A musing on horses, training etc

[chestnut cob]

Bit of a pointless post - I've got a huge tender to sort out at work and am procrastinating so that I can then spend my evening working on it in a panic, wishing I hadn't whiled away my morning on HHO...

Tell me this isn't just me? You make a huge step forwards in training, something suddenly clicks and you think "wow, I can do this, I can *actually* ride, this is awesome, I'm really getting this".... and this continues for a little while. In my case, a massive light bulb moment recently culminating in winning our first ever Novice DR test with 70% under a listed judge (UA comp). Wow, I think, I can do this dressage lark, I'm inspired. I then have a couple of days off, get back on to school yesterday and have apparently forgotten how to ride. In 3 days it seems I have forgotten how to ride a basic trot to canter transition and appear to have generally turned into a numpty, going back to attempting to stick rigidly to my schooling plan rather than actually riding the horse I have underneath me that day, and generally having a really rather rubbish session culminating in wondering if I'm better suited to just hacking.

(just a note - this isn't a proper plea for sympathy or advice, just me wasting time whilst pondering what happened to my tiny glimmer of being quite good last weekend and now apparently not )

I can't be the only one this happens to?! I would offer shortbread biscuits to anyone else who'd like to commiserate with me but I've eaten them all

On a slightly more serious note, does anyone else find they/ their horse can often actually go better away from home? I find that mine mostly likes to try finding things to distract him at home, doesn't especially want to concentrate and can generally be a bit silly (flat and jumping) and over-reactive. At a competition he knuckles straight down and gets on with his job, usually always pulling it out of the bag to get placed. Or maybe I'm riding differently because I subconsciously think "it really counts now, I've got to get it right"?!

 

[be positive]

To the first part that is normal in my experience, you seem to take a step forward feel you can ride the horse and have found the buttons then a few days later you lose it all, there is light at the end of the tunnel you normally find them again and continue to make progress in the right direction so do not despair you are definitely not alone.

On the second again yes some do go better away from home for a variety of reasons depending on the horse, a lazy type will usually become more bright and interested so give you more to work on, a sharper one may be less spooky as it is away from what it knows so sees everything as a challenge which can mean it decides that listening to the rider may be the "safest" option, with numerous variations to the theme.

A shortbread biscuit would have been nice but I will make do with a choccy digestive instead.

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Yes to both parts! I constantly feel I have 'it', I can do 'it', Topaz is the next female Velagro... and then I ask for something simple and can't do it, whether it be a 20m circle rather than square or a simple transition.

Simple change: yep easy, trot-canter transtion: nope

Sometimes its a case of we've been working at harder stuff and then there is a loss of understanding when a simpler aid is applied/asked. This is generally my fault for inccorect aids. Sometimes Topaz is tired so a walk break is needed. Sometimes I just can't ride . Regular lessons keep me from spiralling too far into the I cannot ride thought process!

Topaz is also a horror at home, lots of things to spook/gawp at! She's spooky elsewhere too but is consistanly rediculous at home , made worse when the put a caravan next to the arena . I feel its that she knows home so changes are obvious and to be viewed suspicously and also she feels more at ease to slip her attention off me and onto that person in the field, whats she doing, hmm very odd, uh oh I was meant to trot then wasn't I .

Glad to know it's not just me

x x

 

[oldie48]

No, another one here! I go from complete elation because Mr B feels wonderful and so easy to the absolute pits when I can't even get him into a proper contact and he's rushing around looking like Mr Angry. I've never had a horse that went well at home but perhaps that's me. The arena isn't that spooky but there's a lane behind the hedge and there is always someone walking, cycling or riding along or some huge vehicle passing despite it being single track.

 

[Pigeon]

Story of my life

I've never had a horse that went well at home but perhaps that's me.

Same here. I've had to really limit our arena work at home because it brings me down! We do occasional pole work and run through an upcoming test once and that is it. I do all the rest of our schooling out on hacks. It's never been a problem with my other horses, only P, but he does have a unique brain!

Some days I feel like I get it. Like I can actually ride. Others I get on and I'm like, why won't my left hand hold onto the reins, why are my legs doing the river dance, and why can't I get into the swing of rising trot!

It's so weird isn't it! I'm starting to work a little more on my fitness because I'm horribly unfit and I don't think that's helping! Also I have to make myself go through a little routine - you know, shoulder in here, ten transitions in a row and then a leg yield, for example - before panicking that he's trotting around like a p*ssed off giraffe, because that inevitably makes him a bit more focused and supple and easier to deal with.

made worse when the put a caravan next to the arena .

Ahhhahah we've just had one put next to ours too. Pip's okay until the occupant flushes the toilet and it makes a WHOOOSH noise. Now that is cause for running away!

 

[wkiwi]

Bit of a pointless post - I've got a huge tender to sort out at work and am procrastinating so that I can then spend my evening working on it in a panic, wishing I hadn't whiled away my morning on HHO...

Oh goody, I get to feel superior because i have just finished writing a commissioned article and it is not due till next week! Mind you, I would fully emphasise in exchange for the shortbread biscuits, except that A: there are none left and B: I am dieting!!

Yes to both your other points - we are all brilliant for only moments, and rubbish the rest of the time. And yes I think horses are often better away from home; a bit like going out on a fun day with friends or family where, because there is so much more interesting things to focus on, all of the daily whinges and tired 'jokes' get forgotten for a while.

good luck with your procrastination!!

 

[chestnut cob]

Ah, thanks everyone, you've all made me feel so much better! Horse went so well at our DR last week, judge even told me after the test how much she liked him. Instructor schools him for me once a week - after her session on Weds I got a text saying he had schooled the best he ever had and felt amazing. So I was hopeful that when I got on y'day we would be giving Charlotte and Valegro a run for their money... but nope, I forgot how to ride. Wobbly left leg, horse refusing to do any sensible trot-canter-trot transitions, me looking down all the time, leaning in on the left, apparently forgetting how to sit on my backside in canter, gripping with knees. It was like someone erased the last few years of riding lessons out of my memory and I rode like I was just learning to rise to the trot. Between Weds and Thurs horse also apparently decided he physically can't bend or soften in canter (he was fibbing) and my legs were leg rag doll legs, doing nothing about it.

Pigeon I am especially encouraged that it's not just me who sometimes wonders why on earth they seem to have forgotten how to do rising trot! We are hacking this afternoon so I shall be working on things then and might do a quick 15 mins in the arena when I get back.
And Oldie - I know the Mr Angry horse! We have those days too!

Alex - I wonder if there's something in that about working on more complicated stuff then forgetting the simple stuff. He's also super keen to please so if he thinks he knows what you're asking (usually before you've asked), he'll try to do it but if it's not what you wanted or not right, he then gets really upset and tense then can't come back down to earth and concentrate. I agree about plenty of lessons - I know I can do it but sometimes my body just doesn't quite do what I'm telling it to then me and horse get frustrated! Combined with sharp pony brain (got to be one step ahead as not only does he always think he knows what you're going to ask but he's also quick to throw every evasion at you under the sun when he's in that mood...).

Thankfully mine isn't a horror at home but he definitely doesn't put in the same effort as when at a comp. At home we frequently need A frames/ V poles for jumping as he's lazy yet away from home he'll fly around a 90cm- 1m SJ course without touching a single thing. He also doesn't bother with any evasions when schooling away from home, he just knuckles down. At home everything is an excuse to stop concentrating. I think it's partly me - I think I ride better away from home as more determined. I suppose it's better to have a horse who pulls it out of the bag at a competition than one who schools nicely at home then throws in the towel the minute he's away!