Tag Archives: Training

Sample AI-Enhanced Weekly Training Plan (Dressage Rider & Horse)

Assumptions

  • Rider: Intermediate/advanced (working at PSG/Inter I level, but this model can scale).
  • Horse: Fit, sound, and schooling advanced movements, with individual personality/needs.
  • Tech available:
    • Video capture (phone + AI analysis app).
    • Horse heart rate & motion tracker (e.g., girth or bridle sensor).
    • Rider smartwatch/HRV monitor.
    • AI training journal app integrating data.

Monday – Baseline & Technical Focus

  • Warm-up: 15 min, AI wearable tracks horse HR & stride regularity.
  • Main session: Focus on collected trot → passage transitions.
    • AI guidance: Video app highlights rider seat depth + horse’s hock flexion.
    • Feedback: AI notes slight loss of rhythm when rider’s shoulders tip forward. Suggests posture cue (“shoulder blades back”) + repeat with rider breathing regulation.
  • Cool down: Long rein, HR recovery tracked.
  • Rider psychology: AI journal prompts: “How confident did you feel in passage work today? Rate 1–5.”
  • Adaptive adjustment: If HR recovery slow → AI flags next day as lighter.

Tuesday – Rider Mental Skills + Horse Suppleness

  • Rider prep (off-horse):
    • AI breathing app, 10 min guided HRV training.
    • Visualisation practice: imagine piaffe transitions with calm shoulders.
  • Arena session (light):
    • Focus on suppleness: lateral work (shoulder-in, half-pass) in trot and canter.
    • AI video: Detects horse straightness issues (quarters trailing in half-pass). Suggests pole exercise tomorrow to improve engagement.
  • Horse HRV: Lower stress, good recovery → confirms yesterday’s workload was well absorbed.

Wednesday – Strength & Gymnastic Training

  • Ground poles & canter transitions:
    • AI wearable tracks stride length consistency over poles.
    • Video analysis: Rider tendency to collapse hip on left rein flagged. AI suggests targeted off-horse exercise (side plank) for stability.
  • Session intensity: Moderate.
  • Evening AI journal: Rider prompted: “Notice how your seat stability affects canter balance. What mental cue helps you stay centered?”

Thursday – Active Recovery & Connection

  • Horse: Hacking or long, low schooling session.
  • AI suggestion: Based on slight muscle stiffness (from HR motion tracker), keep it easy to avoid overloading.
  • Rider: Off-horse Pilates session suggested by AI (based on posture asymmetry detected in video).
  • Behaviour monitoring: AI detects relaxed ear position and steady tail carriage → confirms welfare positive.

Friday – High-Intensity Skill Session

  • Focus: Canter pirouettes & transitions.
    • Video analysis: Horse rhythm loss when pirouette too tight. AI recommends building with ½ pirouettes and bigger circles first.
    • Rider HR: Spike before attempting pirouette → AI suggests short breathing exercise before retrying.
  • AI coaching tip: “Try 3 breaths before each pirouette attempt. See if HR stabilises and horse maintains rhythm.”
  • Outcome: Improved second set of pirouettes.

Saturday – Competition Simulation

  • Arena test ride: Ride through PSG test under “competition conditions.”
    • AI tracks accuracy of lines, transitions, and horse’s gait quality.
    • Video highlights areas for improvement (e.g., late changes, crooked halt).
    • Rider HR: Elevated in first centerline → AI suggests refining pre-ride routine (mental warm-up + relaxation).
  • Debrief in journal: Rider notes confidence, stress triggers. AI app correlates with horse data (slight tension in first medium trot).

Sunday – Rest & Reflection

  • Horse: Pasture turnout or very light hack.
  • Rider: Recovery (stretching, mindfulness, maybe short gym).
  • AI summary: Weekly review generated:
    • Best sessions: Wed (strength) + Fri (pirouettes).
    • Key rider cue: Maintain shoulder alignment to prevent rhythm loss.
    • Horse welfare: Good overall HR recovery; stiffness on Thursday suggests careful monitoring.
    • Mental note: Stress peaks at start of complex movements → incorporate breathing + visualisation in warm-up.

Big Picture Benefits

  • AI integrates all streams → no guesswork about whether horse/rider were “tired or stressed.”
  • Progress tracking → video + biometrics + journal show real change in horse movement & rider mindset.
  • Personalisation → plan evolves week by week, based on real responses.