Data and analysis can be used to evaluate your current performance. EquiRatings has been doing this for Olympic Programs and for the wider world (Simple Metrics). That same analysis can show you how to set targets and reach your goals. But what about the piece in the middle? We heard riders saying, 'this is where I am, this is where I want to go, now show me how'.
With that in mind, we partnered with a US company called OnForm to build a video analysis and coaching tool. It allows coaches and riders to connect, in any equestrian discipline, at any level, to get feedback and exercises.
Our tool allows athletes to upload a video of a piece of training and receive coaching and feedback from any rider or coach, anywhere in the world.
EquiRatings can now show you where you are, help you set a target for where you are going and, using this tool, we can help you connect with a coach to show you how.
Technology has changed how many services around the world can be delivered and we believe that coaching is no different. Twenty years ago, only the biggest companies in the world could claim to have access to the entire world as their market. Nowadays, a global business can be managed from your bedroom. We wanted to create a tool that would allow riders to access the expertise of the entire coaching world and would allow coaches to connect with and train any rider, in any country, who wanted to use their service.
We are not trying to replace in-person coaching, but improve it. A coach you do train with in-person can take a short video (with the video stored in your channel) and add voiceover and markup for you to watch later. Parents, grooms and the wider support team can also upload your video into your channel.
It is a tool for:
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Our camera rolls are full of random videos of horses, mostly our own. But imagine being a coach or managing a bigger team?
You will have a dedicated channel for communication, uploading and receiving personalised feedback and guidance from a coach.
One upload will allow your support crew of parents, grooms or friends to see a video or, if they are the ones taking the video, they can upload it to your channel for you. If you are part of a team who are all sharing or receiving the same video, you can have a team channel.
You can record a video in-app or upload from your camera. You can then use the video analysis tools for slow motion scrolling, easy voiceover recording to facilitate feedback delivery, and smart drawing tools to help pinpoint the key areas for improvement.
The video which has been reviewed, marked-up and voiced-over can then be uploaded back into the channel directly for the athlete.
EquiRatings OnForm is about making communication and feedback simple, fast and organised. It is also about making it accessible to everyone. Video has been easy to capture for years, but the process of storing and adding value to the digital footprint has been awkward, slow and ineffective. We believe we can change that.
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The lessons from a training session can now be replayed for long-lasting retention and application. Capturing key moments (as an in-session coach, or as rider) using EquiRatings OnForm means that your ability to learn quickly and effectively is increased through visual playback of your own performance. It can be hard for a coach to tell you again and again, but now you can both watch the video and see it for yourself. Your feedback videos are stored in your library so that you can revisit the session and continue the discussion with your coach and your team.
Our platform allows you to stay connected with your coaches and your team at all times. Of course, no one is expected to be contactable all the time (no more than you would expect any rider or coach to be) but using the EquiRatings OnForm app means the option is always there. Coaches will set the parameters and expectations as to how often they will be available. Keeping the connection with a coach you clicked with at a one-time clinic is now possible and the learning process can continue to thrive. The relationship between coach and athlete is key and we don’t always get lucky enough to live in the vicinity of our perfect coach.
‘Purposeful practice’ and ‘training smart’ are well-used clichés in every sport. In equestrian sport, what these phrases actually mean is plan your sessions, see your performance in order to understand it better, get feedback from the best coaches for you, and then revisit your sessions so you can learn from them again.
If you have ever wondered what you will do with your horse as you start tacking up, if you have ever asked yourself ‘why doesn’t this feel good’ as you ride, and if you have ever finished a training session and then never learned or progressed from that session, then it is time to get OnForm.
If you're ready to start exploring, download the EquiRatings OnForm app.
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