Rider Accuracy vs. Precision: How you become a better rider!
This week, I had an eye-opening clay pigeon shooting lesson. I was consistently missing my target by less than a centimeter—so close, yet so far! Hitting about 50% of my shots felt decent for a beginner, but it made me think about the difference between precision and accuracy. In ball sports and shooting, these terms are often discussed, but in the world of equestrian sports, they don’t get nearly as much attention. This is something I talk a lot about with riders in my sessions on the simulator.
In a recent rider physio session, we focused on her jumping—using the simulator and then in the arena, tackling specific challenges which often mean she has poles down in a show jumping round (incorrect). Video analysis told us that the rider consistently anticipates the jump, going earlier than the horse, and then stands up in the stirrups instead of feeling the take-off and folding properly. So, we have worked hard on improving her jumping technique using the simulator and off-horse exercises. But when we put it all together in the arena, there was a variety of results: some jumps were spot on, others were okay, and a few still reflected her old habits. By changing her position and enhancing her understanding and feeling, we altered her precision, which helped improve her accuracy—resulting in some good and some okay jumps. This process of refining her technique highlighted how improving accuracy can enhance performance. By working off the horse and on the simulator, we improved her precision, giving her better movement patterns to repeat when she jumps, whether on her own or in a competition.
And this is what I want for riders—to not need to rely on an instructor or coach in a lesson to help refine their position and give them feedback that only temporarily improves their riding.
So why does that progress sometimes disappear when you’re riding on your own after you got it in the lesson?!
The answer lies in the difference between precision and accuracy. Precision refers to the consistency of your movements—you might be able to repeat the same actions over and over. Accuracy, on the other hand, is about achieving the desired (correct) results—such as hitting the perfect take-off point for a jump or maintaining an ideal posture during a movement.
In lessons, with your instructor guiding you, you may experience temporary improvements in accuracy as they give feedback to help with position and movement, which alters how you execute your riding. However, if underlying physical weaknesses or reduced body control exist, that accuracy won’t stick when you’re on your own. You’ll repeat the same flawed movements because your body isn’t strong or flexible enough to make the changes permanent. That’s where rider physio and off-horse exercises come in, addressing these physical limitations so you can achieve lasting accuracy.