the rider's eyes

Choose the winner view!

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To choose the large angle view is to choose the winner view : The body gets upstraight, the chest opens up, the breathing is set free, the brain gets oxygenated…..That is the way physical and mental tensions clear up.

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rider’s mind works

rider's position

rider's mind

the rider's eyes

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Here is my tip to make great and quick progress : Look up and afar ! That way you will rise above events and you willl be able to tackle the difficulties you encounter. To choose the large angle view is to choose the winner view : The body gets upstraight, the chest opens up, the breathing is set free, the brain gets oxygenated…..That is the way physical and mental tensions clear up.

It is impossible to imagine to what extent simply «disconnecting» the eyes can improve one’s seat, help the understanding of a movement and improve harmony with the horse… The most rigid rider can become supple over a very short period of time. Once again, rigidity and hardness are, above all, mental and not physical, as most of us tend to believe.

«All riders are capable of using their wide-angle view when approaching, during and after a fence»...Except the blind, you’ll answer. However, the blind, in fact, sit up straight, supple and relaxed. They are totally involved in paying attention to their sensations.

Everyone is capable of using a wide-angle view. I have tested this on riders of all ages and all levels. I have come across riders with totally stuck and rigid seats, blocked shoulders and gritted jaws… It would have taken ten years to solve all their problems. In two sessions, we achieved exceptional results simply working on their minds… though their eyes. I never even mentioned their seat, their horses, or their manner of approaching fences, until they were able to control their eyes. As they repeated the exercises, looking in the right direction, their movements became totally relaxed and above all, they managed to establish a trusting relationship with their horses. Absolutely everyone can achieve results like this. Take my word for it: « You won’t get it cheaper anywhere else! « The energy used by a tense rider and horse attempting to fight these rigidities is immense, compared to the small effort of learning to control one’s eyes. This allows real harmony with the horse; it is more attractive, less tiring and not at all expensive!

Cours associés

Cours associés:

The wide angle view

Seeing your spot in front of fences

Everyone is capable of making progress

Regularity of the canter while approaching fences

Calm and regularity on a precise line

How to keep our mind focused on the present moment

The rider's mental preparation

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The wide angle view

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A rider who uses his eyes correctly can make progress very quickly indeed. The beginners I train over jumps make considerable progress by simply being aware of where they are looking.

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Débutant

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A rider who uses his eyes correctly can make progress very quickly indeed. The beginners I train over jumps make considerable progress by simply being aware of where they are looking.
The eyes are extremely important in all sports in which the body is moved by action. A skier focusing on a sheet of ice skies right over it, guaranteeing a fall…
The windsurfer who lowers his head and looks at the water loses his balance.
Look at the number of riders who stare at the ground poles that they are going over. What is the point?
I have never seen any advantage in staring at the ground. On the contrary, it only results in a mess after the jump!

Progress:

Why are the eyes so important?
It may seem obvious to you, but it is thanks to the messages gathered by the eyes that the rider analyses the situation and gives orders to his body and to his horse.
There is a great difference between what I call the focused view and the wide-angle view.
The focal view is rather like looking through a tube: the eyes focus on one spot, eliminating all the rest.
When jumping, for example, it is easy to understand the influence of the focus of the eyes on the rider’s position.
Generally speaking, if the rider fixes his eyes on a specific spot, he will change his balance to such an extent that he will lead his horse to this precise spot.
The wide-angle view, on the other hand, enlarges one’s field of vision to a maximum. While jumping a course, it allows one to receive the maximum amount of information about the course, the turns, the approach, the fence, the landing, and the next fence…
As far as jumping is concerned, it is of course best to start with a course of poles on the ground. In the beginning choose something to look at in the distance, if possible something pleasant such as squirrel, a handsome boy or a pretty girl at the edge of the arena, a monkey in a tree… this is better than looking for something in an empty sky or the spider webs in the riding school. A wide-angle view means a broad and distant view but it does not exclude one from looking at a precise object sufficiently high up and far away. Looking vaguely around is too difficult, one must attribute importance to the place where one wants to go.
Train yourself to be aware of where you are looking. If you look down, ask yourself why: « What was it that made me look down? « Try to control your thoughts and approach the pole on the ground again trying to control your eyes. After succeeding over poles on the ground, train over cavalletti, then uprights and oxers. Start training at home or at the yard where you ride, then try in a small class at a show.
You could ask for help from someone watching you and signalling every time you stop concentrating on where you are looking. You yourself are, of course, your best teacher… if you are honest and don’t cheat!
I can already hear the sceptics saying: « Yes, but I’ve seen this or that great rider winning, and he always looks at the fence’s ground line «. Remember we said never say “Yes, But…”. My own technique for keeping my actions under control while approaching a fence is to use my wide-angle view. It allows me above all to anticipate, which as we have seen is of crucial importance. The control tower is always vigilant. Your role is to be present: be here and now to better anticipate the future… and this happens first through the eyes.

Variant / Progression:

Train yourself to jump small fences looking to the right or to the left.
This is an excellent exercise for releasing oneself from the influence of the eyes and rediscovering one’s sensations. The body puts itself in a ‘waiting’ position while moving together with the horse.
It is rather like having a bandage over one’s eyes…but less dangerous.
Try to memorise this feeling, and then use it again when approaching fences.
While training, at times I close my eyes for three or four strides to re-centre myself on the horse’s movements.

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Choose the winner view!