>>>> Karen, you can be the test case. It would be amazing if watching the videos would somehow inject that memory into your body.
I don't think it will... not literally. But we have to keep in mind how each of us learns, and having a daughter that's a polar opposite from me made me VERY aware of those differences. Emily and I essentially started riding at the same time. Quickly, the instructor realized that Emily is phenomenally adept at learning things visually. Emily is an artist and athlete - I'm an Engineer with a tiny bit of artist floating around inside somewhere. For instance, I can watch someone request and get a flying lead change all day...and I can pretty easily figure out and process the steps...but it is a big struggle for me to make my body do what my brain understands. In contrast, the instructor would sometimes ask Emily to get off the horse, and she'd get on and quickly demonstrate what she wanted her to do and voila...Emily knew how to do it. Believe me, that was humbling for me when Emily was about 9 and I was in my mid-30's. What SEEMS to work best for me is to take time to analyze the mechanics of what is involved with an action, and get it ingrained in my brain - I need my "muscle memory" first at a mental level. I can learn a good bit of theory from books and videos. Then, I have to make myself go into a "soft focus" state of mind, actually on a horse, where I don't let myself get hung up on the details, and try to "allow" my body to do what my brain already knows. Learning about riding this way would not work at all for my daughter...but then, there's no way I can learn the way that's easiest for her either. Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.17/1177 - Release Date: 12/7/2007 1:11 PM
