Diary of a Rusty Rider

Oh, and I have a target to aim for now.

The horse Leon was riding on the hack, Chloe, is a riding school horse, but is only used for very experienced riders as she's a very sensitive ex-eventer and needs to be given the specific aids rather than the more forgiving horses that will go with a general leg aid etc.

My aim is get get to the standard where I would be good enough for her. Not necessarily to actually ride her, but at least good enough to be allowed!
 
This was my second group lesson, after my debut last week, and my second lesson with Diane, who had taken my assessment lesson back in May. It was a group I didn’t know, as I usually don’t go there on Wednesdays and I was a little apprehensive, but they were all nice, and slightly older than the Thursday group which made for a nice change and I may continue to try and do both lessons each week for the variety, at least until I get a share/own horse.

I was delighted to discover I was riding Tom again, and had high hopes for finally having a good lesson on him, as previously I’d had a horrible ride on him the day I first cycled there and was late, and the next time he came up lame after a few minutes.

He didn’t let me down, although not quite in the way I’d expected. On the ‘bad’ lesson before, he’d just been quite unwilling to respond to me, and kept veering along the fence, hitting my leg. We just didn’t click. But the hack last weekend was great, so I knew there was more to him than grumpiness. Today, he was all about the spooks.

He’d apparently been like it on the other two lessons he’d done earlier. I suggested it may have been the wind (which was really quite strong) but apparently he sometimes goes through phases like this! He stopped dead with me once, and countless times spun, spooked, and dropped a shoulder. I nearly came off when he dropped a shoulder and spun but was chuffed to be able to get my balance back, stay on, and continue cantering under control. Diane asked if I wanted her to tack up Patchwork so I could swap, but to be honest, I was quite enjoying the challenge. It made the lesson a bit more fun anyway!

Diane had a very different approach from the other three instructors I’ve had there, and her lessons are much more ‘traditional in that they’re quite formal and some of the ride was in walk whilst others were doing their ‘bit’ whereas with Steve’s all work is in at least trot. It was easier in that respect, but both have their advantages.

We started off with stretching ourselves out, and the others took their stirrups away, as Tom was being silly I kept mine, but was disappointed as I wanted to do the same as the others. But in the event they did half a lap and then all took them back again, so I didn’t miss out.

Then it was new stuff for me – leg yielding and counter canter. Although I’d done plenty of leg yielding in the past, it’s always been out hacking when needing to move a certain way, I’d never actually done it in a school or been properly taught it. I was pleased to find that I’d generally had the right idea of opening the outside rein and keeping the inside leg behind the girth. I was warned that Tom wasn’t used to it, but he seemed to go really well. We were working in open order in the school, and that was interesting, with 6 horses all trying to leg yield around.

We had a couple of canters on each rein, and after Tom tried to chuck me off, actually got him going really nicely, and was complimented with ‘nice canter’ a few times from Diane. I even got a couple of good transitions. I do love Tom…

Counter canter was interesting. Picking up canter at one end, then changing the rein across the diagonal, meant that usually the ride was passing just as I neared the other side, and with asking for the inside bend, Tom took that as a cue to try and turning that way to join the back of the ride. A few times I won and we turned away from the ride, but once he got the better of me so I had to swing him around to go back again. I don’t think the counter canter actually ever happened for me. I was too busy trying to keep him straight, keep him cantering forward, and trying to come off at his spooks. But it was a good exercise to do anyway.

A couple of jumps at the end, and again I was conscious of the spooking, as he’d been worse in the corner where I was approaching the jumps. It was here I learnt that Tom isn’t the most respectful jumper, as we did the double of cross poles about 4 times and I don’t think we ever left all the poles untouched.

None the less, I had a good confidence boosting ride – it’s not so long ago that I would have been too scared to carry off after he’d spooked badly a few times, and almost certainly would have come off at a coupe o those.

With hindsight, I could have made more effort to do what the others were doing with counter canter etc – I’d been given a kind of ‘free pass’ from Diane as Tom was playing up, but I probably could have managed to have a go. The others I think mostly kept getting ‘accidental’ changes anyway - I’m not sure any of us actually got it right.
 
JenJ said:
lol! Just seen that this thread is in the top 5 in H&H this week! How? Hardly anyone ever reads it! :D
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Those of us that do are loving it! I'm sure it touches a chord with many more people than you would realise, your honesty and style of writing is a joy, keep it coming and well done well impressive. I may be on verge of buying! Will know more Mon/Tues, hardly dare mention it but will let you know, then I will be waging battle with refresher lessons on all the lateral work too!! Fingers crossed ...... again!!
 
Awww, thanks guys :o

greymare - keep me informed! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Another hack report coming up shortly, but it'll be short and sweet with no news on shares/buys etc
 
Cycled to the yard early on Saturday morning, and thanks to the deceptive shower that looked light but completely drenched me, combined with my new jacket which apparently isn't waterproof, I was soaked through when I arrived. It wasn't raining there, so I took the risk of riding in my vest rather than the jacket, and hoped it would dry out by the time I got back.

I was on my lovely Tom again, and there were 5 of us in total - Catrina the escort, Helen who was with me last week, and 2 other girls who were riding for the first time. It was quite a nice to be in a big group for a change, but I mostly stayed at the front with Catrina.

We did a very similar route to last week over to Esher Common, but went a slightly different way over the common. It was faster than last week, and we did a lot more trotting on the way there. Going under the railway bridge, Catrina warned us that if a train came along to just sit up and stop, and that she was a jinx when it came to this bridge. Having been under it quite a few times and never heard a train I was dubious, but sure enough as we were underneath a train roared over. Most of the horses didn't blink an eyelid. Tom started bouncing around but up and down rather than forwards. Once he'd realised that a. the train wasn't going to eat him and b. it had long gone, he relaxed a bit.

Tom had forgotten all the spookiness of the other day, apart from the odd startle at a leaf, but again he didn't put a foot wrong. No galloping, as on the sand track there were a couple of dogs, but when we were cantering he was again so light in the mouth and didn't pull in the slightest.

It made me realise how good the hacking is over there. Yes, it may get a bit repetitive after a while, and there's little variation in the route going to Esher Common, but it's mostly off road and once you're there you're inundated with possibilities.

The more time I spend at Chessington, the more I like it there. As well as the facilities, it's so friendly, and most people there have been there for years, in fact a lot of the adults started riding there as kids. I'm actually not going to look for a share online anymore, as I want to stay at Chessington so much, so it'll either be sharing one of the horses there, or buying and keeping there.

I'm quite busy this week so am only doing the group lesson on Thursday, but then I have the TREC afternoon next Saturday. I've also just ordered the BHS Stage 1 & 2 books, as they do sessions there most weekends, and Diane said I should be ready to take my test for Stage 1 when they start again next Spring. Funnily enough the nearest test centre is one of the other places I was looking at before I went to Chessington.
 
Back in Steve's group lesson for the second time, and I was a little dismayed to learn it would be just me and three of the girls that own/share/help at the yard. Not because I didn't want to ride with 'kids' but because they're all so much better than me and I didn't want to be the one holding everyone back!

But it was fine. I was on the lovely Tom again, and this time there were no spooks. Whatever had got into him last week had gone out of his system. This lesson was much the same as the last one I did, with most of the lesson without stirrups doing the reverse half-circle, incline and circles individually in trot, with the rest trotting large and circling.

It was actually quite good as I knew what I should be doing, and Steve was able to notice the improvement since two weeks ago, of which apparently there was a lot. The shapes were a lot better, I was getting more bend on the circles, and was going straighter on the inclines, plus Tom was going nicely and I had a couple of lovely trot canter transitions.

Went over a few cross poles at the end, and I got Tom going much better than last week, and we didn't crash through them this time. Well, only the once. I then got to sort Tom out myself, untacking, hosing down and putting his sheet on, and had a little cuddle :o

I'm really liking this horse, and asked Leon about sharing him. Leon must hate me, as every time I see him I ask about sharing/buying, but apparently this time it may be a yes, even though they don't usually have sharers for the bigger horses. We'll see.

Even if it's a 'no', I've been on him every time since he came back from holiday, so I'll be happy either way.
 
Oh, and is it wrong that every time I come back from the yard, I avoid washing my hands for as long as possible, so I can keep the horsey smell just that little bit longer...?
 
TREC day today, and I had been changed to Champ as Tom would be too big for some of the obstacles. I'd ridden Champ once before, and although sluggish, he seemed fine, but Diane suggested I borrow her spurs. I declined, as I've never used them before and was worried about hurting him (:rolleyes:) but after a short warm up Diane again suggested it and I agreed. I was then a bit scared to use my leg for the rest of the day. Hmm.

We started off with a lesson (after each tacking up our mounts - first time at Chessington that I've tacked up) and started off with a warm up then working without stirrups. First trotting, then a canter. Steve asked the other day if I wanted to canter without stirrups, and I said I didn't feel ready so stayed in trot, but today I just kept quiet and went for it, probably the first time in over 15 years. It was fine, though I suspect a little untidy.

We then got our stirrups back and practised trot-halt and halt-trot transitions in open order. This was fine, I tried the spurs out a few times and saw they did have an effect, but mostly concentrated on almost turning my feet in so I didn't accidentally jab him! We then did individual walk-canter and canter-halt transitions. I've never done either of these before. Eeeek. First walk-canter was messy, second walk-canter was good, canter-halt missed the mark. Then a cool down and the horses were put back in their boxes for a break whilst we built the obstacle course.

Then back on and off to the field for the timed (fastest) walk and (slowest) canter sections. Champs ears pricked up as soon as we hit grass, and he suddenly started taking an interest in what was going on.

It was a little boring on this section, as there were 5 of us, and the walk/canter stretch was quite long, so we were just standing around while each had their turn. Despite Champ being the most sluggish horse, we got the fastest walk - I am quite keen on my active walks, so I was chuffed. First canter I was trying to go too slow, and he broke into trot, then the second canter I kept him going right up until the end when he slipped back into trot, so we scored no points.

Then back to the school where we walked the obstacle course - 4 cones with 2 flags to move from one to another, a 'tunnel' with shields and plastic bags along the sides, bending cones along one side, a circle in which we had to dismount, then leading the horse under a limbo pole, over a wooden pallet, through a maze of bamboo canes, then get back on (on the wrong side) and do the limbo, pallet and maze whilst mounted. Then 3 jumps on a serpentine to finish - a straight, a straight with spooky filler, and a straight with rubbish and a sheet underneath.

We practised the course once each, and Champ was really good with most of it. Since learning we were to mount from the wrong side, I'd been getting increasingly nervous - not so much the mounting from the wrong side, but mounting without a mounting block. I hadn't mounted from the ground for about 15 years. In the event, it was pretty much as messy as I expected, except that I did actually manage to get on. Champ kept moving backwards, so in both the practice and real round, someone had to come and hold him for me :o

Champ hardly batted an eyelid at everything else, and although we kicked the canes in the maze, that was probably my fault - as Diane said, I was taking the shortest line rather than bending him round! I was also nervous about the jumps, and Diane actually put the last one down for me, from about 2'9 to 2'3 ish. Still, I was a mess over them - barely got him moving and think we knocked two.

Overall we came 3rd out of the 5. It seems the points I got for my fastest walk weren't very significant! I really enjoyed the day, but came away feeling quite despondent and annoyed at myself. My confidence has taken a knocking - mainly from how nervous I felt. I was nervous for pretty much the whole day - even for the walk. And for the timed canter, the order was to canter a circle first before starting, but both times I just went for it as I was nervous about circling. Why, I don't know.

I feel like I rode really badly and untidily. Having gone over 6 jumps today probably equals what I've done so far in total in the last 15 years, but I feel so rubbish at going over them. I can't seem to spot the take-off, so sit forward before I need to, and put the horse out of balance. I know this will all improve with more lessons, but at the moment I'm just feeling very ****.

And I sulked all the way for my cycle home, even audibly cursing the many people that tried to kill me. There were more maniacs out than usual though.
 
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Group lesson with Diane again today, and I told her beforehand that Saturday had knocked my confidence. She told me I was expecting too much of myself :D

Was back on Tom, and had a good lesson, though again the confidence is a little knocked. I need to stop comparing myself to others and criticising myself for not being able to ride as well as them, especially when they've been riding for years and years whilst I've only been back for 3 months.

We worked in open order to warm up, including canters on both reins, which I'd not done in open order before, and so I had stupidly chosen the right rein at first whilst everyone else was on the left, so I had to keep ducking off the track. Error!

We did some stirrupless serpentines in trot, and then with stirrups back worked on an exercise. This was with each of us near a corner marker (handily there were 4 of us) then doing a 10m circle, then going large until the next corner marker and repeat. First in walk, then in trot, then in trot with a halt at the other markers, then in trot with canter between the circles.

It was actually a really good exercise that ensured the horse was really listening to you, as there were so many transitions. Tom was lovely and I got him cantering nicely on the left leg, which is his rusty side.

We then did some jumping - the others were working on getting the horse to land on a specific lead, whilst as my jumping skills leave a lot to be desired, I was just working on going over, and in a straight line.

We actually had a run out, or more specifically wander out. I can only blame nerves and the fact that I forget how to ride when it comes to jumping. Tom was veering off, and I thought he was going to jump the block. Given that he could barely be bothered to jump a foot high crosspole, I don't know why I would have thought he'd want to jump a 3 ft high, 1 ft wide block, but anyway. So I tried to steer him away and lost the line and he wandered out, in a slow trot. I was a little embarrassed. :o

After that he starting being a bit silly as he knew I was rubbish, but I got a few nice jumps, with me actually riding at them, and then we left it at that.

But the best news, is that I'm going to be allowed to share Tom! Not sure of details yet, such as price (!), but I'll probably have him 3 days a week, and he'll be used for clients 3 days a week. I'll mainly school him in the evenings, as it's too dark to hack out now, but hopefully I'll be able to take him out on my own for some nice weekend hacks and a bit of bonding.
 
JenJ said:
But the best news, is that I'm going to be allowed to share Tom! Not sure of details yet, such as price (!), but I'll probably have him 3 days a week, and he'll be used for clients 3 days a week. I'll mainly school him in the evenings, as it's too dark to hack out now, but hopefully I'll be able to take him out on my own for some nice weekend hacks and a bit of bonding.
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Great news Jen! I'm sure your riding will come on leaps and bounds through sharing.
 
Jen that sounds FAB! Sharing is one of the best things i have ever done (where oh where are the north London shares now though?!)

Tom sounds wonderful, and he'll be all yours for three days a week :D

I look forward to your First Schooling Session and First Solo Hack reports!!

TG xx
 
Yes, he is really lovely.

As much as I've benefitted from all the lessons I have really missed sharing, as for me riding is just a part of being with horses.
 
The last ride was bad enough that it needed its own thread
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=391830

Tonight's wasn't much better, though at least I didn't hit the deck.

Rode Tom in the group lesson, and I told Diane beforehand that I'd fallen last time and lost confidence, she said we were going to be doing pole work today and working on medium walk and medium trot, so I didn't need to worry.

The first time we approached 'that corner' where I'd had the bad transitions last week, he baulked a bit, but that may well have been my nerves. The surface got all mashed up with the rain last week, and was a lot deeper and a bit boggy at the time I fell. He didn't seem to like going over it though, even today.

I was nervous about cantering again. The first time was on the right rein, which is his best and not the one I fell off on. He was fine. Quite forward but listened to me when I asked him to slow, and Diane said he'd picked up on my tension. Then on the left rein, his worst and the one I'd fallen off on, we were supposed to pick up canter in the C-H corner, which was the dodgy one and where I fell off. I asked Diane if I could canter on the next corner instead, but when I got to C, figured I had to beat the demon so just went for it. And he was fine.

But that didn't seem to have built my confidence back up at all. We then went over 5 poles on the 3/4 line, first in walk, then stretched out to try and get a medium walk, then in trot and medium trot.

I guess I was being over-sensitive, and sending negativity to Tom, but I was getting more nervous, and felt he was getting strong (he has the softest mouth ever), so when we moved up to canter poles, I chickened out.

Rather than have me give up, Diane suggested I swap onto Harvey and do the exercise, which I did but again I felt that he was being strong. It was windy, and either I have got a chip on my shoulder about riding in the wind, or the horses actually get silly in it, or maybe a bit of both.

It did make me feel a little better that the guy now riding Tom, a very effective rider, had issues, and struggled to keep the canter, and also had a run out over the poles. Not just me then...

Diane did say that Tom was not a confidence giving horse at all, at 7 years old, he arrived at Chessington a year and a half ago, quite unschooled, and although he was shared for a while by a great rider there, he's not done much since.

I really do want to go ahead with the share, and bring his schooling on, even if I just stick to walk and trot in the school for a while. He's fabulous to hack, it's just that he seems to have got the better of me in the school, and I need to learn how to better deal with it. So I'll try and have weekly lessons still on some of the other horses, and build the confidence back up. For now, I'm going to have a private lunge lesson on Friday, then have a few more private lessons before going back to the groups.

After having my confidence and ability gradually built up over a couple of months, I've gone charging in to the group lessons, with people of a much higher ability than myself, and lost confidence because I can't ride as well as them.

:confused:
 
JenJ said:
For now, I'm going to have a private lunge lesson on Friday, then have a few more private lessons before going back to the groups.

After having my confidence and ability gradually built up over a couple of months, I've gone charging in to the group lessons, with people of a much higher ability than myself, and lost confidence because I can't ride as well as them.

:confused:
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Sounds a good plan. I really think you can't beat private lessons. There's nothing like it for being able to work on your specific problems. Try not to give yourself a hard time though (easier said than done!) - riding is all about the ups and, more often than not, the downs!
 
Hi there, I don't think you should get too disheartened with your recent lessons as it sounds like you are doing really well.

I have been reading your diary with interest, as I am based in SW London (well, at weekends) and have occasional lessons at the same riding school. I thought I'd reply as I had a lesson on your Tom last weekend! You should be very pleased that you managed to get him to canter on the left rein! I found it so hard to do, and difficult to keep him in canter, so I'm very impressed!:)

I'd agree that he's not exactly a confidence giving horse as he's young and would benefit from a bit of schooling to improve his balance. Maybe he feels strong sometimes because he isn't balanced and is running onto the forehand? However, he is confidence giving in a way because he seems to be quite a sweety and tries hard to do what he's asked to do. I did get him working 'on the bit' (not by hauling his mouth in - promise!) so he clearly knows what to do, just needs to be worked that way more consistently.

So I think that you should definately go ahead with the share! And 'just sticking in walk and trot in the school' wouldn't be a bad thing at all would it? You can get him balanced and soft and supple in those paces, then move on to canter work later on when the foundations are in place. And since he seems to be a nice friendly lad, I'd bet he'll love having a part-time mum to pamper him!:D

With regard to losing confidence in group lessons, I'm a bit the same, which is why I usually go for private lessons. I'm OK if I know I'm one of the better riders in a group (god, that sounds awful!:o), but if I'm in a group with good riders, I get all anxious as I want to try and be just as good as them. When I'm not, I get fed up and think I'm c**p!:rolleyes:

I hope you have a great lunge lesson on Friday - always a useful experience! And I hope you have a run of fun, confidence-boosting private lessons in the next few weeks. Maybe you should still have a private lesson on Tom, he might be less strong if his buddies aren't there to wind him up!

Good Luck! And keep up the updates - really enjoy reading them!:D
 
Thanks.

And Lottie - thanks you for that post - made me feel a lot better. He was going on the forehand a lot yesterday, which he doesn't normally do (that I've noticed).

I just need to keep with the lessons. As Steve said to me after I fell off last week, one day I may ride worse than the day before, but as long as I'm riding better than the month before, I'm improving.
 
hello, I was in the same lesson as you yesterday and just want to say that contray to what you think, Tom is NOT an easy ride. he is very sweet and I love him to bits but he is also very sharp, so if you hesistate he will take advantage.

I think you are beating up yourself too much as you are not a bad rider at all, as you say, the other person who rode Tom after you also struggles and he has been riding longer than you (and is a very confident rider, that always helps)

I shared tom over summer last year (the great rider you mentioned earlier was unfortunatly not me, but one of the instructors) and while he was really affectionate and great at hacks, he really needs precise and confident instructions in his schooling, otherwise he is liable to try any tricks he can to get away from doing the work you want. I have been riding for the past 4 years but there were days when I shared him last year when his lack of co-operation in the schooling department got me down as well

I have rambled on a bit but I just want to reiterate that just because you don't succeed on Tom does not make you a failure, he is not an easy ride if you expect more from a horse than just moving : )

hope I see you next week! it is nice having someone new in our group
 
stuytjay said:
hello, I was in the same lesson as you yesterday and just want to say that contray to what you think, Tom is NOT an easy ride. he is very sweet and I love him to bits but he is also very sharp, so if you hesistate he will take advantage.

I think you are beating up yourself too much as you are not a bad rider at all, as you say, the other person who rode Tom after you also struggles and he has been riding longer than you (and is a very confident rider, that always helps)

I shared tom over summer last year (the great rider you mentioned earlier was unfortunatly not me, but one of the instructors) and while he was really affectionate and great at hacks, he really needs precise and confident instructions in his schooling, otherwise he is liable to try any tricks he can to get away from doing the work you want. I have been riding for the past 4 years but there were days when I shared him last year when his lack of co-operation in the schooling department got me down as well

I have rambled on a bit but I just want to reiterate that just because you don't succeed on Tom does not make you a failure, he is not an easy ride if you expect more from a horse than just moving : )

hope I see you next week! it is nice having someone new in our group
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Awww, hello, and what a lovely post, thank you. I was going to ask you some questions about when you shared him, I may PM you if that's ok?

I'm definitely not going to ride in the lesson next week, as you're jumping in the main arena, but I think Z actually asked for Tom (!), so may try and book a private lesson then watch you all. I may be in the one after that, but will alternate between private/group lessons, and also some non-Tom horses!

Have fun in the TREC on Saturday x
 
Hi Jen, only ust caught up with your latest posts having felt somewhat disheartened myself since the return of Chance! I am still on crutches signed off work so very bored and feeling a tad sorry for myself, kind of foolish and a little jinxed but of course can rationalise it all and once I am out and about again sure I will proceed to fight another day! Don't be disheartened, you are obviously a perfectionist and think you will find most of us on here are at heart and never feel even when doing our best that it is goo enough. However, if you look back to where you started this venture again and look at how your skills are improving you will see you have indeed come a long way, and you are doing it properly with regular lessons and asking a lot of yourself. Maybe I should have followd your lead instead of rushing in just because I could. Like you I love looking after my horse as much as riding it and that is what I miss so much. Do take on the share of Tom, he clearly has so much to give and will develop with you, and maybe more one to one lessons and quiet time hacking and bonding will restore your faith in yourself. As lottieboos so wisely points out there is no harm in establishing balance and good transitions in walk and trot in the school, cantering out hacking under less pressure and just relaxing and enjoying it all more rather than trying too hard and being harsh on yourself.? Look forward to more updates and progress, keep it up, you know your worth it!! x
 
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