Meredith truly enjoys the wide range of students she’s able to teach,  and relishes the opportunity to hone her ability to help each student reach both their short-term and long-term goals; which range anywhere from improving the quality of their ride and their relationship with their horse and developing confidence, to joining a riding club such as Pony Club or attending a local or A-rated show.

 

When asked what her favorite part about riding is, Meredith responded that she likes that she is always learning something new. She explained with, "My partnership with my horses is an evolution - they teach me as much as I teach them. They have their individual personality traits and I get to work to bring out the best in them”.

 

As the best teachers know, there is a time to push and a time to take a step back and let students process information in their own time. This seems like a very complex issue, so I asked Meredith how she knows when it's time to push and when to step back. She disclosed that "I tend to be very energetic and want to impart all of my knowledge; however, I know when my students are frustrated and need me to step back and simplify or provide fewer 'homework' items both in and out of the lesson. At the same time, if a student needs more information and would like to progress, I'm open to their inputs and feedback and work to allow them to move forward".

 

When asked what she finds most difficult about teaching/coaching, Meredith answered, “I think having a limited amount of time per lesson is difficult. There is so much to learn and we can't reasonably spend all of our time in the saddle (we have to sleep sometimes)!”  

 

Finally, Meredith was asked what she felt was the most important piece of information she’d like to impart to each/every student. Her response—“I'd like all of my students to know it is ok to question, have a different opinion, and ask for more advice and guidance when riding or building their relationship with their horse”.