Shut Up & Ride - the counter intuitive approach to confident riding.

27/05/2024

Thought of the day:
Making the hard decision can often make life easier;
always making the easy decision makes life hard. :)

07/05/2024

How to have better lessons the Shut up and ride way :)

HOW TO HAVE LESS S**T LESSONS 😉

1: COMMIT TO YOUR S**T! (a.k.a Shut up & ride!)
To be honest, in my coaching, the biggest challenge I face is getting people to actually ride. I know this sounds stupid, and it is, it’s a bloody riding lesson after all!
People are often too scared to make mistakes, so they freeze in case they do the wrong thing, and all my students know “The only thing you can do wrong in riding is: NOTHING”.
Riding has been, is and always will be a participating sport, you must do something and that something is called riding.
So, commit to your s**t and give the horse the information it needs to figure out what the heck you want from them.
If you are not giving the horse the information you want, it will get distracted and look for information somewhere or from something else; unless of course you like spooking, bucking etc
Do yourself a favour and shut up & ride!

2: DON’T TAKE S**T PERSONALLY
Contrary to popular belief, your horse is not doing what it does to p**s you off.
I know, an earth-shattering philosophy, right?
I guarantee your horse is not emailing from its yard or stable their friends and other co-conspirators plotting your downfall.
Grow up, show some maturity, and learn the fact, horses just respond to us and/or circumstances around them.
Heck, horses are emotional creatures and so are we; what could go wrong?
The difference between the horse and us, is, we actually can choose how to respond to our emotions. Believe it or not?
It can be hard, but it is essential that as a rider you learn to respond in a way that will help your horse, this requires a certain amount of emotional maturity.
I totally recommend it. 😊
A good coach can help guide you on this path.
A great coach will have you understanding what appears to stand in your way emotionally, is the way you have go.
Meaning, if you are frightened, you must deal with that fear.
If anger is your issue, you must learn to deal with it (*puts hand up in the air* guilty as charged. My anger and frustration were things I had to work on. Yes, I too took my horses personally if I let myself)
To me horses are amazing teachers, of all the s**t we need to learn about ourselves.
As far as taking your coach personally or what they say.
Stop it!
If your coach really makes you feel bad, talk to them about it.
If they do not respond appropriately, change coaches.
If a coach abuses you, it says nothing about you but more about them and their s**t coaching. (Probably my next article “How to be a less s**t coach”) 😉
Honestly do not put up with that s**t and find one of those good, or even better, great coaches.

3: DON’T ARGUE S**T
It always amuses me when people pay me good money so they can argue with me.
Heck, my kids do that for free! 😉
You do not have to agree with your coach but honestly, if you trust your coach enough to pay them lots of dollars, well, trust the information they are giving you.
As the saying goes: “If at first you don’t succeed, try doing what your coach told you to do!”
Now, if you do not trust you coach, well, why are you there in the first place?
Get one you can trust.
So, lose the ego and the need to be right and try learning something.
To be honest with you, this is the very thing I found hardest in my own learning.
Leaving my ego at the car and the need to be right. Just listening and absorbing someone else’s knowledge (for good or ill).
In the absolute worst lessons I had, at least I learnt things I did not want to do and which coaches not to come back to.
It is OK to question or clarify what is being coached.
Arguing though?
Well, that is just dumb s**t.

4: LOSE THE BULLS**T STORY & EXCUSES
Honestly, cut the crap!
Your coach has heard it all before and more than likely used it themselves. (I know I have)
Any excuse or bulls**t story you have about why you can’t do something, well, your horse does not give a s**t about it.
In fact, I will go as far to say, no one really cares.
A harsh reality of life.
Horses only respond to how we ride, if your “story” is distracting you, well, it effects the horse.
Again, do yourself a favour; shut up & ride.
Now, I am not a heartless bastard and there are quite often, legitimate problems that need to be discussed or dealt with; but not in the moment when the horse needs you.
Those things are best discussed either off the horse or at least at the halt, where less mixed messages are given.
A good coach will help you navigate any excuses or perceived problems you have.
A great one will have you understanding that riding is quite possibly the hardest thing most people will ever do in their lives.
It requires commitment and less bulls**t.

5: PRACTICE THE S**T YOU LEARN
Want to save money on lessons?
Practice what you have already learnt in lessons, at home!
Not once, not sometimes, only ALL the bloody time!
I see this repeatedly, riders doing well in lessons but going back home and doing what they always have before. Then they wonder why, when they are coached, they are having the same lesson over and over again, like Groundhog Day.
Some people I have coached have improved their riding so impressively and quickly by doing what they were taught, to the point that, after a few years they have gone way beyond where they first could have imagined.
Whilst others I have helped intermittently for over 30 years are still riding exactly as they were decades ago.
Go figure?
One makes me look like an awesome coach, the other a complete waste of money.
It is your choice which student you want to be.
Remember, riding is hard; but it is a whole lot harder if we keep making the same stupid decisions.
Train smarter!

In no way do I apologise for the tough love expressed here in my ramblings and if I have offended anyone, please read rule 2 again 😉
However, it is important to remember, we are all doing the best we can.
We are conflicted with where we want to be as a rider and where we are at this moment.
We are in a constant struggle with what we want to believe in and what we actually do believe and the actions we take.
If we are improving, that is as good enough.
We all improve at our own pace and good coaches will help you speed things along.
Great ones will have you understanding and enjoying the journey (mostly) 😉

Remember to “Shut up & ride!”
© Peter Haynes 2021
www.peterhaynes.com.au
www.patreon.com/ShutUpandRide
Tel: 0417653371

03/05/2024

Back by popular demand I am reposting this from several years ago :)

HOW TO BE A LESS S**T RIDER 😊

1: OWN YOUR S**T
It is your horse and your riding, so it is your s**t to do something about.
Take ownership, figure out just what are the problems and make a list.
Seeing just what, and where that s**t is, will help you do something about it.
The fact is, we are all s**t riders at times, if we refuse to acknowledge or even see our troubles, well, that is where the s**ttiest problem lies.

2: GET YOUR S**T IN A PILE
Now it is time to take responsibility of your horse’s training and your own.
Become systematic in your approach to riding and training.
I do not mean become indoctrinated to any one system, but to do things methodically, so you can understand what is working and what is just scattering your pile of s**t all over the place.
Eliminate what is not working for you and practice what is.
Hone your system so you have clarity as to what you must do to take control of that s**tpile.
All in all, if you do this well, you may still have s**t to deal with but at least it will be in a neater and more organized pile

3: LEARN S**T
Learn what you need to learn.
You are responsible for not only your own education but that of your horse.
No one else.
Yes, get help to stack that s**t in a neat pile but in the end, you are the one responsible for the direction you take and the philosophies you follow.
If emotions get in the way, learn coping skills that will help and practice them.
A good coach/mentor can help you navigate the difficult road of riding and emotions.
An excellent one will have you understanding what you have to do and that you have to do it yourself!
The counter intuitive thing is, an excellent coach will teach you that you can do it without them, yet they are the coach you need!
Make sure you find one that can and does help you.

4: MAKE A NEATER PILE OF S**T
As you learn more, you can keep refining that pile so it can appear quite neat.
All the riders whom you admire, have done exactly that.
They have become so good at stacking their pile, it no longer appears like s**t but something magnificent.
Keep refining your pile of s**t until it is your own piece of magnificence!

5: SHUT THE DOOR ON YOUR OWN S**TSHOW
When training horses, things can and will go to wrong.
Simple fact is, we all make mistakes.
S**t happens, probably more times than we all care to mention. That is just the nature of this sport.
Do not, I repeat DO NOT, make a drama out of it.
Everyone has s**tty moments, s**t days, and even extended periods where it is just plain crap.
No need to scatter your s**t everywhere.
Take a deep breath and get back to stacking that pile.
Take a break if you need to, that pile is not going anywhere, it will be there tomorrow or whenever you decide to start straightening it again.
That way you can remain clear in what you need to do.
Keep that s**tpile as neat as possible and learn what you must, and I promise you, things will get better.
In fact, my s**ttiest moments in training horses were where the lessons I needed to learn dwelled...
The experience gained from those s**tty times helped me stack my pile so neatly that I had a vantage place I could stand on, to gain the success I achieved.
(the photo is of me in a s**tty moment at Adelaide the year before I won that prestigious event. I went home and seriously got my s**t in a pile)

Remember to “Shut up & ride!” 😊
© Peter Haynes 2021
www.peterhaynes.com.au
Want to buy me a coffee or show appreciation?
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/my/profile
www.patreon.com/ShutUpandRide
Tel: 0417653371

03/01/2024

Peter’s Weekly Motivator
a.k.a The Weekly Kick Up The Butt

GO DOWN THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

I am going to try to give a weekly kick up the butt, errr I mean a motivator at the start of each week 😉

When I first started eventing, I had a wealth of experience with breaking in, campdrafting, stock work, polo crosse, rodeos and general bush bashing around on horses.
If there was a problem horse to be ridden within a hundred miles, I was there!
I revelled in the challenge and honestly thought I could meet any thrown at me.
I took to eventing like a duck to water and the only real issue was that damned dressage phase…
I did what everyone else (that I saw) was doing, get the horse in a frame in any fashion I could.
I fiddled, I yanked and even jabbed. I look back now, and I am not proud of what I did, but it was a very important learning curve in me finding the “Road Less Travelled”
I thought at the time “Everyone else is doing it this way, so it must be right, yeah?”
***Spoiler for the rest of the article I was WRONG!***
Well, to cut this long story shorter, I was successful enough to win a lot.
I am winning so I must be doing right, was my mentality. (Wrong again)
My continued success meant I was fortunate enough to be selected for an Australian team to go to New Zealand.
This is where I found the road I was on, was really a slippery slope to nowhere.
That, in fact, there was a much, much better way.
A path that few go down as it takes self-responsibility and absolute commitment.
A journey so epic, that it changed my understanding of horses and the connection we can achieve with them.
At the time, I was told in no uncertain terms, by the team coach Wayne Roycroft, that my riding wasn’t of a standard required to compete at this level.
Perhaps I am paraphrasing here, but I remember it something along the lines of: “You ride like a #*@&ing pony clubber!”
Ironic as I had never been to Pony Club in my life!
The truth is, I really struggled on that tour.
I was completely out of my depth and my horse eventually received an injury due to my inadequate knowledge and skills to compete at what was a true international level.
This injury kept me from competing him at Taupo Three Day Event the main reason the team was there.
Some would say that experience was a horrible one, that I failed and even describe it as a disaster.
To be honest, I felt that way for a while, but soon realised this was in fact, the kick up the butt I needed to make the changes I had to.
The changes that led me down what I am calling “Road Less Travelled”.
Both Wayne Roycroft and Andrew Hoy taught me things I had never heard before.
Concepts that are obvious to me now, like keeping your hands together and still, an elastic contact, where the horse stretches into a more-or-less restraining hand.
I embraced that journey, and the road took me to some of the world’s best coaches to learn this elusive but essential understanding of what contact to the horse’s mouth truly can be.
This journey continues to this day, where I learn more about each horse I ride and help train. How this amazing connection can make even the most difficult horse calm and responsive.
This journey allowed me to ride incredibly difficult but oh so talented horses like Alcheringa, who would not abide a less than steady contact.
This journey has been far from easy but thoroughly worth it!

Now. my weekly motivator for you is to learn to keep your hands together and still.
Stop fidgeting and find a still, elastic, and steady contact.
Anyone who has done any riding, especially dressage has heard the term of "steady contact".
I honestly fail to see how we can create a “steady” contact with a fidgeting and moving hand.
Get off the quick fix path of getting a frame or getting the horse’s head down by forcing or cajoling (fidgeting) and learn to truly ride from behind, “leg to hand”, from the back end to the front end.
Do not what is fashionable; do what is best for the horse!
This contact creates an amazing feeling called “on the bit” (see my definition below) and horses will improve in all phases; dressage, cross country and show jumping as they are in better balance.

Now my butt kicking is done, I will leave you with two very important concepts that I embrace when I coach:
1/ “Ride forward from the leg to the forward thinking hand that is more or less restraining”
2/ “On the bit is a horse moving freely forward from behind and over the back, stretching forward into the steady contact that is more or less on the vertical”

Remember to “Shut up & ride!”
© Peter Haynes 2022
www.peterhaynes.com.au
www.patreon.com/ShutUpandRide
Tel: 0417653371

22/07/2023

18/05/2023

I have not updated in awhile.
Today I was multitasking skills giving a lesson to a nice young horse and a determined rider. I did manage to capture this 100fps slo-mo showing a horse stretching into the steady hand quite nicely :)

08/02/2023

Mixing skills today with coaching and photography.
Sarnia has been a long-time pupil and is making huge progress with her horse Lucky, who can be a typical tricky thoroughbred but is turning into a calm and confident jumping horse.
Well done Sarnia and Lucky!

25/01/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10160103870599060&id=574959059&mibextid=Nif5oz

Peter’s Weekly Motivator
a.k.a The Weekly Kick Up The Butt

GO DOWN THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

I am going to try to give a weekly kick up the butt, errr I mean a motivator at the start of each week 😉

When I first started eventing, I had a wealth of experience with breaking in, campdrafting, stock work, polo crosse, rodeos and general bush bashing around on horses.
If there was a problem horse to be ridden within a hundred miles, I was there!
I revelled in the challenge and honestly thought I could meet any thrown at me.
I took to eventing like a duck to water and the only real issue was that damned dressage phase…
I did what everyone else (that I saw) was doing, get the horse in a frame in any fashion I could.
I fiddled, I yanked and even jabbed. I look back now, and I am not proud of what I did, but it was a very important learning curve in me finding the “Road Less Travelled”
I thought at the time “Everyone else is doing it this way, so it must be right, yeah?”
***Spoiler for the rest of the article I was WRONG!***
Well, to cut this long story shorter, I was successful enough to win a lot.
I am winning so I must be doing right, was my mentality. (Wrong again)
My continued success meant I was fortunate enough to be selected for an Australian team to go to New Zealand.
This is where I found the road I was on, was really a slippery slope to nowhere.
That, in fact, there was a much, much better way.
A path that few go down as it takes self-responsibility and absolute commitment.
A journey so epic, that it changed my understanding of horses and the connection we can achieve with them.
At the time, I was told in no uncertain terms, by the team coach Wayne Roycroft, that my riding wasn’t of a standard required to compete at this level.
Perhaps I am paraphrasing here, but I remember it something along the lines of: “You ride like a #*@&ing pony clubber!”
Ironic as I had never been to Pony Club in my life!
The truth is, I really struggled on that tour.
I was completely out of my depth and my horse eventually received an injury due to my inadequate knowledge and skills to compete at what was a true international level.
This injury kept me from competing him at Taupo Three Day Event the main reason the team was there.
Some would say that experience was a horrible one, that I failed and even describe it as a disaster.
To be honest, I felt that way for a while, but soon realised this was in fact, the kick up the butt I needed to make the changes I had to.
The changes that led me down what I am calling “Road Less Travelled”.
Both Wayne Roycroft and Andrew Hoy taught me things I had never heard before.
Concepts that are obvious to me now, like keeping your hands together and still, an elastic contact, where the horse stretches into a more-or-less restraining hand.
I embraced that journey, and the road took me to some of the world’s best coaches to learn this elusive but essential understanding of what contact to the horse’s mouth truly can be.
This journey continues to this day, where I learn more about each horse I ride and help train. How this amazing connection can make even the most difficult horse calm and responsive.
This journey allowed me to ride incredibly difficult but oh so talented horses like Alcheringa, who would not abide a less than steady contact.
This journey has been far from easy but thoroughly worth it!

Now. my weekly motivator for you is to learn to keep your hands together and still.
Stop fidgeting and find a still, elastic, and steady contact.
Anyone who has done any riding, especially dressage has heard the term of "steady contact".
I honestly fail to see how we can create a “steady” contact with a fidgeting and moving hand.
Get off the quick fix path of getting a frame or getting the horse’s head down by forcing or cajoling (fidgeting) and learn to truly ride from behind, “leg to hand”, from the back end to the front end.
Do not what is fashionable; do what is best for the horse!
This contact creates an amazing feeling called “on the bit” (see my definition below) and horses will improve in all phases; dressage, cross country and show jumping as they are in better balance.

Now my butt kicking is done, I will leave you with two very important concepts that I embrace when I coach:
1/ “Ride forward from the leg to the forward thinking hand that is more or less restraining”
2/ “On the bit is a horse moving freely forward from behind and over the back, stretching forward into the steady contact that is more or less on the vertical”

Remember to “Shut up & ride!”
© Peter Haynes 2022
www.peterhaynes.com.au
www.patreon.com/ShutUpandRide
Tel: 0417653371

20/01/2023

Shut Up and Vault demonstrated by Eliza, who is a very good rider as well :)

04/01/2023