Simon can help keep those muscled tuned up.
Simon is what he is - a mechanical horse, but his
value is not to be under-rated. There are a multitude of scenarios in
which Simon might be the only option to not riding at all. I was
surprised how much I enjoyed riding Simon. He was consistent, steady,
and the most honest mount I have ever been upon. Simon isn't an easy
ride; it still takes skill and hard work.
There are many fearful adult riders who could
really benefit from a few Simon lessons. Riding Simon, in conjunction
with a skilled trainer like Reid, can build skills and confidence. For
those looking to resolve some long-term riding issues, Simon is worth a
try. The skeptics definitely ought to suspend scrutiny and lend
themselves to the positive riding experience Simon has to offer.
To contact Colleen Reid or for more information
about the Riding Simulator, visit her website:
www.electricschoolmaster.com.
Read comments to this article at the
bottom of this page.
Copyright © 2007 All rights reserved. The above
article is the property of the Author and may not be duplicated or
redistributed in any way without permission.
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