The purpose of Task Riding
"Only for tournament riders" - long gone! The riding tasks - whether read or memorized - are suitable as review, exercise and training of your own riding - whether with or without tournament ambitions.
- Why task riding?
Riders with tournament ambitions should, of course, know and internalize the tasks in preparation for the respective tests. All in all, riding fixed tasks also offers an incentive to consciously ride to the point. The best way to show this is the current condition of horse and rider, i.e. the status within the scale of training. When riding independently, the rider tends to only ride lessons when the time seems good for him. In principle, of course, the right approach, but on the other hand it obscures the level of training if you only start a lesson when the horse is 100% with you and relaxed. It can take lap after lap until the feeling comes that it's the best time now. Riding tasks can reveal the actual weak points and show what should be put more efort into. As a variant, the task can be learned by heart beforehand or you can ride with a reader or announcer. Ultimately, they don't have to be actual tasks. It's more about a sequence of lessons that should be ridden to the point. The check can be carried out by a second person or the ride is recorded with a camera and later analyzed.
- Independant riding vs. lessons
A big difference in performance is often seen in lessons and when riding independently. In class, the hand is taken too tightly and the given instructions are often too specific. That may help for this one training session, in which a lot of tasks often work, but a lesson can only be repeated in very few cases. Therefore, as a rider, you should become active yourself and demand more independence in the lesson so that the trainer can also see how you approach a problem or a task yourself. Only then tips can be given so that you can actually take something home with you. Unguided, many riders find it difficult to ride to the point and be really focused. Many riders tend to only ride the lessons at home that really work out well for them. Riding tasks bypasses this. But then the following also applies: even if something doesn't work, the task should be ridden to the end - problem solving follows later. Only then will the weak points reveal themselves to you – independently of the lesson.
- Variety first
Especially while riding indoor it shows the planlessness of many riders. The same pattern of riding is always played out, which inevitably leads to frustration and boredom on the part of the horse. Even here tasks can make an important contribution, as they give the rider ideas for their own riding in the first place. In this way you can consciously pick out a task and practice on these lessons and the sequence - this avoids the endless spiral.
