United States Eventing Association

My name is Ashley Giles. My friend Jade Anderson and I just attended our first ICP workshop. I thought I would share our experience with others who might be interested in going through the process.

I found out about ICP several years ago, unfortunately there were no workshops nearby so I had not been able to attend a workshop until now. When I received an email saying that one would be held in our area, Area III, at Jim Graham’s farm I called Jade immediately. We both decided we would do whatever it took to get into the program. We got into the workshops and got our workbooks. We did a couple of study sessions prior to the workshop, but thought little about what was in store for us.

All of a sudden the workshop was a week away and reality hit. I realized I was going to be critiqued on my teaching. I have always been one of those people who get more nervous at a clinic than at a show. I have finally tackled my nervousness at clinics and learned that the clinician is only trying to improve my riding. But now I had to be critiqued on my teaching style and this was a whole new ball game. I got this image of a vicious beast standing on the sidelines waiting to devour my self esteem and a group of my peers pointing and laughing as I taught the worst lesson of my life.

We arrived at Jim’s farm about 30 mins early. Jade and I felt like freshmen about to attend their first day of high school. We were really excited; however, our nervousness outweighed the excitement. As we entered the facility where the morning lecture would take place we were relieved to see some familiar faces. Our ICP Faculty member, Phyllis Dawson, began her lecture and we all took out our pens to jot down notes.

I was impressed by a lot of things that Phyllis said in the lectures and in her demo teaching, but one thing that really stuck out was that she said she left the workshops with a new and refreshed outlook on her own teaching. That was the point that I realized these three days were going to be a learning experience for everyone involved. Whether you attend an ICP workshop as an ICP Faculty Member, an auditor, an ICP candidate, or one of the horse and rider combinations used as the students of the ICP candidates, you should plan to learn a lot from the experience.

After the lecture it was time for Phyllis to do some model teaching for us to watch. At ICP dressage workshops the dressage assessment candidates are expected to show a change in the horse and rider within a 30-minute time period while implementing certain movements that show the assessors that you know how to teach those movements. This seemed like a nearly impossible feat until we all watched Phyllis do it with ease. She taught two totally different students and had both of them riding better and their horses going better by the end of their lessons.

After lunch it was our turn to teach. Jade and I decided on the first day we where going to try to teach the way we would normally teach if nobody was watching us and try to get our mandatory two movements in. Jade did a great job and was praised well for her teaching style. She lost track of time and did not manage to get one of her movements in. Phyllis stressed that it was a good lesson and that Jade had helped the horse and rider, but that for her assessment she would have to include those movements. I went after Jade and got a lot of the same comments Jade had gotten. Phyllis said I had taught a good lesson and had improved the horse and rider. She then gave my rider a brief lesson. She had the same goal I had in teaching the lesson, which was getting the horse off of his forehand. She just showed me another way to accomplish it and in this horse and riders case a faster way of improving them.

Each person took their turn and we all watched and learned from each other. I found it helpful to listen to Phyllis’ comments about what exercises were good and which ones could be improved and in what ways they could be improved. I jotted down notes from everyone’s lessons so that I would not forget the little tricks they used. One thing that I think a lot of instructors struggle with is that not every student learns the same. It was great to see new ways of teaching material so that if I ran into a student who did not learn from my particular style I could use the things I learned from ICP to help them.

As the first day came to an end, Jade and I were very tired, not nearly as nervous, and we felt like we had already learned a lot. The next day was very similar and we learned even more. The third day had several major differences. Day three brought horrible weather with some tornadoes involved so our 30 minute teaching sessions where shortened to more like 10 and 15 mins. Also day three was focused on taking the flat work we had taught over the past two days and showing how it led up to getting the correct canter for jumping. This was very interesting, because some of the horses already had good canters, but we got see how to make even a good canter better. This was one of the most important parts of the workshop to me.

On the way home Jade and I could not stop discussing the workshop even though we tried not to at some points. I feel as though this process is a big step in sending out safer horse and rider combinations. I am very glad to be a part of it and hope that it will help change our sport and send out a group of educated riders and instructors no matter what level they are competing in.

My advice to people thinking about going through this process would be to come prepared to teach to the level you plan to go for. I think if you want to learn more prior to going to a workshop auditing would be a great way to go. There is a lot to learn by watching the process and you may be able to come to your workshop with more tools. Go with an open mind, but without losing your teaching style. In a program like this it is easy to get caught up in trying to do what the teacher says versus what you are comfortable with.

The people who excelled in the workshop came with their own style; however, they incorporated what they had learned into their practice lessons. If you want to practice prior to going, get the standards and have a friend who teaches at the same level as you come and time you and critique you. We decided at the end of our workshop that a group of us are going to get together at a local facility and have a practice day. We are going to videotape it and help each other get more comfortable with teaching the standards.

If you are thinking about doing this program do not be intimidated - it is a learning experience for everyone. The ICP faculty learned, the ICP candidates learned, and the gracious students who allowed us to use them as our guinea pigs learned. In two weeks I am off to a jumping workshop and cannot wait to see what is in store there!