Equine Coaching On Demand (Ride IQ Horse Riding App Review)

High-Tech EQ is our series of in-depth personal reviews showing how technology can help equestrians enjoy more time, safety, and peace-of-mind. With 30+ years working in the tech industry, our team understands what makes (or breaks) the effectiveness of “smart” products and apps.

Learn from Equestrian Experts Anytime, Anywhere

Ride iQ is an equestrian app offering on-demand riding lessons from world-class coaches. It’s very user friendly and offers lessons for many levels of dressage, hunters, jumpers, and eventing.

The Ride iQ app is like Peleton® for equestrians.

Instructors You’ll Love

The caliber of coaches available to learn from is impressive. Individuals such as Holly Hudspeth, Jon Holling, Kyle Carter, Ema Klugman, Leslie Law, and Doug Payne are all at your fingertips.

I’ve been riding with Ride iQ for several weeks, and I feel like my rides are more focused. Plus, I am more motivated to get on my horse and learn new skills.

While nothing can replace an in-person trainer, this app does a great job filling in on my independent schooling days.

Ride iQ: How to Listen

I listen to the lessons in real time while I am riding my horse. I find it very easy to follow along with what the coach is doing. I ride with my phone in my pocket and wireless headphones.

I am using AfterShokz Aeropex open-ear sport headphones while I ride.

What I really like about these particular headphones is that there is nothing in or over my ears. This way I can still hear what is going on around me. It is also easy to reach up and hit the pause button if I need more time to work on a skill.

Broad Suite of Resources

This app offers more than just on-demand riding lessons. There are visual aids, weekly office hours, and podcasts available, too.

Lesson Deep Dive

The lesson section of the app contains Flatwork, Jumping, Programs, and Tests, each with their own subset of material.

When you select a ride, you can see a preview of that ride, what you need before you do that ride, and what benefits come from a particular lesson, and the skill level the lesson is designed for.

FLATWORK LESSONS

• Flatwork Warmups: These are designed to be used a warm-ups, but I find them to be great full lessons as well.
• Flatwork Skills: These tend to be shorter in length and used after your horse is warmed up.
• Flatwork Cooldowns: Very short relaxation exercises for after a ride.

*Flatwork sessions are broken down by skill level (green, yellow, orange).

JUMPING LESSONS

• Jumping Warm-ups: These sessions address specific issues areas (e.g. behind the leg) and goals (e.g. conditioning) that will make your jumping practice more productive.
• Jumping Skills: Typically 10-30 minutes each, these lessons help you improve things like gymnastics, bending lines, and spooky horses.

Programs

These currently contain two horses, each at different stages in their training career, and a series of lessons used in their training.

Tests

These are USEF dressage and eventing tests read out to you as you ride. There are also many visual guides to help you master your dressage tests along with tips and tricks.

Visuals

The next section of the app is visuals. Here you will find some jumping lesson visuals as well as some flatwork video clips to help support the audio rides.

Podcasts

The podcast section of the app is one of my favorite features. I listen to these in the car, usually on the way to the barn, to get me jazzed up about riding. There are conversations with coaches which helps you get to know a little more about who you are listening to in the lessons.

You can also access previous Office Hours sessions here too (a little about those below).

Office Hours

Each week members are invited to attend a live Q&A session. Here, members can ask anything to the coach hosting. It is a wonderful supplement to the app. It is an open platform where you can ask about nearly anything.

If you can’t make the live session, they are recorded and you can listen whenever.

Parting Thoughts

In-person lessons are wonderful, but they aren’t always possible. Perhaps you have a busy work schedule. Or, maybe your budget is tight. Whatever the reason, you can now access lessons anytime and anywhere with the Ride iQ app.

Best of all, the company offers a 7-day trial, so you can try before you buy.

Ready to get started? Sign up for Ride iQ here.

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