How Arena Mirrors Can Help Your Training

To keep improving and reaching our riding goals, we all need help in our training. Mirrors for Training is the only choice if you’re serious about your sport and the safety of your horse. It’s the best full-time trainer you’ll find.

Arena mirrors are becoming more and more popular with amateur and professional riders alike, and it’s easy to see why. Not only are these training aids affordable and easy to use, but integrating mirrors into your training programme can really deliver results.

Most riders would love to have an instructor with them each time they ride, to help them perfect their position, to feedback on movements and more. Mirrors don’t take the place of an instructor as they can’t provide you with instruction, but the visual feedback delivered through an accurate, clear reflection allows significant improvements to be made, to get the most out of your instruction at the time and when schooling alone.

Why Arena Mirrors Are Essential For Better Training

Visual feedback provides a great way to learn, in fact, 65% of the population are visual learners.

Have you ever videoed yourself (or asked someone to video you) in the arena, to review the footage at home and see that you’re not straight in the saddle, that your horse wasn’t working correctly or that a movement could have been improved if a couple of adjustments had been made? Assessing in this way can be frustrating, as the moment has passed. Using mirrors to check at the time allows instant correction, leading to faster improvement…and using mirrors to do this allows you to check whatever you need to at the time, before you get used to (and train yourself to) the feel of the movement working on at the
time.

Mirrors are essential equipment for improving and monitoring flatwork. Whatever your discipline they give the rider the opportunity to truly assess their performance with their horse. Installed in your arena, suitable for indoor or outdoor, not only do mirrors look prestigious, they create a professional environment.

Any rider will benefit from the addition of mirrors to their facility, particularly if dressage is your chosen sport. Mirrors offer the ability to see the job you are doing and react on it immediately, without the intervention of a trainer or video. Your horse can feel the correction at the right time, because you are able
to see it in real time. Your trainer can also explain what he or she wants from the movement and it will be clearer to you, because you can see it. Through the use of mirrors you will practice good habits, such as proper angle in your half passes and shoulders ins, or proper seat and leg position. If you are a trainer the help they give you in teaching flying changes, or making sure the piaffe and passage are even and straight is absolutely irreplaceable. The more time you spend riding correctly the easier it is to repeat in the show arena.

Our clients tell us from the first day they used their mirrors they have noticed a huge improvement and wouldn’t be without them. Strategically placed mirrors in your arena are a valuable asset, helping you monitor your horses movements, even when your instructor isn’t there. As you look into the mirror you will see immediately bad posture and if you are riding straight. As you get into the habit of looking at the mirror rather than your horse your balance and posture will improve.

These mirrors mean you’ll be able to see what the judge sees, so you can correct what you need to when you need to. Your horse can feel the correction at the right time because you’re able to see it in real time this important visual feedback enables your training to move forward at a quicker pace.