It’s another hot weekend that finds ten students of Las Vegas-based Trojan Horse Training dressed in smart jodhpur trousers and show jackets, and competing in jumping and dressage* events with their equine companions. In the warm-up arena, a handful of trainers busily chase and call out final instructions to their dozens of students competing that day. The result is little more than a shouting match – each instructor trying to get the attention of his or her riders and communicate the corrective actions.
For expert trainer Gina Tatom, who sits outside the arena, her instructions pierce through the chaos to her students with crystal clear reception. Tatom uses a portable wireless audio system from Listen Technologies to train and coach more effectively.
Tatom first saw wireless audio technology being used by internationally acclaimed training moguls Pat and Linda Parelli. She immediately recognized how audio technology could aid her training program and started an extensive search for an affordable system that could withstand the rigors of her business, which spans from horse breaking and problem behaviors to show jumping.
“When working with some of these more challenging horses, there can be a lot of bumps, especialy if a rider falls off,” Tatom explained. “I needed a product that could withstand that kind of jolting.”
After passing up expensive professional systems and flimsy residential systems from the local electronics store, Tatom tried a Listen Portable FM System by taking advantage of the manufacturer’s free 30-day demo program. Between her private lessons and weekend shows, she put the Listen system through the wringer ensuring it could hold up to the demands of equine arts. Listen gave a blue-ribbon performance and the lifetime warranty gave her the additional assurance that she would always have functioning equipment should something go wrong.
Her satisfaction met, she purchased her own Listen Portable FM System which includes one LT-700 Portable FM Transmitter and four LR-400 Portable FM Receivers. The body pack styling enables the users to clip the units to their belts, allowing free movement for both the coach and the student. Tatom wears thetransmitter, which is equipped with a headworn microphone, and the students tune in with their receivers and headphones.
“The Listen system is great! I love having it,” said Tatom, whose passion and drive have earned her a reputation of never-ending energy. “My work is not as exhausting now because I can coach while sitting in the shade outside the arena instead of following my riders around. Plus, I don’t have to shout anymore.” Tatom further explained that in windy conditions especially, it’s difficult to hear a trainer even if she’s shouting.
The Listen system is particularly effective in those warm-up arenas with all her students wearing the receivers. “I can call out the name of the student, easily get his or her attention, and give instructions in a normal voice. The students have commented that this really helps them stay calm, which is so important when competing.”
From the trainer’s perspective, Tatom reports that her students are able to learn more quickly during their lessons because they can hear well. They save time because there’s no need to repeat instructions. To top it all off, her clients get more value for their money because the audio technology allows them to make the best use of their training time.
Thanks to the solid performance of Listen’s Portable FM System, Gina Tatom gets all-around winning results with her students at Trojan Horse Training.
*Dressage (pronounced dreh SAHZH) is the guiding of a horse through a series of complex maneuvers by slight movements of the rider’s hands, legs, and weight.
