Ever been truly mortified....

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Patches

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...by a video of your riding?

Duncan sneaked across to the field and videoed me and Hannah from on top of the silage today. God, I had no idea I was so blinking crud at this riding lark!!!!

Last week I was advised my hands are carried too low (which I admit is true), so I've tried to raise them....now they're too high and rising with me in trot!

Goddamit I'm pants!
 
All the time!!!!
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It's so depressing isn't it?

I was busying myself doing loads of transitions, changing the rein and schooling movements...thinking to myself what a nice ride I was giving Patches and vice versa and how well we were working together.

Then I get to see the video and all I can think is "Get that eejit numpty off that poor mare!"
 
I had a video of the sj round that almost ruined my horse- it was the night when we realised there was something really wrong with his mouth- I was so ashamed I cried.
 
I am mortified enough by still photos, let alone a video!
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But, people say I am a good rider.
I think I used to be reasonable, but now I feel like a blob, and I think I look like one.
I don't ride very much now, tbh, and the more I don't ride, the worse I feel.
At least you do it, and from the photos I have seen of you and Patches, I think you look great together. She obviously hasn't got a problem with you, and as someone said, that is the main thing.
I admit that I spend the whole time I am riding now thinking: Are my hands too high/low, is my lower leg too far forward/back, am I leaning forward/back, is my head level .... blah, blah. And I don't enjoy it.
Maybe we pay much too much attention to this stuff when all we want is to have fun? As long as we are not making our horses uncomfortable and they respond to what we are asking, does it really matter THAT much?
 
Yup. In fact, there is only one video of me in existance that I actually like.

The thing with riding is that your expectations change all the time, the goalposts never stop moving... by that I mean- when I was a kid I thought anyone who could canter a horse was a REALLY good rider. Once I started riding and could canter the people who jumped were the amazing ones... then you learn more and realise there is so much more to it so your goal becomes higher again.... and so on.

I bet all the people on here who I look up to riding wise look at people competing at a higher level in exactly the same way.

Quite depressing really! But then at least there is always something to work on.
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Know what you mean ... we hired an indoor school today for a change (& chance to familiarise the boys with it before dressage comp there at end of the month) - they have lots of mirrors and OMG how much do my toes stick out??
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So embarrassed at how terrible I must look all the time.

And friend filmed us doing some jumps - OMG what's all this rowing back & forth with my upper body??
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Serious work required re position now.


BTW Patches - thanks for the osteo recommendation, the difference in Marco is amazing since his treatment, instructor has asked for her number as she was stunned by how quickly he'd recovered from his back problem.
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Butterbean...that's brilliant news. I am so pleased you've seen the same improvement in your horse that I have with Patches. Rachel is brilliant isn't she? (even if she's annoyingly slim and attractive lol)

I gave up along time ago worrying about my toes...you should join my little "group" (see my signature!)

Mirrors....Blimey....I'd never ride again!
 
I had a good tip about hands, instead of thinking about your hands think relax my elbows, sounds daft but it worked for me, it lifted my hands without making them rigid, its one of the few tips that have stuck in my head ever since.
 
You've hit the nail on the head. It's that old crawl before you can walk. I don't want to just walk...I want to run like an Olympic sprinter!
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I hated my hands, my legs and I don't like the way I rise and fall in trot either.

I would post it if I brave (after asking Duncan to upload it). I just can't bring myself to let that be seen in public!
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At least if I did show this video you'd all see I am still the beginner I claim to be!
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Yes, Rachel is coming out again soon for a follow up & am going to have her look at my bay horse too - he's had stifle problems (though for 6 weeks or so touch wood) so maybe she can help with that too.

Def will have to join your clique - it looked like I had big clown feet sticking out! sigh.
 
I doubt it- going back to my little theory- I expect many on here would look at it and aspire to be as good as you!

I think you are a great rider and those jumping pics really proved it- your position was excellent.
 
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I admit that I spend the whole time I am riding now thinking: Are my hands too high/low, is my lower leg too far forward/back, am I leaning forward/back, is my head level .... blah, blah. And I don't enjoy it.
Maybe we pay much too much attention to this stuff when all we want is to have fun? As long as we are not making our horses uncomfortable and they respond to what we are asking, does it really matter THAT much?

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AGREEE AGREEEEEEE!!!
whenever i ride, even hacking, all im thinking about is where are my hands, are my heels pointing down, am i sitting straight enough etc etc and it does dullen my ride
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especially when im riding with someone whos a better rider than me
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as long as ur not dangerous or doing urself or your horse any harm, then maybe we should concentrate on the signals,our horses movements etc rather than on how we look?
 
Ohhhhhhhhhhh you do like to give yourself a ridiculously hard time dear
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Seeing pictures / videos of yourself riding can be quite a shock because often how you *think* you ride and how you do are completly different. Never the less its a useful exercise but try not to be too critical!
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In regards to the hands, twine over the d-rings?
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If you feel like sending me the vid by PM, I'd love to take a look and I bet you look 1000% worse to yourself than you do to anyone else
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I'll get Duncan to capture it on his puter later. I'll pm you.

Promise not to shout at how bad I am though!
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im too flipping self-critical and just spend all my time thinking about how nicely the pony im riding could be going-but why isn't he?!
 
That's exactly what I think too when I've watched myself today. Don't get me wrong, she was nice and forward, tracking up etc. Moving quite nicely behind considering her medical problems.

It's just me. I'm the problem. I don't help her to work properly and I'm frustrated at myself for just ambling along without correcting/supporting her movement.

Gaaah! I feel like I've settled for less now. I should be aiming for more with her, she's perfectly capable!
 
Just remember how many years people spend learning how to get horses working correctly! It's an absolute art and it takes an enormous amount of practice and someone to help you.

You're becoming more and more aware of what you're aiming for and how she should look and feel and that in itself is making you more critical of yourself.

Just send it over later and i'll give you some feedback and I dont shout, ever
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Besides, as i said, i bet it looks tons worse to you than it will to a third party
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i dont know really. my brother filmed my dressage test the other day and skye was awful trying to canter off with me shaking her head, not bending properly etc but watched it back on video and it looked like she was going really nicely and everyone said what a nice test it was!!
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i think sometimes we pick faults in ourselves too much after all we ride to have fun!!
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Yep every video and photo has me completely depressed for about a week or so afterwards, I mean I look like such a numpty, heels are up, toes stick out and my God what are my hands doing. I hate it. God knows how poor Patrick manages to cope with me on his back, I know exactly where you are coming from.
 
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Yes! The last time I did a Dressage Comp there was someone there videoing, can't believe I paid £28 to watch myslef looking so rubbish......poor Axey
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£28!!! Heck, now that really is truly mortifying!
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Patches, MOST of us hate seeing ourselves ride on video!

Re the rising thing, I bet you are rising too high, taking your hands with you... I have been working on trying to break the habit of rising by pushing up from the balls of my feet - try a bit of rising without stirrups. You'll feel how the rise should come from the upper leg only, leaving the lower leg loose. Try to then replicate this with the stirrups back - i.e. from the upper leg only leaving the lower leg free & relaxed. FORGET about heels down (the BHS have a lot to answer for!). Think about the ankle, knee & hip being nice & loose rather than locked.

You should find you rise far less, it looks far more natural & your hands don't come up nearly as far either...
 
You know, I think this is a good point. Last week I was told my stirrups needed hiking up, so they're now 2 holes (as of today) shorter than last week. Last week I could barely rise over the pommel, today I have more clearance.

Maybe I need to adjust to the change in stirrup length...or maybe I'd be better having them longer again. Although the video of me has no fence in it, I had been jumping. My son had taken the fences down so we could use the whole area for serpentines etc.
 
Rising should come from the upper thigh - Mary Wanless explains it as kneeling up, without using your knee. And always remember it is back and forth, NOT up and down. I totally agree about the heels down bit BTW
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