I didn’t get into eventing until I was an adult. I rode and competed horses in pretty much every other English discipline except eventing. Until one day, a friend of mine invited me cross-country schooling with my green but very game Thoroughbred gelding, and I was hooked. Where had this sport been all of my life?
There were some elements to eventing, in the beginning, that came as a culture shock. I was used to paying a trainer to be there in the warm-up arena, to yell at me while I jumped my course, and to hold my hand, in so many words, basically the whole weekend away at a horse show. In eventing, it just didn’t go down like that. I was surprised but also intrigued by the independent nature of most eventing riders, especially the amateurs. I could see how this mindset would help build my confidence and my skills. Another barrier I faced was that there weren’t any local eventing trainers near me. Now I’m fortunate to be in Florida, where there are many amazing trainers up the road in Ocala and elsewhere, but none that were close or accessible enough to create a strong routine.
If only Ride iQ had existed then.
Ride iQ is the everyday equestrian coaching app for all riders. It offers audio lessons from world-class instructors from a variety of disciplines. Basically any training issue or exercise you can think of, there’s a lesson for that in Ride iQ. And it’s so easy to use. Scroll through the app’s library of lessons, pop in your headphones, click play, and ride on. Now, I’m not somebody who listens to music or podcasts much when I ride. I like to feel plugged in with my horse. But with Ride iQ, I felt so connected to the lesson I was listening to. And I could hear that my instructors (like Kyle Carter and Doug Payne) were riding while they were talking too. We were literally performing the same movements and exercises while the lesson played on. Not only was it interactive, but it feels incredibly personal. The instruction is fine-tuned to what I was trying to troubleshoot on my own.
What I like most about Ride iQ is just how easy it is to use. You don’t have to be a tech genius to thumb through the library of lessons and find one that suits your needs. And there’s so much more than just lessons on the app – on my commute to and from the barn, I’m often listening to podcasts from top riders, who are open and honest with addressing the mental and cultural sides of the sport. Or I’m listening to an “ask the expert” session, where the app allows users to write in with questions to top riders.
Ride iQ is worth the investment, especially for me now, as I bring along two horses at two completely different levels. I’m an amateur with a day job. I don’t have the time (or the funds, let’s be real) for weekly in-person lessons on both horses. Nor do I have access to the quality of trainers available in the app. With a free two-week trial, and just a monthly subscription fee after that, you’re saving money while learning from some of the best instructors in the world. It truly is a tremendous resource.
This product review originally published in the Heels Down Spark. Get more conversation starters in your inbox every weekday morning by subscribing to the Spark now.