# Teaching an ADHD beginner student



## Chicalia (Nov 5, 2013)

Just curious... I'm a teacher, though not a riding instructor. What specific problems is she having during lessons?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I worked with one, a lad of 12. He loved horses but couldn't stay put. He wanted to ride, hammer nails, use the drill, groom the horse, all at almost the same time. As soon as he'd circled the paddock once, he wanted to do something else. I have no idea where it came from but I told him if he would ride for 20 min I'd let him help me with a carpentry project and he could use the drill. It worked.


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## MiniMom24 (Mar 13, 2013)

What are you having her do right now and what seems to be the issues? That may help give more ideas on moving forward. You say there may be more than ADHD to her, can you explain a bit more so we can help maybe direct you?


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

For some riders who need a lot of sensory input/stimulation, you might need to rethink the order of doing things for this student. A couple of questions:
1. What is your entry routine for this student when she comes in to the barn? Very literally, the minute her foot is out of the car, what happens next?
2. You say she's a beginner, what is she working on now? If she's beyond walking, does the "exciting stuff" like trotting/cantering only happen at the end? Could you safely do a little of it first to get the thrill/anticipation out of the way, work on some more technical stuff with the reward of more "exciting" stuff happening again at the end?
3. Can you tape yourself teaching her to assess how you deliver info/break down concepts? Or just have someone watch you teach and give you feedback on what you're doing in moments when she's focused vs not?

I am happy to talk through this with you, I have lots of experience with kids like this in the school classroom and in a therapeutic riding setting. Sometimes it takes a bit of detective work to figure out the right routine. The barn is so exciting and so overstimulating all at once!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I would be curious to hear what the issues you are having are. I would assume because you are an experienced instructor that you've already ruled out disinterest and the Black Stallion Syndrome. My son is ADD and has dyslexia so he learns differently then other kids and we have been dealing with this in sports as well as school. He has taken pitching lessons from a few people but we happened to hook up with one that is ADHD and also has dyslexia. We always laugh because they speak the same language.


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## Piper182 (Jun 18, 2009)

Hello all and thank you for your interest in helping. I truly appreciate it. That being said, please excuse the length of my reply.

Julia is very interested in horses and riding and has been riding twice a week with me for a little over 6 months. After much trial and error on my part, I have recently started her on a goal-based lesson. Every lesson, the goal is trotting, mainly in 2-point because her posting makes me nervous she will fall off the horse (heels, balance, strength and not holding on are issues while posting). We begin the lesson with an exercise (an obstacle course or game) based on steering and if she can complete it correctly, then we will trot. Some days, we trot for half of the lesson, some none at all.

One of her lessons is on a weekend and because her medicine is still active, she tends to be more attentive, but the other after school tends to be (excuse the expression) a hot mess. Her parents insist after school is better and when I have tried to speak with them about my problems with her attention, they get a bit defensive. Now, they barely watch the lessons, if at all.

When she is having an off day, I am usually worried for safety reasons. She will walk into oncoming horse traffic in hand, let go of the horse both on and off, and giggle uncontrollably while trying to concentrate on the task. These are all after I have repeatedly reminded her how to do the next step. I have explained the dangers in depth, but when I ask her later why we do something, she usually responds with, "Because it would hurt," or "Someone would die," words I rarely/never utter to a student.

We repeat all aids vocally many times per lesson, but she still will kick or squeeze while asking for a halt or pull while asking to walk. She often confuses her knee for her heel and will point to her knee when asked where her heel is.

She is a smart girl, I know that she is. Sometimes, I think her memory issue is more laziness so she can pay attention to other things while I remind her of the answer. If I push her, she will usually remember the correct answer, sometimes prompted, other times not. But only on good days.

I purposefully put her on our sweet and patient horses, so she I do not have to worry about the horse wandering away when let go of or spooking when she curls into a ball and giggles while trotting or getting too angry when she pulls and kicks or spins them in small circles. 

I have unfortunately lost my temper with her a few times, repeating loudly to her that I do not want to have to tell her not to let her horse go again or something of the like, but she always remains unphased and quickly lapses into another giggle fit (she says it is because she thought of something funny) even though I feel horrible that I snapped at her.

Any help, or more information about her disease, is greatly appreciated. I have been researching for weeks before I thought to ask you're advice on here.

Have a great day and thanks again.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

Okay I am not a psychologist etc but I have a brother who is severely ADD and worked as a voluteer with a PATH hippotherapy facility.

ADD/ADHD people learn by repetition of doing the right thing not from errors and consequences. Make sure you make a big deal out of the successes so that she registers them and can learn from them If she thinks 'teacher was so proud of me when I held my reins so still' she is more likely to remember it than if you constantly correct her when she is wrong.

You wouldn't make a distractable young horse do the same thing for a whole schooling session and probably the child needs the same variety. Trotting may be scary and you have goals for that but there is more you can do than just two point. Practice four strides posting, then four strides two-point then four strides sitting (if she's ready) This will really help her balance as well as get her engaged. Move her all around the arena not just on the rail switching gaits frequently. Give her a reason to be engaged in the lesson mentally. Practice maneuvers that require finesse to get her thinking about where her body is and how she is moving it in relation to her horse- turn on forehand and haunches are great for this as well as back up to trot or walk etc. 

That's my two cents. I am so glad you are taking this student on I really wish we had gotten my brother riding lessons to teach him how to move his body or anything else with a good teacher that would work to understand him and appreciate him.


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

I 100% agree with lostastirrup. Repetition. Focus on one thing for that lesson and just stick to it. It can be something like- at every halt, touch your heels. And yes- praise her for even the slightest success.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Don't even think about the child having issues. Play it by ear. If it's not working, change it. I worked with four special needs (I hate that term) teens, individually, knowing nothing about this up front who were here for riding lessons. The fetal alcohol really put me to the test. The others did also but not quite as much. When I felt we were getting nowhere there'd be a glimmer of hope and we'd go with that. I loved the challenge which made me rethink how I taught. At the end of the lesson it was a happy parent that helped me see how much we'd accomplished.


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## Piper182 (Jun 18, 2009)

Hey all, quick question,

Is her short term memory issue a symptom of ADHD, laziness, or something else? She exhibits similar symptoms of asperger's syndrome students I have taught. The checking for other horses, letting go of the horse and mistaking parts of her body worry me.

My next step is unfortunately to refer her to a therapeutic riding center. By the way, the goal of trotting is hers. She wants to trot and canter on her own, though I don't know if she knows what cantering truly is. That was why I chose trotting as the goal.


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## lostastirrup (Jan 6, 2015)

> Is her short term memory issue a symptom of ADHD, laziness, or something else?


That would be something to have a nice long sitdown discussion with her parents about. Horseback riding is great for kids especially ones with learning disabilities etc. letting o of the horse I can see with ADD but I can't see forgetting body-parts.


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