Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question posed is: How do you handle a client who takes routine feedback overly personally?
Here are their answers:
“All of my customers that have been with me a while know that I don’t mince words, and they know it’s nothing personal. I explain to all my newer customers that that’s the way I am. (If you do something right, I’ll praise you. If you don’t, I’m not going to lie to you!) We have a sign up in the barn that says: Average riders want to be left alone. Good riders want to be coached. Great riders want to be told the truth.
Riding/showing can be a hard sport. You’ve got to develop a tough skin. It’s not personal- I’m just trying to teach you something hard.” -Jennifer Pigue
Read more from Jennifer here.
“In those situations, my focus is on the horse, the person’s safety, and realistic goals.
The rhythm of learning has to be focused on the horse and taken as slowly as necessary. Pointing out small victories or lessons learned will hopefully one day register with a sensitive person. Make it as honest, fun, and safe as possible.” -Diane Carney
Read more from Diane and listen to her on The Plaidcast here.
“I always try to teach from a place of positivity. A lot of riders at every level have some degree of insecurity. Using “yes” statements instead of “no” statements helps students to receive the message in a way that avoids defensiveness.” -Geoff Case
Read more from Geoff and listen to him on The Plaidcast here.
“I try my best to give stories of similar situations that I’m trying to help the client understand or help learn how to be better by relating to circumstances that they’re in so they don’t feel alone in order to not be as sensitive. Make sure they realize that they are not alone, everyone has things to work on! You only learn from mistakes, and if we were all perfect what fun would that be!” -Dana Hart-Callanan
Read more from Dana here.
“When a client takes my response to their ride personally, I try then to make suggestions to correct them rather than actually telling them they are doing it wrong.” -James Toon
